Who am I

Nan Yar

Michael James’s introduction, from Sivaprakasam Pillai’s questions on the hill in 1901 and the 1923 compilation of 27 answers to the twenty-paragraph essay that Bhagavan wrote himself.
The Tamil text and translation of Nan Ar?, paragraph by paragraph, opening with knowing oneself as the way to infinite happiness and awareness as sat-cit-ananda.
The world and one’s real nature never appearing together, ego as the first person behind all second and third persons, and who am I as the only way for the mind to cease.
Pranayama, murti-dhyana, mantra-japa and diet as mere aids, and self-attentiveness destroying vishaya-vasanas however many rise.
The guru’s grace, giving oneself to God by abiding as the Self, happiness as our real nature, and God’s presence that acts without will.
Always keeping the mind on oneself as self-investigation, dream compared with waking, not disliking others, and everything rising and subsiding with oneself.
Notes, plus translations of Nan Ar? into Spanish, Italian, Finnish and Polish.

David Godman's introduction to Bhagavan's teachings, his journey to Tiruvannamalai and the spiritual longing that led him to spend his life near Arunachala.
Bhagavan's spontaneous Self-realization at sixteen, his enquiry into the fear of death and how the disappearance of the individual I revealed his natural state.
The power of Bhagavan's silent presence, how devotees experienced peace in his company and why silence was considered his highest teaching.
The practice of self-enquiry, how the ego survives by associating with thoughts and experiences, and how attending to the I leads the mind back to its source.
Bhagavan's advice on practising self-enquiry alongside daily responsibilities, the importance of discrimination and why visions, spiritual powers and temporary experiences can become distractions.
The nature of reality and the Self, the distinction between the permanent and the changing, and the dream and cinema screen analogies used to explain the appearance of the world.
The qualities of a true guru, the importance of peace and equal treatment of all beings, Papaji's search for Bhagavan and why spiritual teachings should be given freely.
Bhagavan's teachings on fate and free will, the natural state of sahaja, the limitations of suppressing thoughts and why Self-realization is considered the greatest service to the world.