In a Zoom meeting with Ramana Kendra, Delhi, on 27th August 2023 Michael James concludes the discussion of the meaning and implications of verse 3 of Āṉ𝘮𝘢 𝘝𝘪𝘥𝘥𝘢𝘪. Verse 3: https://happinessofbeing.blogspot.com/2023/07/anma-viddai-verse-3-knowledge-of-all.html தன்னை யறிதலின்றிப் பின்னை யெதறிகிலென் றன்னை யறிந்திடிற்பின் னென்னை யுளதறிய பின்ன வுயிர்களில பின்ன விளக்கெனுமத் தன்னைத் தனிலுணர மின்னுந் தனுளான்ம — ப்ரகாசமே; அருள் விலாசமே; அக விநாசமே; இன்ப விகாசமே. (ஐயே) taṉṉai yaṟidaliṉḏṟip piṉṉai yedaṟihileṉ ḏṟaṉṉai yaṟindiḍiṟpiṉ ṉeṉṉai yuḷadaṟiya bhiṉṉa vuyirgaḷila bhiṉṉa viḷakkeṉumat taṉṉait taṉiluṇara miṉṉun taṉuḷāṉma — prakāśamē; aruḷ vilāsamē; aha vināśamē; iṉba vikāsamē. (aiyē) பதச்சேதம்: தன்னை அறிதல் இன்றி, பின்னை எது அறிகில் என்? தன்னை அறிந்திடில், பின் என்னை உளது அறிய? பின்ன உயிர்களில் அபின்ன விளக்கு எனும் அத் தன்னை தனில் உணர, மின்னும் தன் உள் ஆன்ம ப்ரகாசமே. அருள் விலாசமே, அக விநாசமே, இன்ப விகாசமே. (ஐயே, அதி சலபம், ...) Padacchēdam (word-separation): taṉṉai aṟidal iṉḏṟi, piṉṉai edu aṟihil eṉ? taṉṉai aṟindiḍil, piṉ eṉṉai uḷadu aṟiya? bhiṉṉa uyirgaḷil abhiṉṉa viḷakku eṉum a-t-taṉṉai taṉil uṇara, miṉṉum taṉ uḷ āṉma-prakāśamē. aruḷ vilāsamē, aha vināśamē, iṉba vikāsamē. (aiyē, ati sulabham, ...) அன்வயம்: தன்னை அறிதல் இன்றி, பின்னை எது அறிகில் என்? தன்னை அறிந்திடில், பின் அறிய என்னை உளது? பின்ன உயிர்களில் அபின்ன விளக்கு எனும் அத் தன்னை தனில் உணர, தன் உள் ஆன்ம ப்ரகாசமே மின்னும். அருள் விலாசமே, அக விநாசமே, இன்ப விகாசமே. (ஐயே, அதி சலபம், ...) Anvayam (words rearranged in natural prose order): taṉṉai aṟidal iṉḏṟi, piṉṉai edu aṟihil eṉ? taṉṉai aṟindiḍil, piṉ aṟiya eṉṉai uḷadu? bhiṉṉa uyirgaḷil abhiṉṉa viḷakku eṉum a-t-taṉṉai taṉil uṇara, taṉ uḷ āṉma-prakāśamē miṉṉum. aruḷ vilāsamē, aha vināśamē, iṉba vikāsamē. (aiyē, ati sulabham, ...) English translation: Without knowing oneself, if one knows whatever else, what? If one has known oneself, then what exists to know? When one knows in oneself that self, which is the light without separation in separate sentient beings, within oneself the shining of oneself alone will flash forth. The shining forth of grace; the annihilation of ego; the blossoming of happiness. (Ah, extremely easy, ...) Explanatory paraphrase: Without knowing oneself, if one knows whatever else, [so] what? [That is, how can such knowledge be reliable, so how can it have any real value?] If one has known oneself, then what [else] exists to know? When one knows in oneself that self [one’s real nature], which is the light [that shines] abhinna [without bhinna: separation, division, difference or distinction] in separate sentient beings [or souls], within oneself ātma-prakāśa [the shining, clarity or light of oneself] alone will flash forth [like lightening]. [This is] aruḷ-vilāsa [the shining forth, amorous play or beauty of grace], aha-vināśa [the annihilation of ego], iṉba-vikāsa [the blossoming of happiness]. ([Therefore] ah, extremely easy, ātma-vidyā, ah, extremely easy!)  This episode can also be watched as a video here and a more compressed audio copy in Opus format (which can be listened to in the VLC media player and some other apps) can be downloaded from here.

