Book of Wisdom / Ishopanishad

by Swami Rama

The Ishopanishad is considered to be the foundation stone of Upanishadic knowledge. It is said that the answer to all the important questions of life are to be found in this short Upanishad. It is an ideal book of Vedanta philosophy. Book of Wisdom is Swami Rama's commentary on these that form the basis of spiritual thought in India. Serving as both an introduction to yoga philosophy and as a careful guide for scholars, this excellent study begins with a history of the Upanishads and

Genres: Religion, Philosophy

121 pages, Paperback

First published February 19, 2007

About the author

Swāmī Rāma was born Brij Kiśore Dhasmana or Brij Kiśore Kumar,to a northern Indian Brahmin family in a small village called Toli in the Garhwal Himalayas. From an early age he was raised in the Himalayas by his master Bengali Baba and, under the guidance of his master, traveled from temple to temple and studied with a variety of Himalayan saints and sages, including his grandmaster, who was living in a remote region of Tibet. From 1949 to 1952 he held the prestigious position of Shankaracharya of Karvirpitham in South India. After returning to his master in 1952 and practising further for many years in the Himalayan caves, Swami Rama was encouraged by his teacher to go to the West, where he spent a considerable portion of his life teaching, specifically in the United States and Europe.
He is especially notable as one of the first yogis to allow himself to be studied by Western scientists.
Swami Rama authored several books in which he describes the path he took to becoming a yogi and lays out the philosophy and benefits behind practices such as meditation. One of the common themes expressed in such books as "Enlightenment Without God" and "Living with the Himalayan Masters" is the ability of any person to achieve peace without the need for a structured religion. He was critical of the tendency for yogis to use supernatural feats to demonstrate their enlightenment, arguing that these only demonstrated the ability to perform a feat.

Reviews

[Grant Pidhaini · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid book that gives insights into indian philosophy/religion and a practical guide to techniques of sadhana in the pursuit of enlightenment