The Other Side of Belief: Interpreting U. G. Krishnamurti eBook : Rao, Mukunda

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The Other Side of Belief: Interpreting U. G. Krishnamurti Kindle Edition
by Mukunda Rao (Author) Format: Kindle Edition


4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 32 ratings

Described as the thinker who shuns thought, U.G. Krishnamurti is the most enigmatic and iconoclastic 'anti-guru' of our times. His conviction that doubt is the other side of belief emerged from an uncompromising negation of everything that can be expressed, not from a desire for some 'comfy dialectical thesis'.
The Other Side of Belief Interpreting U G. Krishnamurti is a candid and refreshing chronicle ofUG's life and the evolution of his radical outlook and ideas. Tracing the development of UG's notion of enlightenment as a series of biological mutations devoid of mystical or religious connotations, Mukunda Rao weaves a complex portrait---of a man who doesn't hesitate to challenge and demolish society's most cherished and comforting values and ideals, but nonetheless commands a most fervent respect and veneration from multitudes of admirers.
UG has always been adamant that life must be described in pure and simple physical and physiological terms so that it is de-psychologized and demystified. He underwent, in his own words, a 'calamity': a series of bodily metamorphoses that catapulted him into the unique state of the 'declutched' mind. This book gives the reader a vivid description of UG's cellular revolution' and an intensely personal insight into UG's unflinching and relentless insistence on freedom from the 'stranglehold of thought.'
With a foreword by Mahesh Bhatt, film-maker and lifelong admirer of UG, The Other Side of Belief offers a searching exploration of the incredible charisma of a man who has transformed the lives of people all over the world.
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367 pages
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About the Author
Mukunda Rao is the author of six books of fiction, two plays: Mahatma - Khuda ka Hijra (1988 and 2009) and Baba Saheb Ambedkar (2008 and 2014), staged in different parts of Karnataka and much appreciated, and six insightful philosophical works, among which The Biology of Enlightenment is a much-read classic that has become a cult book amongst spiritual aspirants. After his retirement in 2010 from teaching service in a college, he lives with his wife on a farm outside Bengaluru. is the author of six books of fiction, two plays: Mahatma - Khuda ka Hijra (1988 and 2009) and Baba Saheb Ambedkar (2008 and 2014), staged in different parts of Karnataka and much appreciated, and six insightful philosophical works, among which The Biology of Enlightenment is a much-read classic that has become a cult book amongst spiritual aspirants. After his retirement in 2010 from teaching service in a college, he lives with his wife on a farm outside Bengaluru. --This text refers to the paperback edition.

Product details
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B06XYR9PYQ
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Penguin (26 July 2005)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 3151 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
Print length ‏ : ‎ 367 pagesBest Sellers Rank: 852,042 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)11,424 in Memoirs (Kindle Store)
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142,595 in Humour & Entertainment (Books)Customer Reviews:
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 32 ratings

Mukunda Rao

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Sb
5.0 out of 5 stars Very well researched and written bookReviewed in India on 9 October 2022
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This is my book number 8 on UG. There are details sprinkled in it that are new. Very well written. Rao is professor of English. It shows. And a words craftsman. He weaves through different subjects and aspects of UGs teachings smoothly. There is a typo on page 308, line 14 counting from bottom of page up. I ended up buying his two other books on UG. And three recent ones he’s written.

I hope the Shruti pipal tree has continued to take ever deeper roots. Love. Sb
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PG
5.0 out of 5 stars Five StarsReviewed in the United Kingdom on 19 July 2017
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Delivered as Expected.
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Michael R. Young
5.0 out of 5 stars The most complete book on UGReviewed in the United States on 21 March 2013
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If you would like to read only one complete book about UG or if you have read a few or even several books on UG then this book will either satisfy or serve as an introduction or fill in on his incredible story even more. On reading UG books in general they all have the same unmistakable theme there is nothing to think, speak, do, experience or know. Transformation is biological and having experienced it, according to UG, there is no reason now or after spiritual transformation (enlightenment, self realization, moksha, kensho, or as UG might say - "Whatever you may want to call it!";) to dwell on anything any sage or any book or tradition has communicated what so ever. "We are already in that state" according to UG and only a full physiological mutation purging our entire thought system must happen to experience it as he describes it. Obviously, if there is nothing to do, you then don't need to read any book about UG either. However, from my experience, reading his own words are unmistakingly convincing and in some sense shocking. No one I can think of, and I have read many books on the perennial philosophy, says it quite like UG. Even if reading multiple books is knowingly redundant on his main point to read it again in a different book format helps, in my opinion, the reader to begin to appreciate the depth, profundity and singularity of UG Khrisnamurti.

8 people found this helpfulReport

Manu
5.0 out of 5 stars Radical to the core.Reviewed in India on 15 April 2022
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A different perspective. Take it or leave. However there are many areas that appeals to the logical thinker. But who knows if the person is thinking or thoughts just come and go according to a universal play!! But, definitely worth buying, reading and gifting 👍
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vijey18
4.0 out of 5 stars This is the book to put a full stop to ...Reviewed in India on 11 April 2016
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This is the book to put a full stop to the so called spiritual search. The book is intense and is not for someone who is looking for another self help book that promises the sky. This book is intended to bring to surface all the unquestioned beliefs such as enlightenment, moksha and the likes and critically examine whether these things really exist.

Worth every penny. A must read for all "Spiritual Aspirants"

One person found this helpfulReport

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From other countries

Sb

5.0 out of 5 stars Very well researched and written book

Reviewed in India on 9 October 2022

Verified Purchase

This is my book number 8 on UG. There are details sprinkled in it that are new. Very well written. Rao is professor of English. It shows. And a words craftsman. He weaves through different subjects and aspects of UGs teachings smoothly. There is a typo on page 308, line 14 counting from bottom of page up. I ended up buying his two other books on UG. And three recent ones he’s written.

I hope the Shruti pipal tree has continued to take ever deeper roots. Love. Sb

Report

PG

5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 19 July 2017

Verified Purchase

Delivered as Expected.

