Inner Journey

 Om Sai Ram

I was born in Chennai [older name for this city : Madras] ,India in 1943 to brahmin parents.[the caste is not important to me.].Early education: BS in Science from Vivekananda College,Chennai;later engineering at Indian Institute of Science,Bangalore [BE & ME ] Then I joined Atomic energy establishment,Trombay, Mumbai;left it and went to Columbia University, New York,for doctorate with Columbia Univ Fellowship.Later I obtained research assistantship with U S Atomic Energy Commission; Returning to India in 1972, I worked for  ISRO [Space Research Org], later Defence Research and Development Organisation [DRDO] for a total of nearly 30 years.In between, I was Professor at PSG College of Technology,Coimbatore.While being a professor, I wrote three technical books which are used even today.
All these are part of my professional career.

 Brought up in a deeply religious home ,I learned some scriptures with a Vedic pundit in high school days and heard many religious discourses with my mother in a local temple mandapam[hall].But that was all very fragmentary knowledge.My maternal grandfather was a great religious scholar and lived a life of recluse in Kanchipuram after retirement..My father used to visit several temples and chant hymns every day.
 

   While in Coimbatore, I learned Transcendental Meditation or TM of Maharshi Mahesh Yogi and practised for four years.I found TM to be quite effective for a beginner. After a traumatic experience, I became quite mentally  withdrawn.I was attracted to Paramahansa Yogananda's Kriya yoga and got Diksha from a monk of YSS Ranchi, after postal instructions.I practised this technique ,along with Bhakti, for nearly 10 years, visiting a famous shrine of Shiva,in Perur, near Coimbatore.The progress was rapid, but later found the pranayama type of yogic practices limited in scope.

  From 1983 onwards, I was imperceptibly drawn to meditation and Bhakti in the line of Shirdi Sai Baba.I visited Shirdi many times,seemed to be 'invited' several times, and each visit was marked by some developments in the spiritual plane.
 

  I visit Thiruvannamalai regularly and show devotion to Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi .I studied with some depth his teachings and methods which interweave with my meditational practice.

  I also started two charitable,voluntary trusts---one to support visually challenged [ Blind] children---named "Aid for Blind Children-India" [1999] and another "Shirdi Sai Vedanta Trust" to disseminate the glory of Sai's name.Both are small trusts ,but I learnt a lot through these activities about real life.
 I wrote two small books "Fruitful meditation" [2004]and "The essence of Bhagavad Gita'[2006]-- both published by Pustak Mahal,New Delhi,[available from the publisher & booksellers].I have traveled to many places in the world and also many pilgrim centers in India[ Shirdi, Tiruvannamalai,Kanchi Chidambaram, Sri Rangam, Tirunelveli,Rameswaram, Nashik,Rishikesh, Haridwar,Mathura, Benaras,Puri,Guwahati,Dakshineswar,Mt Abu,Thiruvanandapuram,Kanyakumari and so on ].

I was married in 1967 and have three children and two grandchildren.I live with the same wife for the past 42 years [a kind of record by western standards!].(My wife is also a student of Sanskrit and scriptures.)
[Incidentally the book on Gita was reviewed in 'Vedanta Kesari'July 2007 issue ,and the meditation book in "Mountain Path" April 2008 issues.You can look them up.]

MY CREDO:  1 I strongly emphasize the early morning meditation and chanting of Lord's Name [Nama Japa] as the daily routine for Sadhana..

2 Reading of scriptures is also important, but should be limited.Too much scriptural study is waste of time and leads to false sense of pride and intellectual confusion..

3Satsanghas, with periods of silence/meditations, help to a great extent.
4 Guru Bhakti [devotion to God/Guru/Self] is of primary importance..Only this can lead to real progress in spirituality.Only this attracts Divine Grace.All other means are far less important and are stepping stones only.

  Try to combine Karma yoga,Bhakti and Jnana  in daily routine.
   I occasionally give lectures in local clubs,forums and elsewhere, and personal instruction to serious seekers; but no ashram or institute of any kind is required.I feel that Yoga and Vedanta should be taught free or at very nominal rates and should not be institutionalized. I spend some months in Bangalore,India, and some months in Palo Alto,CA,USA.
Contact me: My email ID: nksrinivasan at hotmail dot com

Visit my other website too: Sages and Saints of India

For the trust "Aid for Blind Children-India" which supports activities for building schools [residential] for visually challenged children ,you can donate whatever you can.I accept  money in Indian currency [Rupees] by cheque drawn on any bank in India.   Donations to this trust are exempted from Income tax [for 50%] under section 80 G of IT act.Cheques/drafts must be made payable to :"Aid for Blind Children-India" in India.

     You can also donate through Paypal if you are  in  USA,see the link below,but no tax exemption is possible.

         One of the major support has been  towards establishment of a residential school ,called "Mathru School'--a modern school at Yelahanka-New Town in Bangalore.More than 80 blind children are staying there and studying for school under CBSE and State syllabus.Almost all the children come from very poor homes in villages---many are orphaned.
We have started  a vocational training centre for visually challenged youngsters [those completing high school] in Bangalore.The trainees are drawn from different districts [counties] of Karnataka.The training period is for 45 days---in skills such as :screen printing, weaving in small looms,knitting garments, making bead jewelry and so on... 'Every bit helps".

My time is spent mostly on this trust activities,Sai devotions and web-related work.

Contact Address: Aid for Blind Children-India ---- C/o Dr N K Srinivasan, Managing Trustee

   CLICK HERE__>For details of this school for blind children in Bangalore,India, visit this site:

Please note that I do not sell  beads,trinkets or 'mantras' or ayurvedic medicines or incense sticks  through this website or from my home.There is no course of instruction or satsanghs or CD's available.I only welcome email messages/personal discussion  for clarification/comments.I do not organize tours/travels in India, though I give some travel information through this website  to help fellow tourists/pilgrims....

If you wish, read my two books as an introduction as well as other books listed in the webpage on 'Books" .I do not make comments on living  gurus/swamis/ matas/paramhansas , however exalted and 'pure' they may be. I have no interest in your wealth or position or status or caste  in society--whether you are a prince,or big business tycoon or a homeless fakir, you are dear to me....Whether you are white,black,brown or yellow---what does it matter.!...