Book Description

A young boy uttered a hymn to Adi Sankaracharya on how his identity of being the Self is as clear as a fruit in the hand in answer to the question who he is. As Self-Knowledge was as natural and evident to him as a fruit in one’s hand, he became famous under the name of “Hastamalaka.” “Hasta” means hand, and “amalaka” is a small fruit with properties of rejuvenation. Adi Sankaracharya wrote a commentary on these verses answering various doubts to make the experience of the Self self-evident to all. Sri Ramana Maharshi also translated the verses to Tamil with some nuances that further make the Self-Knowledge self-evident. Since these three works present the true nature of the Self so clearly, the English translation of the three works is being presented in this book. The book starts with the story of Hastamalaka and flows into the hymn of Hastamalaka. It consists of twelve verses that succinctly reveal the Knowledge of the Self, proclaiming the identity of this eternal Knowledge and the Being of the Self. The hymn is addressed to Vishnu, the all-pervasive, the sustainer of the manifest world. The Sanskrit, English transliteration, and English translation of the verses are presented in the book. Also included in the present volume are an English translation of the Tamil version of the text by Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi and an English translation of Hastamalakiya-Bhashyam, which is the Sanskrit commentary by Adi Sankara upon these verses by his disciple.