Report

Michael R. Young

5.0 out of 5 stars The most complete book on UG

Reviewed in the United States on 21 March 2013

Verified Purchase

If you would like to read only one complete book about UG or if you have read a few or even several books on UG then this book will either satisfy or serve as an introduction or fill in on his incredible story even more. On reading UG books in general they all have the same unmistakable theme there is nothing to think, speak, do, experience or know. Transformation is biological and having experienced it, according to UG, there is no reason now or after spiritual transformation (enlightenment, self realization, moksha, kensho, or as UG might say - "Whatever you may want to call it!";) to dwell on anything any sage or any book or tradition has communicated what so ever. "We are already in that state" according to UG and only a full physiological mutation purging our entire thought system must happen to experience it as he describes it. Obviously, if there is nothing to do, you then don't need to read any book about UG either. However, from my experience, reading his own words are unmistakingly convincing and in some sense shocking. No one I can think of, and I have read many books on the perennial philosophy, says it quite like UG. Even if reading multiple books is knowingly redundant on his main point to read it again in a different book format helps, in my opinion, the reader to begin to appreciate the depth, profundity and singularity of UG Khrisnamurti.

8 people found this helpful

Report

Manu

5.0 out of 5 stars Radical to the core.

Reviewed in India on 15 April 2022

Verified Purchase

A different perspective. Take it or leave. However there are many areas that appeals to the logical thinker. But who knows if the person is thinking or thoughts just come and go according to a universal play!! But, definitely worth buying, reading and gifting 👍

Report

vijey18

4.0 out of 5 stars This is the book to put a full stop to ...

Reviewed in India on 11 April 2016

Verified Purchase

This is the book to put a full stop to the so called spiritual search. The book is intense and is not for someone who is looking for another self help book that promises the sky. This book is intended to bring to surface all the unquestioned beliefs such as enlightenment, moksha and the likes and critically examine whether these things really exist.

Worth every penny. A must read for all "Spiritual Aspirants"

One person found this helpful

Report

Paresh

5.0 out of 5 stars Flower

Reviewed in India on 8 July 2016

Verified Purchase

It's good book

I don't understand why author angage in comparison of 2 krishnamurtis

Sir ug is ug

Krishnaji is krishnaji

UG is final hump for understanding spirituality in fact

It's undoubtedly true that love, god, etc falsifying

It means if someone talking abt love no matter he is enlightened he is misguiding gullible people or seeker who believe in him

This is my humble review after carefully read

It is however a best book because you will really get understand spirituality who is being misguided.

One person found this helpful

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Manas Dutta

5.0 out of 5 stars Love UG!

Reviewed in India on 6 January 2016

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Everything UG has to deliver. The Other Side of Belief: Interpreting U.G.Krishnamurti

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tarun

4.0 out of 5 stars Thought provoking

Reviewed in India on 17 October 2016

Verified Purchase

The book has some moments of brilliance followed by moments of dullness.

UG forces you to re consider what ever you believed in . But to truly understand this work of fiction you need to question this one too.

2 people found this helpful

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R.N Mishra

2.0 out of 5 stars Two Stars

Reviewed in India on 30 December 2015

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Worth reading but poor print and paper quality.

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The Mystique of Enlightenment by U. G. Krishnamurti - Ebook | Everand

The Mystique of Enlightenment by U. G. Krishnamurti - Ebook | Everand

By U. G. Krishnamurti
Rating: 0 out of 5 stars
Ebook222 pages6 hours
The Mystique of Enlightenment


About this ebook

The Mystique of Enlightenment is a critique of contemporary spirituality in a world in which spiritual techniques, teachers, concepts, and organizations are legion. This book is an underground spiritual classic distributed widely for the first time in the U.S. For those interested in the full spectrum of modern spiritual thought, this book is an indispensable classic.

LanguageEnglish
PublisherGood Press
Release dateDec 8, 2020



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The Mystique of Enlightenment: The Radical Ideas of U.G. Krishnamurti

U.G. Krishnamurti

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Rodney Arms

 (Editor)

4.28

185 ratings23 reviews

An underground spiritual classic distributed widely for the first time in the U.S., this is the story of one of the most unusual figures in contemporary spirituality, U.G. Krishnamurti, in his own words. The Mystique of Enlightenment is a scathing critique of contemporary spirituality. In a world in which spiritual techniques, teachers, concepts, and organizations are legion, U. G. stands nearly alone in his rejection of it all: "I am only interested in describing this state, in clearing away the occultation and mystification in which those people in the 'holy business' have shrouded the whole thing. Maybe I can convince you not to waste a lot of time and energy looking for a state that does not exist except in your imagination... The natural state is acausal: it just happens." The author does not equate the natural state with enlightenment, which he describes as an illusion created by our culture. He states emphatically that one can do nothing to attain the natural state. In fact, any movement towards it separates one from it. U. G. Krishnamurti is an original voice in which much of contemporary spirituality is understood in a new way. For those interested in the full spectrum of modern spiritual thought, this is a "must read." In the well-known history of J. Krishnamurti, few names have been so strongly associated with his message as U. G. Krishnamurti, who shared a close but contentious relationship with him over many years. U.G. was raised to take on the mantle of guru, much like J. Krishnamurti. When the two men eventually met, each had rejected the guru role, and for years they conversed regularly, struggling to uncover the nature of truth, before a falling out led each in a different direction. It is fairly common in reading modern spiritual books to find references to U. G. Krishnamurti's influence on both teachers and their students. His books have been translated into nearly every European language, as well as Chinese and Japanese. Widely regarded in India and Europe, The Mystique of Enlightenment is considered by U.G.'s closest associates to be the best summary of his ideas. The book consists of transcripts of informal talks with those who come to ask him questions. In one of these talks, he relates his life story, including the events leading up to and comprising what he calls his "calamity," or his entry into the natural state. Since his own experience of coming into the natural state at age 49, he has spent his time traveling throughout the world, staying with friends or in rented apartments for a few months at a time. He gives no public talks, but meets with people who come to see him. What he offers is not hope or encouragement, but stark reality: "Of one thing I am certain. I cannot help you solve your basic dilemma or save you from self-deception, and if I can't help you, no one can." His message is simple: he has no message. Nevertheless, his words can inspire you to face your own assumptions and motivations and discover for yourself what is true.

