Verses For Introspection (Vol-I)

Ma Gurupriya's love for Sanskrit verses (shlokas), inspired by her Guru, Poojya Swami Bhoomananda Tirthaji, as well as her sublime, soul-stirring chanting is known to many. Wherever she chanted, seekers wanted to learn the verses, their meaning and the inspiring tune.

"Verses for Introspection", a bi-monthly email, was started from Narayanashrama Tapovanam in 2009, to facilitate seekers around the world. Each verse (shloka) was given with English translation, word by word meaning, prose order (anvaya) and a commentary by Ma highlighting the points to reflect on, to uncover the deeper meaning. English diacritical rendering of the verses was also added for people non-familiar with Sanskrit.

A unique feature of the mail was an attached audio file with Ma chanting the verse. Many have expressed their joy in hearing Ma's sublime rendering and being able to practise the correct pronunciation and tune.

More than one hundred verses have been taught through the "Verses for Introspection" emails. From these, fifty inspiring verses on knowledge, vairaagya and devotion are being published in the first volume of this book. An audio CD of these fifty verses chanted by Ma is available with this book.

Harih Om Tat Sat. Jai Guru. Poojya Swamiji always says that learning and chanting slokas with bhava is the most sublimating sadhana that one can pursue. In fact, sloka learning takes away grief and bestows enlightenment and delight.

Poojya Swamiji is a storehouse of slokas from various scriptures. His emphasis has always been to inspire us to learn these invaluable slokas from scriptures and subhasitas, and chant them with perfection. At various times, he has taught the inmates of the Ashram many slokas from different texts.

For many years now, a weekly email is being sent from the Ashram every Monday carrying Poojya Swamiji's message. From June 2009, as suggested by Br. Prasanna Svaroopa and with the blessings of Poojya Swamiji, an additional bimonthly email called "Verses for Introspection" was started for the benefit of those who would like to learn enlightening verses thoroughly with meaning and proper pronunciation, to make it part of their sadhana. For the benefit of serious seekers, the email carried the link to an audio file in our Website, where I had chanted each verse.

Later on, observing the benefit felt by many seekers, we started publishing the verses in our monthly journal "Vicharasethu". The present book is a collection of 50 verses along with the CD containing the chanting of each verse. Following each sloka, there are word-by-word meaning, anvaya (prose order), and commentary highlighting the points we should particularly introspect on, to make the verses our daily sadhana.

We would be happy if the publication benefits the seekers.

**Contents and Sample Pages**