Dr Anil Sharma in his book The Practice of Self Enquiry has come out with a detailed exposition on the teachings of his guru Sage Sri Ramana Maharshi especially for people who are seeking enlightenment and making an effort to know the various concepts pertaining to birth-death-rebirth and realizing : Who am I?
The author who himself had been in search of a guru for a long time elucidates how he felt and experienced the presence of Sage Ramana who literally guided him like a mother and made him write this book.
In easy and understandable terms, Anil Sharma has flawlessly described to aspirants who are in search of meaning of life and its earthly existence.
The author explains, "Our consciousness of our own being, that is 'I am', alone can be our real self. The non-dual and indivisible consciousness of our own being is our true consciousness, indeed it is our true self, our essential being, of what we really are.
This is always present in all our three states : waking, dream and sleep, and in all the three divisions of time: past, present and future.
This is what lends reality to all that we experience in these three transitory states and in the passage of time. Without this fundamental consciousness 'I am', we cannot experience or be conscious of any other thing."
This is what the Sage taught one and all, the simple practice of self-attentiveness which is the path of atma-vichara, 'self-inquiry' or self-investigation. And, whatever Sage Ramana said through his teachings, that is the only way by which we can experience perfect peace and bliss that is our own true nature, our own real being.
Now practicing Sri Ramana's philosophy and teachings, Anil Sharma says (which he himself felt and was directly exposed to) the path and goal shown by the guru in transcending the limits of one's ego and experience the limitless true nature of self or awareness.
Even today, the Sage's teaching, the direct path of practice of self-inquiry of 'Who am I?' has taken deep roots in the heart of sadhakas belonging to different countries.
Therefore, many aspirants propounding Maharshi's teachings, are attempting to seek and surrender to the divine presence that resides in the heart of each one of us.
Another interesting chapter in Anil Sharma's book is the one on Power of Numbers where the Sage says, "One should act in the world like an actor on the stage. In all actions, there is in the background the real Self as the underlying principle, remember that and act on."
In this chapter, the author unfolds the qualitative and quantitative meaning of numbers. The power of numbers or the science of numbers referred to in this chapter is the very key to unlock the vibrations of our unique personality which every being brings at birth into the world.
This science of numbers, developed and practiced by masters of the past, the sages of ancient times, was put together again by the famous Greek philosopher Pythagoras.
Qualities assigned to specific numbers related to human personalities have been written in detail that after simple deduction unfold and unlock the various traits of our personality based on our date of birth.
However, one question that comes to mind is : do all beings born on the same day, month and year have the same personality.
The answer, the author says is no because though the individual numbers of the entire date of birth of these beings are the same, the actual difference lies in the way these beings use the quality or trait represented by a particular number or special characteristic, whether they use it in a positive and constructive way, or use it at all, or what effort they make to develop that character.
The question is when are we going to realise this potential and achieve perfection otherwise beings, in general will go through many, many repeated cycles of life - birth - death till perfection is achieved and the common purpose for which all beings are on Earth is fulfilled and our soul unites with our Creator, the absolute.