[Advaita-l] Roadmap Vedanta study

[Ravisankar Mayavaram]

Regarding Sri dakshinamuurti stotra: Sri Ramana's translation of this text
into Tamil (verse form) is absolutely brilliant. It very closely follows
the original text and that too in verse form. Choice of words impart so
much power to the translation, it is amazing.  Both the  Tamil text, its
translation, and audio are available online. If you know Tamil, it helps to
read this along with the original.

Regarding self study, these are some things I found very useful for me. May
not apply to others.

1. Read the book you choose,  cover to cover -- not here and there. This
was actually an advice given to me by a vedaanta teacher.

2. Memorize the original if possible and try to understand it word by word.
  It is easier to do with smaller texts and sutras. Even if memorization is
not possible read/reread until you are familiar with the original. Without
this, even after reading few times, you may feel that you have not grasped
much. For example, I have read upadeshasaahasri twice cover to cover,
still I feel quite hollow and empty  about it.  My personal experience on
this started with yoga-darshana. It was very frustrating that I was not
able to recall that coherently. Finally I decided to memorize the sutras -
that really helped me to grasp it.  I am still in the process of memorizing
the 3rd and 4th adhyaayas.  I am planning to do this for Vedanta texts and
now I reading/rereading drk-drshya-viveka (it is a very small text and
sharp in insight).

3. Read as much as possible in samskritam. In fact, understanding is deeper
and better when you read everything in samskritam instead of English.
Probably Indian languages such as Telugu, Tamil, etc. may also be better
than English.  This may require large time investment in learning
Samskritam.   Even for meanings, I find sanskrit to sanskrit dictionary
(kalpadruma is available for most phones)  helps you to relate better.

4. Very elaborate discourses, taking many diversions to related texts; is
not good when you are starting. Many audio lecture series does that and you
will easily lost in that forest of information. This is something you will
enjoy after going over the text few times.  First time around, a brief
meaning and  that follows the original as closely and precisely is better.
This works well when you memorize the orginal (#2).

My 2c.

Ravi


On Thu, Jul 2, 2015 at 7:37 AM, Venkata sriram P via Advaita-l <
advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:

> Namaste,
>
> It is a good practice to start with "dakSiNAmurti stotra".
>
> In advaita sampradAya, this hymn has a very prominent place and daily
> chanting is recommended by traditional acharyas.  It was the favourite of
> Bhagavan Ramana also. Chanting with bhAva & artha
> is most important which leads the mind into meditative mood.
>
> Simultaneously, study of vivEkachuDAmaNi, vEdAntasAra and laghu vAsudEva
> mananam
> can be taken up.
>
> regs,
> sriram
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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