By Pujya Swamiji Sri Dhayananda Saraswathi:
This is a unique presentation of the subject Self knowledge. You have grasped the matter well. You could present the subject in the light of science.
Congratulations and Best Wishes,
Sri Dhayananda
12th December, 2009
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By Pujya Swamiji Sri Paramarthananda:
The topics dealt with here will be very useful to the spiritual seeker. They are classified well and presented in a language which can be understood by a lay person. The practical guidelines also will be extremely useful. This is certainly worth sharing with others.
Love,
Paramarthananda
16th May, 2010
NOTE: Many in the spiritual field know that Swamiji Sri Dhayananda Saraswathi is regarded as ‘Acharya of Acharyas’ and a close associate of Swami Sri Chinmayananda and he is a world renowned vedantic teacher. He is the founder of ‘Sri Arsha Vidhya Gurukulam’, a well established Vedantic Institute in India and abroad. Swami Sri Paramarthananda is a senior disciple of Swami Sri Dhayananda Saraswathi, is an ‘encyclopedia’ of Vedanta and is in the field of teaching basic and advanced scriptural works for the past 25 years and conducting on-line classes on vedantic subjects. Prof. Sri B V Sreekantan is the ex Director of Tata Institute of Fundamental Research and presently a senior faculty and guide to Ph D students in advanced subjects in Physics such as Quantum Mechanics, Particle Science etc. He is also the author of the book on ‘Philosophy of Science’ and many published papers in similar topics.
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By Professor Sri B V Sreekantan:
Dear Sri. Jayakumar,
I give below some comments I have on your manual.
The following Slokas from the Bhagavad-Gita are well known
Manushyanam Sahasreshu kaschid yatae siddaye
Yatatam api siddhanam kaschin mam vetti tatvatah
Tat vidhi pranipatena, pariprasnena sevaya
Upadekshanti te gnanam gnaninah, tatva darshinah
The first highlights the extreme rarity of the individuals who strive for knowledge of the ultimate truth and the very few among them who succeed in this effort.
The second highlights the importance of finding the satguru who can impart the necessary knowledge for this purpose.
These are undoubtedly profound statements whose sanctity and validity cannot be questioned. However, the practical situation arises in the present day world for an individual motivated by sanskara to pursue the path of spirituality in the quest for ultimate truth and realization of it, how and where to find a satguru. What is the option left for him?
Is there no hope at all?
This piquant and very practical problem is precisely what this manual so thoughtfully and elegantly prepared by Sri. Jayakumar addresses. One can say that what is suggested is more in the line of Ekalavya who pursued the glorious path of self reliance and self effort and not only succeeded but also excelled.
Meant to be a practical guide the author of the manual makes the seeker to first critically examine himself and judge whether he fills the criteria for pursuing the spiritual path both mentally and physically.
By way of providing the necessary incentives the various practical benefits that ensue while one is pursuing this path are also enumerated.
The suggestions and the course of action stipulated are on the basis of scriptures and epics in Sanskrit and Tamil. The author has also made use of his own practical experience and acquaintance with relevant aspects of science. The format for presentation and teaching is unique and has the continuous involvement of the reader himself. The very instructive narratives towards the end of the book add a special value especially to the young reader.
The ingenious way in which the manual has been prepared though dealing with the most subtle aspects of daily life, common knowledge, scientific facts, value systems, ethics and philosophy makes the reader feel that he is aware of all this but it required a Jayakumar to make him realize that all is within himself and what is lacking is self effort.
Prof. B V Sreekantan
Former Director of Tata Institute for Fundamental Research (TIFR), Mumbai.
Visiting Professor,
National Institute of Advanced studies (NIAS), Bangalore.
Date: 11th July, 2010
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By Professor Prof. V Krishnamurthy
Prof. V Krishnamurthy is former deputy director of BITS, Pilani and the author of ‘Live Happily the Gita Way’, ‘Gems from the Ocean of Spiritual Hindu Thought’, ‘Gems from the Ocean of Devotional Hindu Thought’ and few other similar books. He has also written articles on subjects like Consciousness and Mathematics etc.