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Genres

Philosophy

Spirituality

Nonfiction

Religion

Self Help

159 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2002

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U.G. Krishnamurti

36 books121 followers

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Uppaluri Gopala Krishnamurti also known as U.G. Krishnamurti, was an Indian thinker who said that there is no "enlightenment". Although necessary for day to day functioning of the individual, in terms of the Ultimate Reality or Truth he rejected the very basis of thought and in doing so negated all systems of thought and knowledge in reference to It.

U.G was born on July 9, 1918 in Machilipatnam, a town in coastal Andhra Pradesh, India, and raised in the nearby town of Gudivada. His mother died seven days after he was born, and he was brought up by his maternal grandfather, a wealthy Brahmin lawyer, who was also involved in the Theosophical Society. U.G. also became a member of the Theosophical Society during his teenage years.

During the same period of his life, U.G. reportedly practiced all kinds of austerities and apparently sought moksha or spiritual enlightenment. To that end, between the ages of fourteen and twenty-one, he undertook all kinds of spiritual exercise, determined to find out whether moksha was possible. Wanting to achieve that state, he had also resolved to prove that if there were people who have thus "realized" themselves, they could not be hypocritical.As part of this endeavor, he searched for a person who was an embodiment of such "realization".

U.G. emphasized the impossibility and non-necessity of any human change, radical or mundane. These assertions, he stated, cannot be considered as a "teaching", that is, something intended to be used to bring about a change. He insisted that the body and its actions are already perfect, and he considered attempts to change or mold the body as violations of the peace and the harmony that is already there. The psyche or self or mind, an entity which he denied as having any being, is composed of nothing but the "demand" to bring about change in the world, in itself, or in both. Furthermore, human self-consciousness is not a thing, but a movement, one characterized by "perpetual malcontent" and a "fascist insistence" on its own importance and survival.

U.G. denied the existence of an individual mind. However, he accepted the concept of a world mind, which according to him contained the accumulation of the totality of man's knowledge and experience. He also used 'thought sphere'(atmosphere of thoughts) synonymously with the term 'world mind'. He stated that human beings inhabit this thought realm or thought sphere and that the human brain acts like an antenna, picking and choosing thoughts according to its needs. U.G. held all human experience to be the result of this process of thought. The self-consciousness or 'I' in human beings is born out the need to give oneself continuity through the constant utilization of thought. When this continuity is broken, even for a split second, its hold on the body is broken and the body falls into its natural rhythm. Thought also falls into its natural place – then it can no longer interfere or influence the working of the human body. In the absence of any continuity the arising thoughts combust.He stated that we inhabit a thought realm. When the continuity of thought is broken, even for a split second, its hold on the body is broken and the body falls into its natural rhythm. Thought also falls into its natural place – then it can no longer interfere or influence the working of the human body. In the absence of any continuity the arising thoughts combust.

In its natural state, the senses of the body take on independent existences (uncoordinated by any 'inner self') and the ductless glands (that correspond to the locations of the Hindu chakras) become reactivated. UG described how it is the pineal gland (Ajna Chakra) that takes over the functioning of the body in the natural state, as opposed to thought.

U.G. also maintained that the reason people came to him (and to gurus), was in order to find solutions for their everyday real problems, and/or for solutions to a fabricated problem, namely, the search for spirituality

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Community Reviews

4.28

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Eddie Watkins

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6 books

5,491 followers

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October 9, 2014

Radical and ornery and barbed with contradictions, this is very stimulating stuff; though he does run on at the mouth.

I looked into him because of my interest in the weird/horror writer Thomas Ligotti, whose bleak cosmic vision of metaphysical terror was heavily influenced by U. G. Krishnamurti.

U. G. gets deep under the skin of the universal notion that so many give lip-service to, though so few actually contemplate the consequences of - that there is no one to be enlightened.

I discovered for myself and by myself that there is no self to realize. That's the realization I am talkng about. It comes as a shattering blow... You have invested everything in one basket, self-realization, and, in the end, suddenly you discover that there is no self to discover... And you say to yourself, "What the hell have I been doing all my life?!" That blasts you.

All kinds of things happened to me. The physical pain was unbearable. That is why I say you really don't want this. I wish I could give you a glimpse of it, a touch of it. Then you wouldn't want to touch this at all. What you are pursuing doesn't exist; it is a myth. You wouldn't want anything to do with this.

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Ebblibs Thekstein

9 reviews

11 followers

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August 9, 2012

A must read for anyone of any persuasion or would be seeker of so-called 'enlightenment' - the spiritual equivalent of 'self-betterment' and other deeply misguided human foibles. Controversial, divisive and infuriatingly funny but above all vital. It could save your mind...with any luck it will destroy it and its illusions =====

Arttu

11 reviews

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January 3, 2018

UG makes it very clear, that there is no blissful enlightenment; what happens to some (very few) people is the complete and irreversible loss of the illusion of mind and self.

A recommended read for all people interested in the philosophy of mind and cognition, and a warning for those who are searching for something in the mystical and spiritual.

thought-provoking

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Marcel Armstrong

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4 books

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January 23, 2019

This book is a compilation of excerpts from conversations in India and Switzerland from 1972 to 1980. U.G.'s is a unique voice - one in the wilderness. He is not for the faint of heart. Clearly a realized individual, U.G. rejects all notions of romanticizing enlightenment, preferring the term "natural state." This book provides 3 major insights into U.G.: his own autobiographical account, his description of the natural state, and his opinions on everything from "disease to divinity." His story is highly unusual and unique. His descriptions are lucidly clear and unmistakably those of one in the natural state. And his opinions will rattle you. Some describe U.G. as a spiritual terrorist. I would rather say he is more of a demolitionist. As with any great teacher, he will shatter any long-held or cherished beliefs, assumptions, or idealized values on spirituality and enlightenment. At the very least, reading U.G. will leave you standing on your own ground, questioning and thinking for yourself. A much-needed voice in an otherwise all too similar genre.

