AHAM Bookstore
Books by or about Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi, Self-Inquiry, and Advaita or Non-duality
Suggested
Initial Readings:
The Spiritual Teaching
Of Ramana Maharshi
Forward by C. G. Jung
Transcribed conversations
of Sri Ramana Maharshi are known the world over among spiritual seekers,
and prized for their great inspirational power, which transcends all
religious differences. Here is a collection of Sri Ramana’s instructions
and discourses in simple question-and-answer format. They cover such
topics as “Work and Renunciation”, “Silence and Solitude”,
“Peace and Happiness” and the discipline of Self-Inquiry.
The discipline of Self-Inquiry,
as taught by Sri Ramana Maharshi, embraces the path of Action (Karma)
as well as that of Knowledge; for it is used with the events of daily
life as well as in silent meditation. In this way, the circumstances
of life, instead of being obstacles on the path to Liberation, are actually utilized as opportunities for consciousness-clearing.
This is the book A. Ramana
was mysteriously drawn to in the bookstore in Houston, Texas that resulted
in his final transformation. At that time, the book had a plain purple-colored
cover with no name printed on the book’s spine to mark it for
recognition or easy reference, thus contributing to the enigma of that
transforming event. The same photograph of Sri Bhagavan Ramana, seen
by Ramana inside the book at that time, can also be viewed in this edition
of the book.
As in Ramana's case, the
reader of this text will find many of his most doubts or convoluted
spiritual questions answered simply and easily.
Soft cover - 118 pages
- $18.95
(Domestic orders only, for orders outside the U.S.
please contact AHAM Publications for shipping information.)
The Path of Sri Ramana
- Part One
By Sri Sadhu Om
This book is a profound,
lucid and masterly exposition of the spiritual teachings which Sri Bhagavan
graciously bestowed upon the world. Unlike other commentaries upon the
teachings of Sri Ramana, the exact method of practicing the inquiry
“Who am I?” is analyzed and explained in a clear, coherent
and scientific manner. It takes as its authority only the original Tamil
works of Sri Bhagavan and does not rely upon translations of his works
or upon conversations with him recorded by devotees. It is for this
reason that this book has been widely acclaimed by sincere devotees
of Bhagavan, to be a definitive work on His teachings and a rare treasure
of his Grace.
Sri Sadhu Om, the author
of this book, having already reached the pinnacle of desirelessness,
came to Sri Bhagavan and took him as his guru, while the author was
still in his early youth. When Sri Bhagavan instructed him to “Attend
to that for which you have come,” he dedicated himself earnestly
and one-pointedly to the practice of Self-Inquiry and Self-surrender,
and remained ever inwardly attentive lest the least trace of ego should
rise from within. It is because he thus whole-heartedly followed the
path of Sri Ramana, and thereby became a pure and worthy channel for
His Grace to flow through, that Sri Sadhu Om is able to expound the
practical teachings of his Sadguru with so much clarity, originality
and authority.
Paperback - 174 pages -
$9.95
The Path of Sri Ramana
- Part Two
By Sri Sadhu Om
This book is a profound,
lucid and masterly exposition of the spiritual teachings which Sri Bhagavan
graciously bestowed upon the world. Unlike other commentaries upon the
teachings of Sri Ramana, the exact method of practicing the inquiry
“Who am I?” is analyzed and explained in a clear, coherent
and scientific manner. It takes as its authority only the original Tamil
works of Sri Bhagavan and does not rely upon translations of his works
or upon conversations with him recorded by devotees. It is for this
reason that this book has been widely acclaimed by sincere devotees
of Bhagavan, to be a definitive work on His teachings and a rare treasure
of his Grace.
Sri Sadhu Om, the author
of this book, having already reached the pinnacle of desirelessness,
came to Sri Bhagavan and took him as his guru, while the author was
still in his early youth. When Sri Bhagavan instructed him to “Attend
to that for which you have come,” he dedicated himself earnestly
and one-pointedly to the practice of Self-Inquiry and Self-surrender,
and remained ever inwardly attentive lest the least trace of ego should
rise from within. It is because he thus whole-heartedly followed the
path of Sri Ramana, and thereby became a pure and worthy channel for
His Grace to flow through, that Sri Sadhu Om is able to expound the
practical teachings of his Sadguru with so much clarity, originality
and authority.
