The Deepest of Truths

By R. P. Jain, Director, Motilal Benarsidas

[Motilal Benarsidas recently printed an India edition of Living with Siva.]

The book contains the deepest truths and insights of Indian spirituality, some never published before, but all relevant personal awakening on the path to merging with God. Drawn from fifty years of yogic realizations and sharing the Hindu mystical teachings with aspirants, Dancing with Siva is the first book of a remarkable trilogy called The Master Course. The trilogy is a detailed summary of astanga yoga also called raja yoga, which contains eight successive steps, each one dependent upon the one that precedes it. These eight steps are yama (restraint), niyama (observance), asana (posture), pranayama (breath control), pratyahara (sense withdrawal), dharana (concentration), dhyana (meditation) and samadhi (contemplation) .

The trilogy articulates in lucid terms why we must begin at the beginning, with a firm foundation of philosophical clarity and good character, and proceed from there. Dancing with Siva lays out the philosophical, Vedic-Agamic beliefs, attitudes and expectations of the Saivite Hindu religion.

Living with Siva., the second book of the trilogy, explores Saivite lifestyle, culture, family life, character-building and the overcoming of uncom- plimentary habits. It focuses on yama, niyama and, in a lesser way, as ana and pranayama ( hatha yoga). The book contains 365 daily lessons based on ancient Vedic laws, disclosing how to approach family, money, relationships, technology, food, worship, yoga and karma to live a truly spiritual life. Merging with Siva, the third book of the trilogy, encompasses steps five, six and seven, leading to eight-the deeper realizations, samadhis yogic experiences and mystical encounters, such as the inner light and nada-nadi sakti, all of which we begin to experience once we learn to dance with Siva and live with Siva. Upon a solid foundation of understanding, the yogic and metaphysical experiences described in Merging with Siva come naturally and are sustainable.