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Michael

19 reviews

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March 22, 2007

The Man. Period.

Kick you right in the ass at every turn philosopher.

philosophymetaphysics

2 likes

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Derek

57 reviews

34 followers

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November 10, 2020

what an interesting chap

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Shivam Gandhi

8 reviews

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May 20, 2021

Some random thoughts on this book. I give the book 5 stars since it helped me generate some interesting ideas.

Somatic experiencing and Krishnamurti’s “calamity”

After reading what Krishnamurti describes as the “calamity”, I’m convinced that his body was actually letting off a massive amount of stored up trauma. In particular, he talks of his body shaking and feeling pain, speaking of it as an explosion. From my own experiences of EMDR, I can say this is what I feel, though my experience was started by a therapist as opposed to Krishnamurti’s sudden release of this energy. I relate this to the book Waking the Tiger by Peter Levine which discusses somatic experiencing psychotherapy for trauma which involves allowing the body to vibrate and move as it needs to so that trauma is let out.

Here are a few random bullet points based off of this premise:

The natural state is a trauma free state. Enlightenment is to be free of trauma stored in the body. Thus animals are in their natural state since they have a naturally somatic experience and are enlightened. Moo.

Certain classes of thought prevent somatic experiencing. Much of trauma therapy is centered around moving past the cognitive level to the somatic level such that the underlying stored trauma can be discharged. We could relate this class of thoughts to cognitive distortions, though I’d say cognitive distortions are but a subclass of this whole class of thoughts. It is any thought which aims to solve a problem of ego that prevents somatic experiencing.

Krishnamurti mentions the notion of chakra or “ductless glands”. I like to think of this as vital energy (qi) that moves through the body. Perfect movement of qi corresponds to the natural state and enlightenment. Trauma can be thought of as a blockage of qi in the body and so thought is created from blocked qi.

From my experience, I find that I can enter the somatic experiencing state on my own if I’ve done enough breathing techniques to calm my body down. This is typically done by deep diaphragmatic breathing and progressive muscle relaxation. I also practice transcendental meditation during this time to unglue myself from whatever thought loop I am stuck in. After this, I allow the energy stored in my body to discharge through some sort of shaking or running movement (discharging trapped fight or flight energy). I’m not saying I’ve reached enlightenment, but I notice a significant movement towards what Krishnamurti has described as the natural state based on the delta from my severely traumatized state that I was in when I started healing my PTSD versus how I am right now.

Absence of division in the psyche and my second disagreement with Krishnamurti

Krishnamurti talks of the natural state as being one which is fully integrated. This corresponds to the internal family systems model of understanding trauma in that there are different parts of us within the mind that need to be led by a leadership self. Building off of the last point, blockages in qi which cause a certain class of thoughts to perpetuate correspond to built up trauma in the body, or in the IFS model, a part that is not in harmony with the rest of the psyche.

I don’t exactly disagree with Krishnamurti on this point but somewhat dispute it when he says that each person’s concept of enlightenment is different and that there is no real commonality. This is both true and false. It is true in that no two people will have the same natural state unless they have the same exact genetic code, if we’re assuming that enlightenment is based on biological realities as opposed to some grand spiritual idea. However, I do believe that there is a certain innate morality that each enlightened person will have that is intrinsic in biology because altruism is evolutionarily advantageous. This idea is echoed in the Erikson stages of development, which posits that for an individual, each phase of life presents a new challenge and a new virtue to be cultivated. Thus, there is some “skeleton” of moral development that an individual is meant to follow. I believe the primary variables that influence variations in the natural state among individuals is nervous system sensitivity (see highly sensitive people, or HSPs) and concentration in qi through the body (see the Enneagram, a system that describes different personality types).

An ordering principle to reality based on the notion of enlightenment

Let’s piggy back off the last topic and revisit the idea that altruism is evolutionarily advantageous. That won’t be the focus of this section, moreso the idea of why evolutionarily advantageous behaviors even exist.

Krishnamurti describes his natural state as one where the sensations are fully felt and thought is no longer self-inspecting but purely for the purpose of operating within the real world. The fact that these two things are paired together implies that thought focused on introspection and self-examination blocks one off from the senses and disconnects them from reality. It is described as “useless information”. If enlightenment is the ability to come fully into the senses, then the only “useful information” is that which is created purely through sensation that does not pass through the ego. In essence, the ultimate state of man, if that’s what enlightenment is, is a state that minimizes information waste.

Let’s ignore Krishnamurti for a moment. In many schools of thought, this highest form of enlightenment encompasses the creation of something that contributes to society. Many times, this is science, or art, or social change. But in all cases, it leads to the “betterment of humanity”, which we may roughly say as that which frees other humans from suffering or leads to greater compression of information. For more on information compression and why art and science are tied to it, see my essay Compressing God into a .txt File.

If evolution is selecting for this, we may opt to ascribe an animistic principle to the universe that aims for compression of information and self-realization. In vague terms, we may be thought of as fragments of the universe, collectively helping it understand itself. For more on this, I’ve picked my next book to be Jacques Monod’s Chance and Necessity as it tackles an animistic principle to the universe’s workings.

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Jacob Acosta

30 reviews

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June 25, 2023

Seek no further. This bleeds of Truth.

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Magnus Lidbom

114 reviews

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October 4, 2022

I find no coherent helpful critique of enlightenment or spirituality here. Rather, I find little more than a flat out denial of the existence of enlightenment without the author even defining what he means by enlightenment first nor giving any coherent explanation for his position. Then, of course, he keeps doing an about turn by claiming to be enlightened himself, only he "does not like that term" and prefers "the natural state". Absurdly, the intimation seems to be that because U.G. is supposedly in "the natural state" (enlightened) he can authoritatively state that enlighenment does not exist, or is "acausal", and thus all teachers which claim to help students move towards enlightenment are frauds.

U.G. comes across to me as arrogant, uncaring, condescending, incoherent, aimlessly rambling, and constantly self contradicting. He also explicitly rejects striving to be compassionate, empathetic and kind.

