Description
Upadesa is a Sanskrit word which literally means facilitating an entity to come back to its source, its home. Saram means the essence of such instruction towards that direction. The essential nature of mind is consciousness. But being covered by cloud of tendencies, past experiences, thoughts mind forgets that its nature is consciousness. This is called Self-forgetfulness.A mind that is in a state of Self-forgetfulness(Atma vismruti) leaves its source which is Self and identifies with non-Self adjuncts like the ego(Ahamkara, "I" thought),thinking process(manas)intellect(Buddhi),memory (chitta)the physical body and seeks happiness outside and in the process collects lot of misery because of conflict that is inherent in the dualistic phenomenal reality. After a break even point unable to bear this misery it starts inquiring into what is the cause of all this misery and starts investigating "who am I”,” what is my nature”,
” whence am i" etc. When mind uninterruptedly does this quest it existentially negates the five coverings(Pancha kosas) covering the consciousness i.e sheaths of body, vital airs(Prana)mind(manas,the thinking faculty),intellect(Buddhi, the discriminatory faculty, sheath of Self-ignorance(Anandamaya kosa)it remembers that its nature is pure conscious being. So in this way the process of bringing back the outgoing mind to its source is described in 30 Sanskrit slokas by Bhagawan Sri Ramana Maharshi which is named as Upadesa Saram by him. If his message in this properly understood it annihilates Self-ignorance and confers Self-Knowledge. Such Self-knowledge conferring books are called Darshana Grandhas in Sanskrit.Upadesa Saram is such a book. In this work the author Dr.P.V.S.Suryanarayana Raju commented on these 30 slokas of Bhagawan's Upadesa Saram.
The author, Dr.P.V.S.Suryanarayana Raju is a pediatrician from Andhra Pradesh, India, born on 12th December 1950. He has been working on the subject of self-inquiry for the past 30 years under the living Presence and guidance of Osho and Ramana Maharshi which he discovered 30 years ago in Ramanasramam. He met Osho personally in 1987 and 1989 in whose presence there happened radical transformation of being.He is a frequent visitor to Ramanasramam and out of gratefulness to Bhagawan he has written many books analyzing his teachings and these are some of them: The Art of self-enquiry, Alpha and Omega of self-inquiry, The essence of self-inquiry part 1 & 2, Insights in self-inquiry Part 1 & 2, Theory of self-inquiry, The Practice of self-inquiry, The theory and Practice of self-inquiry, The comprehensive book on self-inquiry, Know Thyself, He also wrote self-inquiry quotes in two volumes,commented on "who am i", Upadesa saram,Bhagavad Gita, self-inquiry in Bhavad Gita,Beyond Religion, The Art of living and all are products of his own experience. He has also written many books on Self-inquiry in Telugu which include "Nenevadanu? which is a commentary of his on "who am i" in Telugu, Nija Vicharana and his most recent books in Telugu Vichara Chudamani, and Vichara Chandrodayam which mainly deal with the practical aspect of self-inquiry and he explains in them why self-inquiry is a direct and easy way for realizing the Self. He also wrote self-inquiry in Bhagavad Gita in 3 volumes, Bhagavad Gita commentary vol1, The essence of Bhagavad Gita, Beware of structure of society-it enslaves you, Gold nuggets, Inner conflict leads to outer disorder, Integral self-inquiry, Self-inquiry is the Art of comprehending the self activity, Self-inquiry is the Art of being with your Self, Self-inquiry quotes of Dr.Raju and most recently, A B C of spirituality,The genesis of self-inquiry,Self-inquiry-The science of soul,Pathless path-The Golden path of self-inquiry, Introduction to self-inquiry,Original facelessness,Awareness-The means and goal of self-inquiry,Despair to bliss-The message of Bhagawad Gita,New man is emerging with a new way of life,Self-inquiry is the Art of being with your Self,The Sage and the scientist,and sadguru Sri Nanna garu.