Gambhiram Seshayya

Essence of Inquiry

"Essence of Inquiry" contains Sri Ramana Maharshi's earliest recorded teaching, Self-Inquiry, and a commentary on this scared scripture for the spiritual benefit of the seekers. The text, Self-Inquiry, chronicles the profound dialogues from 1900 to 1902 between Sri Ramana Maharshi and an ardent seeker of truth, Gambhiram Seshiar. This text is a sacred scripture, for a scripture represents a direct revelation of the Truth free of mental conceptions. Bhagavan's teaching, when placed in printed words, is certainly scripture, for its significance is Truth transcending the words or thoughts utilized for its expression. The commentary helps in understanding the true import of Sri Ramana's words and is singularly focused on Self-Knowledge and Self-Inquiry. From the Introduction: "One who approaches this sacred scripture with deep devotion and a sincere desire to realize the Self, and who, blessed by His Grace, practices in accordance with the wisdom herein elucidated, will doubtlessly realize the sole-existent Self, the nondual Brahman, and abide as That, of the nature of undifferentiated Being-Consciousness-Bliss." From the foreword by late Sri A.R. Natarajan, President of Ramana Maharshi Center for Learning: "To write a commentary on the sacred words of Ramana, one has to be constantly perceptive of this ever-flowing grace. It is evident that Master Nome has this perception. The humility with which he has approached this holy work is found in his beginning each commentary with the all powerful twelve word mantra on Ramana "Om Namo Bhagavate Sri Ramanaya". He closes each commentary with "Ramanarpanamastu - may this be an offering to Ramana". And what worthy offering it is. With his own experience of the natural state, Nome is able to explain the true import of Ramana's word with utmost clarity and depth... Nome writes not from book knowledge but from experience. This is so from question one to question forty. There is no false note, no wavering of understanding."