Further, U.G. seems to either intentionally deceive and/or suffer from serious delusions and sensory hallucinations. Among these many delusions is that he believes that he no longer blinks automatically and instinctually. Something which is disproven in seconds by watching a youtube video of him.

Time and time again U.G. describes his state and tranformation as full of suffering. A calamity. This sounds like him being honest about his experience to me.

I could not recommend this book to anyone. Except maybe as an illustration of how easily we humans can be fooled into seeing enlightenment and wisdom in pseudo profundity and/or mental illness.

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Zaubin Z

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August 31, 2007

My second book by U.G. This book is again in the form of question and answer. What I found interesting in this book was the description of how U.G. became enlightened. It is a fascinated and intricate account. But this in spite of the fact that U.G. regularly states that there is no enlightenment, that it doesn't exist, that there is nothing to achieve. But then again, he also tells you not to listen to what he says, not to adopt any ideas you may find in what he says. Indeed, he embraces self-contradiction whole-heartedly. I admire this. So what's going on U.G.? Is there enlightenment, or isn't there? Maybe this thing that happened to you isn't "enlightenment," but it seems nearly as interesting. Fantastic, in fact. You tell us to be wary of gurus claiming special results, and then turn around and describe the special powers that you received! It is almost as if his entire account is a complete fabrication. Not to call him a liar, but when did he ever claim to tell the truth? But if it is true... then I'll find myself right on the enlightenment bandwagon all over again.

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Sky - Clad: The Extraordinary Life and Times of Akka Mahadevi : Rao, Mukunda: Amazon.com.au: Books

Sky - Clad: The Extraordinary Life and Times of Akka Mahadevi : Rao, Mukunda: Amazon.com.au: Books


Sky - Clad: The Extraordinary Life and Times of Akka Mahadevi Paperback – 30 November 2022
by Mukunda Rao (Author)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 54 ratings

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Westland (30 November 2022)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 160 pages
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 54 ratings




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gautam sasidharan
5.0 out of 5 stars A must readReviewed in India on 11 June 2019
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Sky-clad (Digambara) is not the story of Akka Mahadevi. It is a narrative with the right amount of story telling about the Bhakthi movement in Karnataka. Skyclad traces the path of Akka Mahadevi, from Uduthadi through Kalyana to Kadali, finally ending at Srisailam. Through this narrative, the author explores some important personalities like Basavanna, Allama Prabhu and the entire sect of Virashaivas.

The book starts with a quick primer on what Bhakthi is and where it stands in the yogic pantheon. This is followed by the story of Mahadevi and how she transforms into Akka Mahadevi and the icon she is. The initial chapter takes the reader through her early life and the circumstances which make her shun her clothes. The story of Akka Mahadevi cannot be complete without the mention of Virashaivas and hence the author dedicates a complete chapter for them.
The author explains the circumstances which led to rising of this sect and how they demarcated themselves from the prevailing beliefs. Here, the author brings significance into the lives of Basavanna, Allama Prabhu and many other lesser known Virashaivas who wielded a powerful influence in the Kannada society. Then the author joins these two streams at the Anubhava Mantapa at Kalyana. Thereafter, it is brief account of the final stages of her life at Srisailam and exploratory essays of the many dimensions of Akka’s bhakthi.

The author has given a perspective of Akka Mahadevi’s life with the life of other contemporaries, which explains her magnitude as a bhakta and a rebel. It is the scenes at Kalyana, where her devotion is tested both orally and physically, which makes the narration compelling.

That said, the book becomes interesting with the insights into the prevailing religious conditions, the tides and currents brought in by the rising of the new sect, the perspective in comparison with the today’s situations, and the treatment of body and gender in the light of Akka Mahadevi’s clear stand on both.

Another aspect, which delights the reader, is the author’s approach to the subject through vachanas which are replete throughout the book.This book is highly recommended for everybody, to know about a personality who claimed fame by her acts of devotion. It would be a big delight for those who are interested in spiritual reads as it provides a clear understanding of the concept of bhakti.

For me it was a wonderful read. Overall, a book to taste, chew and digest.
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Shobha
5.0 out of 5 stars Soak In ItReviewed in India on 7 April 2018
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It's a beautiful read where the author takes us into the Bhakti movement of 12th century. Alongside Akka Mahadevi who is the protagonist of the book, the author also touches upon the journey/life of other saints and sages of 12th/13th century. The vachanas listed in the book are beautiful and takes one into the realm of Bhakti where there is Bhakti only for the sake of Bhakti and nothing else.

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Divya Shankar
4.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant and well structuredReviewed in India on 12 May 2020
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I had read about vachanas in another classic of kannada literature and wanted to explore more about these. This book with description of Shiva saranes and their vachanas proved to be an ideal pick to learn more , learnt not just about Virashaivism of the 12 th century , not just about life of Akka Mahadevi but also many important philosophical discussions that are well structured, allow easy understanding. Made a great read, a lot conveyed despite short length.
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NITIN KUMAR MISRA
5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful book with good delivery service at convenient priceReviewed in India on 17 April 2019
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Thanks Amazon for having such a wonderful collection of books at appropriate pricing n good delivery service. We are in touch with our roots with such books about lives of our legends.
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent and very SpiritualReviewed in India on 24 June 2019
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Excellent and very Spiritual after reading the book I Viaited Akkamahadevis birthplace feeling good

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Bala
5.0 out of 5 stars Extraordinary Work
Reviewed in India on 29 April 2019
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Thanks a lot
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Jay Kay
1.0 out of 5 stars The book is a nice read & the author traces the anthomorphology of Bhakti ...
Reviewed in India on 27 June 2018
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The book is a nice read & the author traces the anthomorphology of Bhakti cult especially in South India
during the past ages. He is able to trace similarities on the evolution, evaluation & successive metamorphosis of different sects.
However, this book is based on theoretical inputs only, as the author is unable to do justice beyond hearsay and facts on how the advanced movements with women being embraced both willingly & perforce , withered away in the subsequent ages to give rise to a deep fjord therafter -from which our Naaris have yet to sadly recover.
Case in point would also be the fact that the so called 'Virashaivas' gradually degenerated to a point where the 'Lingayats' of today are a mere political pawn ? Odd enough given the pathetic political turnaround in Karnataka being observed as on date.
Also, the book misses out on the describing parallels of saints/mothers outside South India - like Kabir, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu & even forgets mentioning Shankar Dev of Assam - a revolution in himself ?


