The Wisdom of Vasistha: A Study on Laghu Yoga Vasistha from a Seeker's point of view

Yogavasistha or Yogavasistha Maharamayana has been a guidebook to earnest Sadhakas, all over the country. The popularity of this book appears to be due to the fact, that it is a happy combination of terse Upanisadic thought clothed in the story form. A scripture becomes relevant, when it gives the truths of the Upanisads, using a common man's language with illustrative stories, helps a beginner as well as an advanced seeker. It is believed by some that Sage Valmiki wrote the Ramayana for the purification of the mind and to create a mood of seeking in society. It is well known, that the story of Sri Rama, gives exemplary ethical and moral behavior in an individual, and a glimpse into the ideal culture, through the description of Ayodhya. For only on a strong ethical and moral foundation can one hope to build the super-structure of spirituality. An attempt has been made to cover all the stories in six Prakaranas. This book is a study by a seeker, and an attempt to present the philosophy, and practical hints contained in the book, to fellow seekers who are not very familiar with Sanskrit. It is essentially meant for inspiring the seekers to take up the study of the original text, which is a mine of practical wisdom. The essays contained herein, are glimpses into the meditations on the golden verses and their connection and relevance in our day-to-day life. Consequently, the interpretation and the perspective are not really meant for scholastic pursuits.

About the Author

Born in 1949 in Sirsi, in Northern Karnataka, Raghunandan was introduced to Sri Ramakrishna-Vivekananda literature and to spirituality in his Pre University- year, at his maternal uncle's place in Puttur (South Karnataka). He completed his B.Tech. in Chemical engineering from the Regional Engineering College, Warangal, Andhra Pradesh. During the professional course, he came in contact with Swami Ranganathananda, the then President of Sri Ramakrishna Math, Hyderabad (presently the President of Sri Ramakrishna Math and Mission, Belur, West Bengal) who gave him a glimpse into an alternate way to life. He decided to plunge into life. He decided to plunge into a life devoted to spirituality, after working in a Paper Industry in Tamil Nadu for a couple of years. During this period he had the good fortune to visit the banks of the Narmada and meet the experienced wise and seekers, who clarified many of his fundamental doubts. The experience finally made him join Vivekananda Kendra ? a spiritually-oriented service mission in 1976. He worked as its Zonal Organiser, Organising Secretary, and Joint General Secretary. He got married to Vasantha, in 1981. Presently, both of them are working for the Ramarpan Education Society, which is running a Senior Secondary School at Hurda in Rajasthan.