Digital version of the book, “Yoga, Enlightenment and Perfection”
By way of paying reverential homage to the 35th Acharya of the Dakshinamnaya Sri Sharada Peetham, Jagadguru Sri Abhinava Vidyatirtha Mahaswamiji (1917-1989), on the occasion of His Aradhana on October 4, 2015, Sri Vidyatheertha Foundation is pleased bring out and make available to all, free of cost, the digital version of the book titled, ‘Yoga, Enlightenment and Perfection of H.H. Jagadguru Sri Abhinava Vidyatheertha Mahaswamigal’. This book, which contains a detailed account of the Jagadguru’s spiritual practices and His realization of and steadfast establishment in the Supreme, also serves an authoritative exposition of Yoga, Bhakti and Vedanta. It was first published in the year 1999 and reprinted many times thereafter. The present digital edition – with both PDF and EPUB versions to facilitate reading of the book in various devices – may be downloaded free of cost from the website of the Foundation at the following link: http://www.svfonline.net.
An unmatched authority on the scriptures, a peerless Yogi, a consummate Jivanmukta, an ocean of mercy and perfect preceptor, Jagadguru Sri Abhinava Vidyatirtha Mahaswamiji adorned Shankara Bhagavatpada’s Sringeri Sharada Peetham as its 35th Acharya. He was born on November 13, 1917, and was initiated into Sannyasa on May 22, 1931, by the 34th Acharya, the renowned Jivanmukta, Jagadguru Sri Chandrashekhara Bharati Mahaswamiji. His Holiness intensely engaged in spiritual practices, which strictly conformed to the scripture, right from the day of His Sannyasa and these culminated in His full realization of and steadfast establishment in the Supreme Brahman on December 12, 1935.
The book Yoga Enlightenment and Perfection contains a short account of the life of the Jagadguru in the words of the reigning, 36th Acharya of Sringeri Sharada Peetham, Jagadguru Sri Bharati Tirtha Mahaswamiji. This is followed by a short account in the words of Acharyal – which is how Jagadguru Sri Abhinava Vidyatirtha Mahaswamiji has been referred to in the book – about His Guru (Jagadguru Sri Chandrashekhara Bharati Mahaswamiji). Then, after some relevant information about Acharyal’s pre-Sannyasa days, commences a detailed account of His practice of Hatha Yoga, devotion, Karma Yoga, Kundalini Yoga, Nada Anusandhana, contemplation on the Atman, meditation and Samadhi on divine forms, scripture-based reflection on the Truth and Savikalpa Samadhi and Nirvikalpa Samadhi (the acme of Yoga) on the Absolute; and of His thorough elimination of notions of non-Atman, His enlightenment and Jivanmukti. Citations from the scriptures and other authoritative texts as also extracts from the discourses and dialogues of the Jagadguru have been included to provide clarifications and additional information. Jagadguru Sri Bharati Tirtha Mahaswamiji has approvingly conferred on the work a benedictory foreword (Srimukha).