Paperback - 190 pages -
$9.95
The Teachings Of Bhagavan
Sri Ramana Maharshi In His Own Words
Edited by Arthur Osborne
During the half century
or more of his life spent in Tiruvannamalai, Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi
was visited by a constant stream of people from all parts of the world,
seeking spiritual guidance, consolation for grief, or simply to experience
his presence. He wrote very little in these years, but a number of his
talks with visitors were recorded and subsequently published by his
ashram. In this book, Arthur Osborne sought to represent Sri Bhagavan’s
teachings by selecting and fitting together passages from these dialogues,
and from Bhagavan’s own writings.
The purpose of this fine
book is to make it easy for the average spiritual aspirant to read and
understand, and to avoid giving the false impression that the spiritual
quest, or Self-Realization, is some difficult process, or an intricate
science that can be understood only by those with a knowledge of technical
terminology.
In these writings, the clear
and simple Truth of non-duality (advaita) that Sri Bhagavan
taught, and the direct path of Self-Inquiry, which he enjoined, is expounded
in simple language that is easily understood by any ordinary person,
or Western reader.
Hardcover - 244 pages -
$8.95
Be As You Are: The Teachings
Of Sri Ramana Maharshi
Edited by David Godman
In this book edited by
the former librarian of the Sri Ramanasramam library (the library of
the Ashram of Sri Ramana Maharshi), the teachings of Sri Bhagavan have
been presented in the form of a series of questions and answers in which
the great sage outlines his views on various subjects. The chapters
have been arranged so that his highest teachings come first. Each chapter
is devoted to a different topic and each topic is prefaced by a few
introductory or explanatory remarks. The questions and answers, which
form the bulk of each chapter, have been taken from many sources and
assembled in such a way that they give the appearance of being a continuous
conversation. The sources of the quotations that make up the conversations
are all listed at the end of the book.
This book is compiled in
a manner that provides both easy reading and an in-depth grasp of Sri
Ramana’s teachings. This is a great introductory book to the teachings
of Sri Ramana Maharshi.
Soft cover - 251 pages
- $15.95
Maha Yoga
By "Who"
The following was extracted
from a review of Maha Yoga by Paul Brunton.
In
this book, the author passes his own written philosophical portion of
Sri Ramana Maharshi’s teaching through the Advaitic (non-dual)
acid test - i.e., by having the Maharshi himself read it and declare
the teaching to be a genuine coin of the Advaitic realm. The author
is himself a keen and uncompromising upholder of Advaitic doctrine:
that the “world, God and the individual soul” are really
One single Reality, a unity, and that their seeming separateness is
but an illusion occurring in the mind. He has also added many true points
about other aspects of Sri Ramana Maharshi’s teaching - such as
the nature of the personal ego, and the necessity of devotion in some
form or other. He writes with such devotion, clearness of perception
and expression that you most admire both his level of consciousness
and his literary style.
This book is recommended
with real pleasure, being called to the notice of those interested in
the fundamental or metaphysical side of the Maharshi’s writings
and sayings.
Hard cover - 196 pages
- $8.95
Living By The Words
Of Bhagavan
Compiled by David Godman
This is the story of Annamalai
Swami, a direct disciple of Sri Ramana Maharshi, and the person who
was in charge of building many of the main structures in use today at
Sri Ramanasramam. It is an inspiring and moving account of what it was
like to live and work in the close proximity and presence of Sri Ramana.
This book relates far more than the traditional Guru-Disciple encounter,
although that is clearly demonstrated. It opens to the reader a deep
insight into the day-to-day workings of Sri Ramana’s ashram during
his life. It not only depicts the relationship between Sri Ramana and
his disciples, but also provides a significant insight into some of
the interrelationships between the disciples themselves. This book is
about a real, quite ordinary person who succeeded in dealing with the
foolishness of his ego-mind.
The book is divided into
three parts. The first part contains a biography of Annamalai Swami’s
daily life while living with Sri Ramana Maharshi. The second part is
a diary of extracted events written by Annamalai Swami after he was
instructed by Bhagavan to move next door, away from the ashram, and
begin a less active and more contemplative life style. The diary contains
specific accounts of what Sri Bhagavan said and/or appeared to do with
devotees during the time period Annamalai Swami lived and worked in
the ashram. It also gives guileless, straightforward, very frank accounts
of occurrences in the day-to-day life of some residents and members
of the ashram staff, not all of them complimentary to the egos, attitudes
or behavior of those involved, and which are not mentioned in other day-to-day reports such as:Talks With Ramana Maharshi, Day
By Day With Bhagavan or Letters From Sri Ramanasramam.
