Yoga Vasishta

[Pannirselvam Kanagaratnam]

On Thu, 18 Mar 1998, Chandran, Nanda (NBC) wrote:

>
> Can somebody give me some background on this text? From Swami
> Vishwarupananda's postings I can make out that the dialogues are between
> Lord Rama and Sage Vasishta. So is it a part of Ramayana, like the Gita
> is a part of the Mahabharatha? If so, Is it considered a Smriti?
>

Namaste!

Swami Venkatesanandaji, in the introduction of his translation of the Yoga
Vasishtha says "Scholars speculate about the author of this monumental
scripture and such other academic matters: may God bless them with
success. The Yoga-Vasishtha is the greatest help to the spiritual
awakening and the direct experience of the Truth. This is certain. If this
is what you want, you are welcome to Yoga-Vasishtha."

> Also, can someone suggest a good English translation of the text?
>

In USA, Yoga Vasishtha can be pruchased from SUNY press. Check out their
website at
http://www.sunypress.edu/sunyp/backads/html/venkatesanandavasistha.html

Swamiji has arranged the verses in the form of daily readings just like
his Bhagavad Gita and Srimad Bhagavatam. The daily readings website at
http://dailyreadings.com/ is in the process of making available all of
Swamiji's works online. However, the Yoga Vasishtha is not online yet.

In India, this book can be purchased from the Divine Life Society. The
title of the book in India is "The Supreme Yoga" and it comes in two
volumes. Check out http://www.rsl.ukans.edu/~pkanagar/divine/books.htm for
ordering info. We are also in the process of getting all our books
online (check out
http://www.rsl.ukans.edu/~pkanagar/divine/download/download.htm). But it
is going to be a while before we publish "The Supreme Yoga".

Hope this helps.

Hari Om Tat Sat!

Pannir

> Another question : Is the Janaka whom we constantly refer to as a jnani
> though a householder and Sita's father in Ramayana the same person?
>
>         Because e-mail can be altered electronically,
>         the integrity of this communication cannot be guaranteed.
>

*******************************************************
  Pannirselvam Kanagaratnam
  E-mail: pkanagar at rsl.ukans.edu
  Homepage: http://www.rsl.ukans.edu/~pkanagar/
  Support the International Campaign to Ban Landmines
  http://www.vvaf.org/landmine.html/us/can_do/
*******************************************************