Descriptions on Allama Prabhu, Basavanna are dichotomous and portayals weaves from one stance to another.
Advaita being touched upon does not connect Sri Ramakrishna with it, though he is fleeting mentioned - albeit minus references to his supreme disciple - Swami Vivekananda. Adi Shankara and Vivekananda proved what few saints over the years could actually do - that Self Realisation is achievable & can be demonstated - irrespective of Advaita, Dwaita & all such parallels Visishtaas - which bely naught
Surely there has to be some parallels around these enlightened souls and what drew to them to the Supreme ?


Akka Mahadevi preceded Lalleshwari by around 200 years - but both of them draw a rather queer parallel - being stark nude / naked 'Nirvastraa' by choice - something that would be sacrilegious even by today's standards. Surely jeers and laughs and erotic perceptions aside, what drew these two enlightened souls to such popularity that people forgot their physical bare form and awed at their transcendence to the Divine?


Was Lalleshwari a reincarnation of Akka - in colder lands ? Was Akka herself a reincarnation of the Her, the Supreme Kali - one who needs no modesty, is stark nude , beyond shame - ever young and the true Shakti of Shiva ? Does this explain her possible pining for Chenna Mallikarjuna/Siva in both births ?


More to be done in terms of spirituality when you choose such topics - unless you are essentially just essaying a biopic - which is the best description as per me.


Good for the average reader, but for a seeker of Supreme Truth and its parallels in disciples, this book has a far way to go still !!!
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The Penguin U.G. Krishnamurti Reader eBook : Mukunda Rao, Rao, Mukunda: Amazon.com.au: Books

The Penguin U.G. Krishnamurti Reader eBook : Mukunda Rao, Rao, Mukunda: Amazon.com.au: Books




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Mukunda RaoMukunda Rao
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The Penguin U.G. Krishnamurti Reader Kindle Edition
by Mukunda Rao (Author, Editor) Format: Kindle Edition


4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 24 ratings





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My teaching, if that is the word you want to use, has no copyright. You are free to reproduce, distribute, interpret, misinterpret, distort, garble, do what you like, even claim authorship, without my consent or the permission of anybody.' Thus spoke U.G. Krishnamurti in his uniquely iconoclastic and subversive way, distancing himself from gurus, spiritual 'advisers', mystics, sages, 'enlightened' philosophers et al. UG's only advice was that people should throw away their crutches and free themselves from the 'stranglehold' of cultural conditioning. Uppaluri Gopala Krishnamurti was born on 9 July 1918 in Masulipatnam, a coastal town in Andhra Pradesh. He died on 22 March 2007 at the age of eighty-nine in Vallecrosia, Italy, at the villa of a friend. The effect that he had, and will continue to have, on legions of his admirers is difficult to put into words. With his flowing silvery hair, deep-set eyes and elongated Buddha-like ears, he was an explosive yet cleansing presence and has been variously described as 'a wild flower of the earth', 'a bird in constant flight', an 'anti-guru' and a 'cosmic Naxalite'. UG gave no lectures or discourses and had no organization or fixed address, but he travelled all over the world to meet people who flocked to listen to his 'anti-teaching'. His language was always uncompromisingly simple and unadorned, his conversational style informal, intimate, blasphemous and invigorating. This reader, edited by long-time friend and admirer Mukunda Rao, is a compilation of UG's freewheeling and radical utterances and ideas. UG unceasingly questioned and demolished the very foundations of human thought but, as Rao says, in the cathartic laughter or the silence after UG had spoken, there was a profound sense of freedom from illusory goals and 'the tyranny of knowledge, beauty, goodness, truth and God'
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About the Author
Mukunda Rao is the author of six books of fiction, two plays: Mahatma - Khuda ka Hijra (1988 and 2009) and Baba Saheb Ambedkar (2008 and 2014), staged in different parts of Karnataka and much appreciated, and six insightful philosophical works, among which The Biology of Enlightenment is a much-read classic that has become a cult book amongst spiritual aspirants. After his retirement in 2010 from teaching service in a college, he lives with his wife on a farm outside Bengaluru. is the author of six books of fiction, two plays: Mahatma - Khuda ka Hijra (1988 and 2009) and Baba Saheb Ambedkar (2008 and 2014), staged in different parts of Karnataka and much appreciated, and six insightful philosophical works, among which The Biology of Enlightenment is a much-read classic that has become a cult book amongst spiritual aspirants. After his retirement in 2010 from teaching service in a college, he lives with his wife on a farm outside Bengaluru. --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

Product details
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B06XXJFWX4
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Penguin (11 July 2007)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 1679 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
Print length ‏ : ‎ 271 pages
Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ 0143101021Customer Reviews:
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 24 ratings






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Chelseapoet
5.0 out of 5 stars EssentialReviewed in the United Kingdom on 22 August 2018
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One of the two best books on nonduality I have ever read. The other is Nothing Being Everything by Tony Parsons. They are very different. This is hard-hitting, kinda sarcastic and amusing in places, whereas the latter is more accessible and plain.

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C & S
5.0 out of 5 stars InterestingReviewed in the United States on 12 November 2015
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I read this every day when I wake up with my coffee. I haven't read it all yet but what I have read so far is definitely causing me to rethink things quite a bit. What's ironic is that U.G himself would probably laugh at the idea of people reading a book of his recorded words.

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rammohan menon
5.0 out of 5 stars Five StarsReviewed in India on 27 January 2016
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Very good summary of his words
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S. Serge
5.0 out of 5 stars A (non-)master anthology!Reviewed in France on 20 September 2014
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Excellent anthology for my taste, quite voluminous, which gives an extensive and structured view of the "position" of UG Krishnamurti in all its aspects, largely avoiding repetitions and other "accidents" inevitable in multiple accumulated spontaneous verbal exchanges. If there only has to be one, this is THE book I recommend for tackling UG. For the rest, it's still UG: a great master swordsman, so much so that he is on the verge of swordsmanship. the sword itself... But it's also "heavy" on fundamental issues (we never believe him to the core when he says that nothing is possible, and he himself accepts when- even to speak...) A book obviously highly recommended for the "weary traveler".