In a Zoom meeting with the Ramana Maharshi Foundation UK on 26th August 2023, Michael answers various questions about Bhagavan’s teachings. The first question Michael answered was: "My question is related to the apparent reality of the world, as experienced in our waking state; Bhagavan's teachings say that our so-called reality in fact is a dream, projected by ourselves. From an intellectual level I can relate to this when I look at the world and its inhabitants as being a collective of apparent individual entities, whereas in fact it's the one (Brahman) playing out the script we call life and erroneously take to be something 'happening' to us as an individual. Also, I think to understand the role the ego plays in this through our identification with the body, mistakingly making us believe to be ‘one amongst many’. In all multiplicity that appears to be, where I seem to get stuck in my understanding, is: a. how literally we should take life to be a dream? b. and what can be called real in the apparent dream-like individual life? 1. Is it that (the sense of) individuality by definition is dualistic and therefore unreal, thus: a dream? For instance my neighbour will have a slightly different viewing point in looking at the world since his locality is slightly different. When my neighbour is merely a dream character projected by me, he actually doesn't exist at all, along with all wars, disease, the seasons, bodies, plants, volcanic eruptions, planets, entities etc etc. Can we conclude that these do actually not exist, hence, making all interpersonal dynamics in our lives unreal as well? 2. Or should we take the dreamlike waking state in a more metaphorical sense, so that the multiplicity of bodies seemingly exists because of the identification with our bodies and therefore mistakingly experienced as ’individuals’, forming a multiplicity of realities, limited in their nature, therefore arbitrary and impossible to be taken for ‘real’? 3. Or is it to be taken as a dream due to the impermanent nature of the world we see as defined in Advaita Vedanta as “Things that are changing, perceived and impermanent are unreal”? 4. Or a dream because of the fact that we can practically make up any narrative or world-view we like, creating the world as a projection made up by our (ever restlessly outgoing) mind? 5. Or a dream in the sense that all is predestined and we erroneously believe ourselves to be the doer or actor in the projected life we live? This, I find rather confusing to comprehend and sometimes difficult to deal with. This episode can also be watched as a video here and a more compressed audio copy in Opus format (which can be listened to in the VLC media player and some other apps) can be downloaded from here. 

In a Zoom meeting of ‘Yo Soy Tu Mismo’ (a group of Spanish devotees of Bhagavan Sri Ramana) on 20th August 2023, Michael James was asked: I have been on this path for 3 years now and I have a feeling that, when I turn inwards, I turn shallowly because many times various inclinations seem to be much stronger and I see that my self-attentiveness is too shallow for my vasanas to be really weakened. I also have a very strong belief that I will have to live through many difficult situations or misfortunes and that, no matter how hard I try to investigate myself, I will not be able to stop the fulfilment of prarabdha karma to live through all those hard situations. So can this practice take me several lifetimes? Is it not a path unsuitable for such impure minds as mine? He answers this and several other related questions. This episode can also be watched as a video here and a more compressed audio copy in Opus format (which can be listened to in the VLC media player and some other apps) can be downloaded from here. 

In a Zoom meeting with the Ramana Maharshi Foundation UK on 12th August 2023, Michael answers various questions about Bhagavan’s teachings. This episode can also be watched as a video here and a more compressed audio copy in Opus format (which can be listened to in the VLC media player and some other apps) can be downloaded from here. 

In a Zoom meeting of ‘Yo Soy Tu Mismo’ (a group of Spanish devotees of Bhagavan Sri Ramana) on 9th August 2023, Michael James was asked: How to deal with periods of spiritual dryness or aridity and that we have to remember and reinforce as well as trying to return again and again to oneself? He answers this and several other related questions. This episode can also be watched as a video here and a more compressed audio copy in Opus format (which can be listened to in the VLC media player and some other apps) can be downloaded from here. 

In a Zoom meeting with the San Diego Ramana Satsang (ramana-satsang-sd@googlegroups.com) on 6th August 2023 Michael answers various questions about Bhagavan’s teachings. In this meeting the book 'Ramana Maharshi's Forty Verses on What Is' is mentioned, based on Michael's writings and talks. You can download a free book sample here. This episode can also be watched as a video here and a more compressed audio copy in Opus format (which can be listened to in the VLC media player and some other apps) can be downloaded from here.    