The third part of the book
consists of questions put to Annamalai Swami by serious students of
Sri Bhagavan’s teaching. It is highly recommended for the serious
seeker, due to it’s elegantly clear, detailed and insightful description
of the teaching of Ramana Maharshi. This description is given by a disciple
who himself became an Enlightened teacher by applying with exactitude
and successfully living Sri Bhagavan’s teaching to achieve the
Highest Goal for which the teaching is intended.
This book is a “must
read” for anyone seeking an insight into what true spiritual life,
in close relationship with one’s guru, is really about.
Hard cover - 368 pages
– $19.95
Day by Day with Bhagavan
From a Diary of A. Devaraja Mudaliar
This is the published diary,
covering about two years from 1945 to 1947, of a devotee who lived at
Sri Ramanasramam altogether for four years and had daily contact with
Bhagavan. Reading about the small happenings at the ashram, as well
as Bhagavan’s actions and words, we gain insight into the daily
life of the ashram, and Bhagavan’s interaction with and influence
on spiritual seekers. Sri Bhagavan’s love and compassion for all
those living at the ashram, as well as his concern for daily visitors,
and even his compassion for animals, shines through the pages.
Questions from visitors
from diverse perspectives, and Bhagavan’s answers to them, flesh
out the teaching of Bhagavan from many sides. A woman with seven children
and many household duties asked what she should do, given that she was
unable to meditate and did not feel that she was capable of Self-Inquiry.
Bhagavan replied, that she should simply “be aware,” i.e.,
always be aware of “I-I” as she went about her day. To some
questioners, Bhagavan responded in Silence – his most powerful
teaching.
Hardcover - 327 pages -
$12.95
The Collected Works
of Ramana Maharshi
By Author Osborne
This book gathers all the
Maharshi’s original works—including “Self-Inquiry,”
“Upadesa Saram” (Spiritual Instructions), “Who
am I,” “Five Hymns to Arunachala,” the two sets of
“Forty Verses,” together with all his miscellaneous works,
most significantly being Atma Vidya (Self Knowledge)—in
one volume; as well as contains his explanations of some significant
works of the sixth century sage, Adi Shankara.
Osborne’s presentation
of Sri Ramana Maharshi’s teachings shows readers the purest form
of Advaita Vedanta (non-duality) through the supremely simple
discipline of Self-Inquiry. This discipline, as taught by Ramana Maharshi,
embraces the path of action as well as that of knowledge, for it is
to be used in the events of daily life as well as in silent meditation.
In this way, the circumstances of life, instead of being obstacles to
spiritual work, or the path to liberation, are made an instrument of
spiritual work, when approached with love and devotion, and without
self-interest.
These collected works, lovingly
edited by Osborne, are from translations made at the Maharshi’s
ashram. In this book, Osborne has preserved a wealth of transformational
insight benefiting the lives of spiritual seekers for generations to
come.
Everyone interested in the
teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi, will find that Author Osborne’s
works are a “must read.”
Paperback - 178 pages -
$15.00
Conscious Immortality: Conversations with Sri Ramana Maharshi by Paul Brunton and Munagala Venkataramiah
During his visits to Sri Ramanashram in the 1930’s, Paul Brunton and Munagala Venkataramiah made notes of visitors’ conversations with the Maharshi. Their intention was to collaborate in producing a book, but this did not materialize. The notes they made were later donated to the ashram. This resulted in a manuscript being rearranged thematically under various headings. A glossary of Sanskrit terms and footnotes have been added to explain references made to other texts, and teachers. The book does not purport to be a comprehensive exposition of the Maharshi’s teachings. Rather, it is a compendium of topics as remembered and recorded by the two devotees over a limited period. This book is enjoyable and insightful and makes for easy reading. Also, it is one of the books which are most highly and consistently recommended by the AHAM staff.
Soft cover - 187 pages - $10.95 - Available early March, 2014
Further ordering information available here.
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