The Bhagavad Gita

 

The 700 verses of the Bhagavad Gita are the philosophical essence of the great Indian epic "Mahabharata" and are the work of the great saint and sage Vyasa.

 

The Bhagavad Gita traces the timeless teaching of the student (Arjuna) by the master (Krishna) on the art of right living and right action. 

In the form of a dialogue, the question of man's 'true nature' and his relationship to God is raised.

 

The setting is a battlefield, which symbolically represents man's constant struggle between his lower and higher (true) nature. The paths that lead to the supreme reality are those of selfless action (Karma Yoga), love and devotion to the divine (Bhakti Yoga) and knowledge (Jnana Yoga). The Bhagavad Gita represents the essence of the Vedic wisdom of India in its philosophical depth.

 

 

 

Srimad Bhagavatam

 

This text is a complete encyclopaedia on Indian ethics, philosophy and religion. The God Krishna is the central figure in this unique book. It is one of the main works on Bhakti (devotion), related to knowledge (Jnana). In Srimad Bhagavatam, the ambrosia of Bhakti is mixed with the elixir of life of Jnana. This text is incomparable in its beauty and charm, its language and philosophy.

Vedanta Texts

 

 

The Upanishads

 

The Upanishads are the last part of the Vedas and form the basis of Vedanta philosophy. They are considered the mystical experience of the great sages. The word Upanishad means "to sit by", i.e. next to a master or Guru, who orally passes on his spiritual knowledge to his pupil. The tradition knows 108 Upanishads.

 

 

The writings of Sri Adi Sankaracharya

 

Sankaracharya lived in the 8th century and is considered to be one of the most eminent Indian philosophers, as well as the greatest exponent of the philosophy of non-duality or Advaita Vedanta.

 

 

The jewel of discrimination

 

The Viveka Chudamani, literally the "Jewel of Discrimination", is a Prakarana Grantha, a text written in simple Sanskrit, which aims to explain in common language the message of the Vedas and the Upanishads (wisdom teachings). The Viveka Chudamani, which consists of 580 verses, takes the form of a dialogue between a teacher and his student. The disciple gradually learns how to attain Brahman or higher consciousness. The text explains, among other things, the methods of meditation, the characteristics of a Guru and the state of Self-realisation.

 

 

Recognising the Truth

 

 

Who am I? What is the meaning of life? Tattva Bodha (the knowledge of truth) answers these and other questions. In the form of a dialogue between a teacher and a student, the three bodies, the three Gunas (elements of nature), the three states of the mind and the difference between the real and the unreal are presented. With intensive questioning, the aspirant attains the realisation of the Self, or, to put it another way, the realisation of the unity of the Self with the Absolute or God. 

Knowing the Self

 

 

The Atma Bodha or "Knowledge of the Self" is a short text on Advaita Vedanta, the philosophy of non-duality. The work consists of 68 verses in Sanskrit. It deals with the belief in the unity of the individual soul with the absolute soul or Brahman. According to the Atma Bodha, it is necessary to know the Self and the unchangeable in order to overcome the mistaken identification with the perishable objects of the material world.

 

 

The Raja Yoga Sutras of Patanjali Maharishi

 

 

The Raja Yoga Sutras of Patanjali Maharishi are the ideal manual for exploring and mastering our own thoughts. In the recent history of yoga in the West, this classic text has served as a comprehensive guide to the physical, mental and spiritual levels of meditation practice. 

Confidence in self-discipline is the primary requirement on the spiritual path. Without self-discipline, even highly educated people will not benefit. This book is a valuable source of knowledge for those who practice Yoga in the West, especially for studying the spiritual psychology of Yoga, the oldest psychology of mankind.

 

 

 

The Hatha Yoga Pradipika

 

 

The Hatha Yoga Pradipika is a classic textbook on Hatha Yoga, written in Sanskrit in the 15th century by Swami Swatmarama, a disciple of Swami Goraknath. It is considered to be the oldest extant text on Hatha Yoga. Commented on by Swami Vishnudevananda, the book contains instructions for the practice of Hatha Yoga postures (Asanas) as well as breathing exercises (Pranayama) and purification exercises (Kriyas) and a description of the energies in the body.

Gheranda Samhita

 

 

The Gheranda Samhita (Sanskrit for "Gheranda Collection") was written in the 17th century by Gheranda. It is the most encyclopaedic of the three classical Hatha Yoga texts. This comprehensive work deals mainly with the Shat Kriyas, exercises for the inner purification of the body, also known as Ghatastha Yoga.

Siva Samhita

The Siva Samhita, whose author is unknown, is one of the three classical texts of Hatha Yoga. The Sanskrit title literally means "Collection of Siva" and describes a dialogue between the Hindu God Siva and his consort Parvati. The Siva Samhita is considered the most comprehensive work on Hatha Yoga (the postures). It discusses, among other things, the different philosophical views, the Asanas, meditation, the different energies in the body, the importance of the Guru, the four paths of Yoga, as well as methods of liberation and the obstacles to them.

 

 

 

 

Bhakti Yoga

 

 

Bhakti Yoga, one of the four paths of Yoga along with Jnana Yoga (knowledge), Raja Yoga (control of the mind) and Karma Yoga (selfless action), is considered to be the easiest and most direct path to Self-realisation in our time.

 

 

 

The epics

 

 

The Mahabharata

 

In its original Sanskrit version, the Mahabharata consists of 100,000 verses, making it the longest epic in the world. The author is the sage Vyasa - it is also said that Ganesha (the elephant-headed god) wrote it according to Vyasa's stories. 

It tells the fascinating story of the five Pandava brothers: the eldest, Yudhishthira, the very embodiment of Dharma or righteousness, loses his kingdom in a game and is sentenced to exile for 12 years with his brothers Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula and Sahadeva and the queen Draupadi. During these years, they experience many adventures and prepare, with the help of their cousin Krishna, for the impending war with their enemy, Duryodhana. The heart of the epic is the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna's teaching to Arjuna on the battlefield, which symbolises the struggle between the lower and higher mind. 

The Mahabharata charms with its many colourful sub-stories and unforgettable characters, in which the full diversity of human experience is reflected.

 

 

The Ramayana

 

Ramayana literally means "the biography of Rama". It is one of the oldest epics in Sanskrit literature. The author is the sage Valmiki. The epic describes the life of Rama and Sita, incarnations of the god Narayana and his consort Lakshmi. Rama represents Dharma (righteousness). He is the ideal symbol of the son, husband and statesman. 

The Ramayana tells of Prince Rama's 14 years of exile following the intrigues at the court of his father, the king. His faithful companion Sita and his brother Lakshmana follow him into the forest. One day, Sita is kidnapped by the demon Ravana. The monkey god Hanuman and an army of monkeys and bears help Rama defeat Ravana's army and rescue Sita. The fantastic adventures that the Ramayana describes in detail and the large number of exceptional characters that it contains make this magnificent epic of the Ramayana - in addition to the Mahabharata - one of the most important poems in Indian literature.