In a Zoom meeting with Sri Ramana Center, Houston, on 8th August 2023 Michael James discusses Uḷḷadu Nāṟpadu Anubandham, verses 4 and 5. Verse 4 தாபந்தண் சந்திரனாற் றைனியநற் கற்பகத்தாற் பாபந்தான் கங்கையாற் பாறுமே — தாபமுத லிம்மூன்று மேகு மிணையில்லா சாதுக்க டம்மா தரிசனத்தாற் றான். tāpandaṇ candiraṉāṯ ṟaiṉiyanaṯ kaṯpakattāṯ pāpantāṉ gaṅgaiyāṯ pāṟumē — tāpamuda limmūṉḏṟu mēhu miṇaiyillā sādhukka ṭammā dariśaṉattāṯ ṟāṉ. பதச்சேதம்: தாபம் தண் சந்திரனால், தைனியம் நல் கற்பகத்தால், பாபம் தான் கங்கையால் பாறுமே. தாபம் முதல் இம் மூன்றும் ஏகும் இணை இல்லா சாதுக்கள் தம் மா தரிசனத்தால் தான். Padacchēdam (word-separation): tāpam taṇ candiraṉāl, daiṉiyam nal kaṯpakattāl, pāpam tāṉ gaṅgaiyāl pāṟumē. tāpam mudal i-m-mūṉḏṟum ēhum iṇai illā sādhukkaḷ tam mā dariśaṉattāl tāṉ. English translation: Heat will be destroyed by the cool moon, poverty by the good wish-fulfilling tree, and sin itself by the gaṅgā. All these three, beginning with heat, will depart just by the great sight of peerless sādhus. Explanatory paraphrase: Heat will be destroyed [or removed] by the cool moon, poverty by the good kalpaka [the heavenly wish-fulfilling tree], and pāpa [sin or demerit] itself by the gaṅgā [the holy river Ganges]. All these three, beginning with heat, will depart [slip off or cease] just by the great darśana [seeing or sight] of peerless sādhus [namely jñānis, those who know and abide as sat, pure being]. Verse 5 கம்மயமாந் தீர்த்தங்கள் கன்மண்ணாந் தெய்வங்க ளம்மகத்துக் கட்கிணையே யாகாவா — மம்மவவை யெண்ணினா ளாற்றூய்மை யேய்விப்ப சாதுக்கள் கண்ணினாற் கண்டிடவே காண். kammayamān tīrtthaṅgaḷ kaṉmaṇṇān deyvaṅga ḷammahattuk kaṭkiṇaiyē yāhāvā — mammavavai yeṇṇiṉā ḷāṯṟūymai yēyvippa sādhukkaḷ kaṇṇiṉāṯ kaṇḍiḍavē kāṇ. பதச்சேதம்: கம்மயம் ஆம் தீர்த்தங்கள், கல், மண் ஆம் தெய்வங்கள் அம் மகத்துக்கட்கு இணையே ஆகா ஆம். அம்ம! அவை எண்ணில் நாளால் தூய்மை ஏய்விப்ப; சாதுக்கள் கண்ணினால் கண்டிடவே காண். Padacchēdam (word-separation): kammayam ām tīrtthaṅgaḷ, kal, maṇ ām deyvaṅgaḷ a-m-mahattukkaṭku iṇaiyē āhā ām. amma! avai eṇṇil nāḷāl tūymai ēyvippa; sādhukkaḷ kaṇṇiṉāl kaṇḍiḍavē kāṇ. English translation: Tīrthas, which are composed of water, and deities, which are stone or earth, are not at all akin to those mahātmas. Ah! Those give rise to purity by countless days, sādhus as soon as they see by eye. See. Explanatory paraphrase: Tīrthas [sacred bathing places], which are composed of water, and deities [images of God], which are [composed of] stone or earth, are not at all akin [similar, comparable or equal] to those mahātmas [great souls or jñānis]. Ah! See, those [tīrthas and deities] give rise to purity [of mind, heart or will] by countless days [that is, gradually over a long period of time], [whereas] sādhus [jñānis] [do so] as soon as they see by eye. ----more---- This episode can also be watched as a video here and a more compressed audio copy in Opus format (which can be listened to in the VLC media player and some other apps) can be downloaded from here.  

In a Zoom meeting on 3rd August 2023, Michael and Sandra officially launch the book: Ramana Maharshi's Forty Verses on What is: The ultimate truth on being as you actually are | A compilation of the writings and talks on Uḷḷadu Nāṟpadu by MICHAEL JAMES. This is Michael's and Sandra's first video in a series of talks about what Bhagavan teaches us in this work, and why this work shines as the core and crest-jewel of his teachings, being the quintessence of all of them. => DOWNLOAD A FREE BOOK SAMPLE: http://u.pc.cd/WzYrtalK This episode can also be watched as a video here and a more compressed audio copy in Opus format (which can be listened to in the VLC media player and some other apps) can be downloaded from here.

In a Zoom meeting with the Ramana Maharshi Foundation UK on 29th July 2023 Michael answers various questions about Bhagavan’s teachings. This episode can also be watched as a video here and a more compressed audio copy in Opus format (which can be listened to in the VLC media player and some other apps) can be downloaded from here.

In this video filmed in Hyde Park, London, on 24th May 2023 Michael, Sean and Sandra are having a meeting. Michael answered several spontaneously asked questions about Bhagavan's teachings. The impromptu discussion was recorded on an iPad without the use of external microphones, so this affected the audio quality. ----more---- This episode can also be watched as a video here and a more compressed audio copy in Opus format (which can be listened to in the VLC media player and some other apps) can be downloaded from here.