Note: for the most part the author is indeed UG Krishnamurti, and not Mukunda Rao, especially since these texts are essentially, if not entirely, extracted from previous books, compiled by others, where UG is given as author. Mukunda Rao acted as author of the introduction and as compiler of the anthology (which supposes choices and cuts, organization by themes, etc.; not insignificant work in itself, however.)

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Manas Dutta
4.0 out of 5 stars UG's philosophy of lifeReviewed in India on 6 January 2016
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The Penguin U.G. Krishnamurti Reader Read UG and his thoughts on life by reading this book.
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Lives in the Shadow with J. Krishnamurti - | Amazon.com.au | Books

Lives in the Shadow with J. Krishnamurti - | 9780595121311 | Amazon.com.au | Books

https://www.everand.com/book/386738651/Lives-in-the-Shadow-with-J-Krishnamurti

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Lives in the Shadow with J. Krishnamurti

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Radha Rajagopal Sloss

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For nearly half a century the charismatic, strikingly handsome spiritual teacher J. Krishnamurti gathered an enormous following throughout Europe, India, Australia and North America. From the age of eighteen he was the forerunner of the type of iconoclasm that would bring immediate fame to cult figures in the late twentieth century. Yet recent biographies have left large areas of his life in mystifying darkness.

This, however, is no ordinary study of Krishnamurti, for it is written by one whose earliest memories are dominated by his presence as a doting second fathertolerant of pranks and pets, playful and diligent. For over two decades in their Ojai California haven, where Aldous Huxley and other pacifists found respite during the war years,Krinsh developed his philosophical message. He also placed himself at the centre of her parents Rosalind and Rajagopals marriage.

In a spirit of tenderness, fairness, objective inquiry, and no little remorse, the author traces the rise of Krishnamurti from obscurity in India by selection of the Theosophical Society to be the vehicle of a new incarnation of their world teacher. Breaking from Theosophy, Krishnamurti inspired his own following, retaining the dedication of his longtime friend Rajagopal, himself highly educated, to oversee all practicalities and the editing and publication of his writings.

How this bond of trust was breached and became clouded in confusion with a new wave of devoteeism lies at the heart of this extraordinary story. So does a portrait of intense romantic intimacy and the conundrum of Krishnamurtis own complex character.

Radha Rajagopal SlossRadha Rajagopal…
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Lives in the Shadow with J. Krishnamurti Paperback

4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 106 ratings


This is not only the story of one person. It is the story of the relationships of J. Krishnamurti and people closely involved with him, especially Rosalind Williams Rajagopal and D. Rajagopal, my mother and father, and of the consequences of this involvement on their lives. Recently there have been biographies and a biographical film on Krishnamurti that have left areas, and a large span of years, in mysterious darkness. It is not in the interest of historical integrity, especially where such a personality is concerned, that there be these areas of obscurity.


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15.24 x 2.54 x 22.23 cm
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0595121314
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978-0595121311


4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 106 ratings


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Amazon Customer TE
4.0 out of 5 stars A courageous exploration of an enigmaReviewed in Australia on 15 October 2017

This is an extraordinary account of the life of a man who lived out the spiritual script devised by his mentors Annie Besant and C W Leadbeater. He lived and died as the fulflllment of a belief in the persona of a World Teacher.

In his teachings one can discern certain refrains of Advaita, Buddhism, Judaism and Christianity as well as fresh and new insights which were uniquely his own.

But Krishnamurti was a mortal like the rest of us, and Radha Rajagopal Sloss does an excellent job in outlining the complexities involved in his character. She was brought up by three people who were anything but ordinary.
Her mother Rosalind, wife to Rajagopal, and mistress to
Krishnamurti, lived together in the same house as a loving family for many years. Radha claims she had two fathers
and she loved them both. This book reveals why and how all the relationships ended in tears.

Radha wrote the book to set the record straight. In the
end, Truth and Justice prevailed over Adoration and Myth.
Not everyone will be happy about this because apparently humans cannot stand too much reality.

I have read this book two or three times since it was first
published and each time I learn something new about the characters and also about myself. I also discover afresh
what Krishnatmurti and the Buddha meant when they
said "with your thoughts you create the world".

This is a courageous book, simply written but with great
affection . No person should read the Krishnamurti biographies without reading this book, not if they want a
complete picture .



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yuan zhou
5.0 out of 5 stars As illuminating as reading KrishnamurtiReviewed in the United States on 9 May 2022
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This book was for me transformative - eye opening.

Throughout my life from at least teenage years on, I’ve lived with the fundamental premise that there is such a thing as a great spiritual person. Growing up in the West, for many years I saw Jesus as the pinnacle of spiritual achievement, but also saw it in Buddha, and to a lesser extent in ‘good’ people of the world who stood out in some way for doing something apparently selfless, noble, wise etc.

After many years of searching for deeper spiritual meaning in myself - via the following of various strategies externally - various paths, so to speak - I found myself increasingly despairing of ever finding anything useful. The ancient teachings of Christianity and Buddhism were too ancient - cryptic - the meaning obscured, and muddied with edits, omissions and the like. How could I know what was really said 2000 or 2500 years ago?

This is when I discovered the modern mystics: Eckhart Tolle, Alan Watts, Krishnamurti. I listened to countless hours of the talks of all three. Amongst them, K stood out as the most impressive - at least he was the most provocative, the one who shook you (Zen style) out of your comfort zone - challenged you to look into yourself. He didn’t give the answers easily, he always said ‘come on, you need to find the answer, don’t just wait for me to tell you’.

If there was such a thing as enlightenment, K seemed to embody it as much as any verifiable person in history. This is what him so interesting to me to study.

