A book that can help at the time of need can be the best thing to possess. As times change, ideologies do change. But, the language of the spirit and the pertaining life’s questions one gets are things that repeat through all times.
If you observe, our heart always longs for what is old. That something that doesn’t change at all. Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar says, “The heart always longs for old. What do we take pride in? We take pride in old friendships. We say, ‘This is my old friend’, because the heart wants old, but the mind wants what’s new; latest technology, latest fashion is the run of the mind. And we need that, but at the same time we should not forget the heart.”
There are many spiritual books that have stood as legends of wisdom through time immemorial. Their essence remains as a powerful tool to tackle any kind of problems that we face in our day-to-day lives.
Some of the best spiritual books of all time that have been a light house of wisdom for a long time, and even today are listed below:
- The Bhagavad Gita
Although more than 5000 years old, the Bhagavad Gita still holds answers to questions that have perplexed man from time immemorial. The questions by Arjuna and the answers given by Lord Krishna are there in the 18 chapters of the Bhagavad Gita. Every chapter is an incremental step to understanding one’s true nature, the universal consciousness and ultimately, how one can attain liberation.
- Yoga Vasishtha
Realizing the futility of existence and the misery it brings with itself, Lord Rama, during his teenage seeks refuge in Rishi Vasistha. The enlightened rishi takes him to the pinnacle of truth with deep stories and words. The timeless dialogue between the two was captured in the scripture, Yoga Vasistha. It brings out astounding truths about life and existence.
- Narada Bhakti Sutras
Sage Narada, the celestial sage, gave the Bhakti Sutras(aphorisms of love) that are considered to be the best guide on the path of devotion. They stand out for their clarity, simplicity and internal coherence. They contain the secrets to love and happy relationships.
- Patanjali Yoga Sutras
The first text on Yoga, Patanjali Yoga Sutras was written by Maharishi Patanjali. It contains 196 sutras or aphorisms on yoga. It is one of the best spiritual books of all time and is most popular among the yoga enthusiasts. It speaks in detail about what is yoga and the different limbs of yoga. The text is a complete thesis about the mind and how to handle it.
- Ashtavakra Gita
Kind Janaka was one of the most righteous kings and was also called Raja-Rishi. In his quest for truth, he asks Ashravakra, “How can I gain knowledge? How can I attain freedom? How can I cultivate dispassion? O lord, show me the way”. What follows as a dialogue between Ashtavakra and King Janaka, is the Ashtavakra Gita. It has the ultimate knowledge of what truth is.
The tricky thing with these scriptures is that most of them are in terse format. One needs to have a heightened intellect to interpret the correct meaning of the verses. Though they are all the best spiritual books of all time, having a Guru, a spiritual master in one’s life helps us to understand the nuances of these scriptures with ease.
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has given beautiful commentaries on these scriptures, making the complex verses sound so simple and suitable to implement in our day-to-day lives.
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