Swami Atmananda
Encyclopedia
Śrĩ Atmananda also referred as Sri Atmananda Krishna Menon, was a well-known Indian sage
, guru
, and philosopher. Today he is considered one of three important advaita teachers of 20th century, which also included Sri Ramana Maharshi
and Nisargadatta Maharaj
.
He was a householder
and showed by his life and teachings that ordinary life can be a type of meditation
, yoga
, or striving towards mokṣa
, or liberation from karma
. He spent most of his life employed as a police prosecutor
. He also discussed many variations of philosophy within Vedanta
and the Upaniṣads, including Ajativada
.
, near Tiruvalla
, in the state of Travancore
, now a part of Kerala
.
) briefly in 1913, which was to alter his life forever. Eventually, he realized the Self in 1923, assumed the name Sri Atmananda and started teaching Jnana Yoga
. After retirement from government service, he resided in his family home, Anandavadi on the river Pampa
in Malakara.
He published several books including,Atma Darshan and Atma Nirvriti in Malayalam (both of which he translated into English), and Atmaramam (in Malayalam). He died at Trivandrum (now known as Thiruvananthapuram
) in 1959.
, till his death in 2001. A school in his name, Sri Atmananda Memorial School, was founded in 1987 in Malakkara. When American mythologist Joseph Campbell
visited India (1954–1955), his meeting with Krishna Menon has been described as the "climax of his visit" to India, and is recounted in his book, Baksheesh and Brahman, and the meditation he was given, "Where are you between two thoughts?"
Wise old man
The wise old man is an archetype as described by Carl Jung, as well as a classic literary figure, and may be seen as a stock character...
, guru
Guru
A guru is one who is regarded as having great knowledge, wisdom, and authority in a certain area, and who uses it to guide others . Other forms of manifestation of this principle can include parents, school teachers, non-human objects and even one's own intellectual discipline, if the...
, and philosopher. Today he is considered one of three important advaita teachers of 20th century, which also included Sri Ramana Maharshi
Ramana Maharshi
Sri Ramana Maharshi , born Venkataraman Iyer, was a Hindu spiritual master . He was born to a Tamil-speaking Brahmin family in Tiruchuzhi, Tamil Nadu. After experiencing at age 16 what he later described as liberation , he left home for Arunachala, a mountain considered sacred by Hindus...
and Nisargadatta Maharaj
Nisargadatta Maharaj
Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj , born Maruti Shivrampant Kambli, was an Indian spiritual teacher and philosopher of Advaita , and a Guru, belonging to the Inchgiri branch of the Navnath Sampradaya....
.
He was a householder
Householder
A householder is a person who is the head of a household; see House.Householder is also a family name:*Alston Scott Householder, American mathematicianMathematical topics named after A.S...
and showed by his life and teachings that ordinary life can be a type of meditation
Meditation
Meditation is any form of a family of practices in which practitioners train their minds or self-induce a mode of consciousness to realize some benefit....
, yoga
Yoga
Yoga is a physical, mental, and spiritual discipline, originating in ancient India. The goal of yoga, or of the person practicing yoga, is the attainment of a state of perfect spiritual insight and tranquility while meditating on Supersoul...
, or striving towards mokṣa
Moksha
Within Indian religions, moksha or mukti , literally "release" , is the liberation from samsara and the concomitant suffering involved in being subject to the cycle of repeated death and reincarnation or rebirth.-Origins:It is highly probable that the concept of moksha was first developed in...
, or liberation from karma
Karma
Karma in Indian religions is the concept of "action" or "deed", understood as that which causes the entire cycle of cause and effect originating in ancient India and treated in Hindu, Jain, Buddhist and Sikh philosophies....
. He spent most of his life employed as a police prosecutor
Prosecutor
The prosecutor is the chief legal representative of the prosecution in countries with either the common law adversarial system, or the civil law inquisitorial system...
. He also discussed many variations of philosophy within Vedanta
Vedanta
Vedānta was originally a word used in Hindu philosophy as a synonym for that part of the Veda texts known also as the Upanishads. The name is a morphophonological form of Veda-anta = "Veda-end" = "the appendix to the Vedic hymns." It is also speculated that "Vedānta" means "the purpose or goal...
and the Upaniṣads, including Ajativada
Ajativada
The Sanskrit term Ajativada can be translated as "non-creation". Ajativada is one of several alternately-held creation theories in Advaita Vedanta philosophy. According to Advaita Vedanta, the world of appearances is considered an illusion, and not to "exist". The idea that the illusory world was...