His comments about the book: “Here is a gold mine in the form of a book by Mr.S.K. Jayakumar, a visually challenged but very competent achiever. The title of the book is: “Own Your Self & Enjoy Completeness” – A Manual of Self-Knowledge. I whole-heartedly recommend it”.
In a short span of 327 pages the author covers the entire field of spiritual knowledge as inherited by Hindu tradition. But mark it, it is not a book of the usual kind where you see pages and pages of running matter which turns heavier and heavier for the understanding as you move on. The author, though himself handicapped because of a total absence of eyesight, has found modern technology to help him listen to great expositors like Swami Dayananda and others and also absorb the material in full. And he has now through this book communicated all of that knowledge in the most unusual way of presentation – points after points, each consisting of just a few lines of writing, and each one going home to the reader’s intellect directly.
Well, I can go on and write about the book more and more, but I will not still be able to communicate the complete strength and mesmerizing influence of this unique method of presentation that the author seems to have perfected by his own eight years of study and experience. I have not given it the time that it deserves. I am sure there is a Publisher in the world who would find it a great honor to publish your book.
Prof. V. Krishnamurthy, 3rd March, 2011.
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By Sri. TK Jayaraman IRS, Former Member, Appellate Tribunal, Bangalore.
I am in receipt of your book. It took me quite a few sittings to read completely the book. The subject matter is quite heavy. You have covered exhaustively various aspects of spiritual life and provided invaluable guidance to genuine spiritual seekers.
On, going through this book, it is obvious that you have written it out of your own spiritual experiences. It is not just an academic book. This fact enhances thousandfold the value of this book. The distilled essence of Vedanta is to be found in this beautiful book. You have covered a vast subject in all its depth and subtleties. You have included lots of practical tips. You have also provided means to measure one’s spiritual state and progress. I very much enjoyed the stories which are in the nature of parables. The Annexure furnishes a wealth of information for practicing yogic disciplines.
On the whole, the manual is a precious gem for all seekers of Truth.
My prayers to God for your long life.
With profound regards,
Yours truly,
TK Jayaraman
27th December 2010,
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By Mr. Premsai, M.Tech, Associate Manager, Accenture, Bangalore.
Please see below the notes, which I could think instantly on the manual from my side.
As like other youngsters, I am a highly ambitious person from my childhood, who has achieved most of the material desires which were wished or desired at some point in time. But I always felt that the curiosity or the pleasure of achieving something did diminish as soon as the wish was fulfilled and immediately one more new desire crops up and the worries follow the desire. There is something always running in the back of my mind, is there any way I can get an everlasting and never diminishing happiness or pleasure, which will always keep me in state of equanimity. The search for everlasting happiness made a few more turns to know more about life, consciousness, birth, death, etc. I got answers to these from various sources, which helped me to clarify these to some extent, but not to the fullest. As a student from a science background, my natural inclination was to relate them either logically or scientifically (even if I know, everything can not be proved or illustrated either through logic or science). I was continuously in search of something where I could be stable and solid on my understandings or beliefs. Fortunately, I came across Jayakumar Sir and during our conversations around these topics; I was referred by him about this manual. I found this manual very useful and interesting and most of my unresolved questionnaires have some or other references in this manual. I started enjoying this book, but I am very sure that more and more I go deep, I find tastier the nectar is.
The best part of this manual is every chapter or topic starts with a small belief and the same is being analyzed either through logic or rational thinking or scientific experience. This type of explanation helps us to relate whatever we see or observe in the material world with the spiritual topics and makes us be firm on our understandings. It summarizes the most complex Vedas, Upanishads, Bhagawat Gita in simple English statements that are easy to use and comprehend. It guides to bring awareness on ‘I’, knows about ‘I’, assimilate the concepts around ‘I’, realize the ‘I’ and enjoy the ‘I’ while living and hereafter.
I don’t know whether I have really started my journey or not, but I somewhat understood where exactly I should reach and my distance of journey.
Sairam
Premsai
7th January, 2011