The Song of Ribhu: Translated from the Original Tamil Version of the Ribhu Gita

The Society of Abidance in Truth (SAT) has published the first complete translation into English of the Tamil book The Song of Ribhu. This classic work of Advaita Vedanta (nonduality) has ancient origins, probably dating from the period of the Upanisads. Sri Ramana Marharshi regularly recommended it to spiritual seekers. The Song of Ribhu is instruction by the sage Ribhu to his disciple Nidagha to assist him in realizing the ultimate Truth. It provides a detailed description of Self-Realization, the Realization of Brahman, and the path of inquiry to realize Absolute Truth. The book is invaluable for pursuing the inquiry, “Who Am I?”, gaining a firm, experiential understanding of one’s identity, attaining complete detachment, and comprehending the utter unreality of all that is negated to perceive true Existence. This translation, in eight-line verse that simulates the Tamil original verses, is the result of several years work by Dr. H. Ramamoorthy, the Indian religious scholar and Nome, a teacher of the Society of Abidance in Truth. The Song of Ribhu and The Ribhu Gita are two distinct works. Although this Tamil Song of Ribhu and the Sanskrit Ribhu Gita are based in the same ancient teachings they are quite different in form. The verses, for example, cannot be directly aligned. The Sanskrit resembles a more spontaneous outpouring of expression of nondual Realization, while the Tamil text not only contains much different content but a more systematic arrangement of the expression of nondual Realization. The serious seeker is therefore well advised to seek benefit from both. The Tamil work is also warmly recommended by H.H. Sri Chandrasekharendra Sarasvati Swamigal Sankaracharya (Kanchipuram), and Srila Sri Tavatirthu Nachiappa Gnanadesiki Swami (Kovilur Math). This publication is the translation of this unique text that is so highly recommended by sages and holy persons of India.

The late Dr. H. Ramamoorthy was a foremost Sanskrit scholar and expert in Tamil. He was renowned for his humility, subtle humor, devotion, and a superlative clarity of expression even when dealing with the loftiest Hindu scriptural texts. During the period from 1989 to 2001, Dr. H. Ramamoorthy and Nome worked in close collaboration to translate numerous Advaita Vedanta texts, from Sanskrit and Tamil, into English. Nome, a sage who practiced self-inquiry for steady abidance in Self-Realization, is a spiritual teacher at Society of Abidance in Truth (SAT Temple), which established and maintains a temple for Nondual Self-Knowledge in California. Nome teaches Advaita Vedanta, especially as is contained in the teachings of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi. These teachings are those found in traditional Advaita Vedanta as expounded by Adi Sankaracharya, Ribhu, and the Upanishads. Nome is a teacher of this spiritual knowledge, an author of the same, and a translator of Vedanta texts.