.
Early life
He was born as P. Krishna Menon in 1883 in PeringaraPeringara
Peringara is a village in Pathanamthitta district in the state of Kerala, India.-Demographics: India census, Peringara had a population of 15089 with 7165 males and 7924 females....
, near Tiruvalla
Tiruvalla
Tiruvalla , is a city and a Taluk headquarters located in Pathanamthitta district in the State of Kerala in South India, spread over an area of 27.94 km2...
, in the state of Travancore
Travancore
Kingdom of Travancore was a former Hindu feudal kingdom and Indian Princely State with its capital at Padmanabhapuram or Trivandrum ruled by the Travancore Royal Family. The Kingdom of Travancore comprised most of modern day southern Kerala, Kanyakumari district, and the southernmost parts of...
, now a part of Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
.
Career
After completing his the study of law, he became a Government Advocate and Inspector and District Superintendent of Police and remained in service until 1939. Meanwhile, his search for a guru led to his meeting Swami Yogananda (not to be confused with Paramahansa YoganandaParamahansa Yogananda
Paramahansa Yogananda , born Mukunda Lal Ghosh , was an Indian yogi and guru who introduced many westerners to the teachings of meditation and Kriya Yoga through his book, Autobiography of a...
) briefly in 1913, which was to alter his life forever. Eventually, he realized the Self in 1923, assumed the name Sri Atmananda and started teaching Jnana Yoga
Jnana yoga
Jyâna yoga or "path of knowledge" is one of the types of yoga mentioned in Hindu philosophies...
. After retirement from government service, he resided in his family home, Anandavadi on the river Pampa
Pamba River
Pamba River is the third longest river in the South Indian state of Kerala after Periyar and Bharathappuzha and the longest river in the erstwhile princely state of Travancore...
in Malakara.
He published several books including,Atma Darshan and Atma Nirvriti in Malayalam (both of which he translated into English), and Atmaramam (in Malayalam). He died at Trivandrum (now known as Thiruvananthapuram
Thiruvananthapuram
Thiruvananthapuram , formerly known as Trivandrum, is the capital of the Indian state of Kerala and the headquarters of the Thiruvananthapuram District. It is located on the west coast of India near the extreme south of the mainland...
) in 1959.
Legacy
After his death, the book Atmananda Tattwa Samhita, based on tape-recorded talks between Sri Atmananda and some disciples, was published. In the following years, his eldest son Sri Adwayananda continued his teachings from his home in Anandawadi, Malakkara, near ChengannurChengannur
Chengannur , is a municipal town in Alappuzha district of the state of Kerala in South India. Chengannur is located in the extreme eastern part of Alappuzha district. It is north of the state capital Thiruvananthapuram on the MC Road. Chengannur is connected to Kollam and Kottayam by NH 220...
, till his death in 2001. A school in his name, Sri Atmananda Memorial School, was founded in 1987 in Malakkara. When American mythologist Joseph Campbell
Joseph Campbell
Joseph John Campbell was an American mythologist, writer and lecturer, best known for his work in comparative mythology and comparative religion. His work is vast, covering many aspects of the human experience...
visited India (1954–1955), his meeting with Krishna Menon has been described as the "climax of his visit" to India, and is recounted in his book, Baksheesh and Brahman, and the meditation he was given, "Where are you between two thoughts?"
Quotation
- "I have no mine-ness, attachment or egoism. I am eternal, non-doer, all-purity, self-dependent and self-luminous. Attributeless, changeless and unconditioned, I am the abode of Love, stainless, the one without second and ever peaceful." - from AtmaAtman (Hinduism)Ātman is a Sanskrit word that means 'self'. In Hindu philosophy, especially in the Vedanta school of Hinduism it refers to one's true self beyond identification with phenomena...
DarshanDarshanor Darshan is a Sanskrit term meaning "sight" , vision, apparition, or glimpse. It is most commonly used for "visions of the divine" in Hindu worship, e.g. of a deity , or a very holy person or artifact...
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