This is also why now this biography is so interesting. Given the author grew up as essentially the family of K, she saw with a child’s eye a more complete picture of the person K than probably anyone else, for around two decades or more. Children have a way of seeing through their parents (or other adults they grow up with) better than anyone else - including the parents themselves. I can vouch for this in the way i can see through my own parents’ facades, and how my daughter sees right through mine. Kids are uniquely unbraid to point these things out too, given they have full trust that their parents will not abandon them out of offence.

What her account shows, is that K was a human being, not a super hero. This is not to deny that he had mystical insights, or that his words could be powerful forces for good. But it destroys the idea of the perfect enlightened being who is unlike a human in so many ways - as Jesus, the Buddha and countless other sages have been portrayed by the culture of popular religions. Clearly that super-hero status is a fabrication in the minds of the followers, and not a reality in the personage of the mystic.

This leaves one with a few possible conclusions.

One is that perhaps enlightenment / deep mysticism is still real, it’s just that it never transforms the host person into anything other than a human being on the external level. They may be able to access new levels of inner experience or insight - and part of their time will be spent sharing these insights, even with special energy - but this will never alter the fact that they are in a human body. Sex and/or other appetites will remain, and they will, in some areas of their life, blunder clumsily like every human being. In this there is no escaping their ‘humanity’. This also would mean that the idea of the perfect, celibate, selfless, and even magical mystic is a wishful illusion in the minds of their followers. It says more about the followers than the teacher. It says that the followers wish there to be some super-hero type entity, and so they will attribute these singular qualities to their teacher. It means the followers don’t want to accept what they are - that they are human. If the buddha or Jesus can transcend the normal human form, then they can help save us too. But if they all remained fully human in their external form, then it means ordinary people would have to put up with it too.

The second possibility is that it’s all a sham. Demand creates supply, even if it requires delusion. In this case, no one really has great mystical insights beyond what any of us have too - at moments in our lives. But due to the demand from the public for great mystical figures, certain people get propped up willingly or not, and fill these roles. In his earlier life, as the ‘vehicle’ for Theosophists, K was certainly one who experienced this thrusting upon him of social demands for a mystical figurehead. But in rejecting that mantle, he also showed on originality that in fact garnered him more followers in the long run than I believe would have been the case.

But whatever the truth of the matter - whether there is such a thing as a true mystic as a separate category of human experience, or whether it is just an aspect of every human’s experience - there is only one way to know, and therefore only one way for it to mean anything at all in our lives, and that is to know through our own experience.

This account of K shows conclusively to me, that one cannot see the mystical truths through the external actions of another person. One can only see them in one’s own inner life, or not see them at all. As we cannot see the inner life of another individual, exactly what their inner life comprised becomes a moot point - something we can never verify.

My hypothesis is that mystical experience is just like any other facet of the human being, it is something shared by all people, but certain people will have a relatively greater sensitivity or capacity than others. Just as IQ and athleticism vary across the population, so too does mystical connection.

In the ancient tribal way of life, the shaman was a person who specialised in mystical capacities, but everyone in the tribe expressed their own mystical capacity through the rituals. The shaman was just the most suited amongst them for this role, as some other in the tribe were to hunting or foraging - but the specialisations were not worshipped or deliberately exaggerated in these societies. In fact forager societies display very high levels of egalitarianism. Everyone may specialise in certain areas, to a certain degree, but what they all have in common is far greater than what differentiates them, and no one is celebrated especially over the others.

The mystic, whether 2000 years ago in Palestine, or in the 20th century in the form of Krishnamurti, seems to be a feature of the pyramidical structure of large civilisations, just as the political leader, the general, the sports star, the entertainer etc are too. In pyramidical social structures, we get ‘stars’ in every field of human endeavour.

This book, more than anything else I’ve read, has capped off my own long and winding path as a fan of spiritual stars, and shown me that that is what they are. I don’t think our adulation of stars in any field makes us happier - in fact the reverse, because it makes us feel separated in quality to them, and essentially inferior. Eventually humanity might make it back to a state of egalitarianism - which is to love your neighbour as yourself - literally, because that is exactly how you actually see them without needing to attempt to see them that way. The long arc of human evolution has been painful. It seems that seeing through what is facade to what is real, is the only way that suffering is diminished. This book has helped myself a great deal. Thank you.
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Q
5.0 out of 5 stars AmazingReviewed in the United Kingdom on 11 August 2023
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Easily one of the most amazing books I've ever read. I look up to the style and the profound humour with great admiration, and for the history I am most grateful. Thank you a million times over to dear Radha Rajagopal Sloss for this significant achievement - this has helped me so much and is a revelation and also a joy to read. This book will always be a centrepiece in our home.
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Sashi C.
5.0 out of 5 stars Shadows to lightReviewed in India on 23 March 2020
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Genuineness and truth about a life of deceit & exploitation- written with sensitivity. Gullibility of human race depicted succinctly. Thanks
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Five StarsReviewed in Canada on 16 January 2016
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Super! good conditions, fast delivery, well writing!
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Bernard Bel
5.0 out of 5 stars Very enjoyable and useful!Reviewed in France on 14 May 2015
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During the 1970s my wife and I attended J. Krishnamurti's talks in Saanen almost every year. We enjoyed staying with our camping car in the Turbach valley above Gstaad! This experience, which coincided with our early discovery of Seitai (as introduced by Itsuo Tsuda) had a strong impact on our lives, notably in terms of interactions with teachers and leaders of all kinds.

The Saanen talks were our exclusive exposure to Krishnamurti's teachings. We did not read his writings nor related material. We never tried to hear about his private life - "behind the stage". We felt that staying at a distance was consistent with JK's assertion of the uselessness of seeking guidance from spiritual leaders. I believe many European followers had a similar posture, and certainly it contributed to public ignorance of the actual story.

For this reason, reading the book "Lives in the Shadow" was not such a devastating experience as it could have been, had we worshiped the image of the teacher as a model of perfection. For us it was nonetheless a shock; one more instance of the discrepancy between the public and private lives of opinion leaders and spiritual "masters". The author's balanced analysis was tremendously helpful in looking at the whole picture with a clear mind.
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