As for reading books… you may go on reading any number of them. They can only tell you, ‘Realise the Self within you’. The Self cannot be found in books. You have to find it out for yourself, in yourself.
—Ramana Maharshi1
For seekers, the most important document listed here is Ramana’s short textbook on how to get Self-Realized, Nan Yar (also spelled Nan Ar). We recommend Michael James’s translation. —Editor, realization.org
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Originally named Path of Sri Ramana, Part Three and Essence of Spiritual Practice (Sādhanai Sāram).
Published in Tamil under the title Cātakarkkuriya Cattāṉa Neṟikaḷ which translates as The Disciplines that are Essential in the Spiritual Aspirant.
This book is much too long, and the author seems to have written it during manic episodes, but many parts are hilarious. It’s a spoof by an anonymous modern author of Ramana dialog books like Talks and Day by Day in the vein of Vladimir Nabokov’s Pale Fire and Flann O’Brien’s The Third Policeman. Everything is exaggerated to absurd heights while maintaining an incongruous similarity to the real dialog books. What makes this funny is the author’s deep knowledge of the Ramana literature. For example, a visitor asks Ramana what’s so easy about vichara. Instead of answering, Ramana turns to Muruganar and asks him to answer. To get this joke you need to know quite a bit yourself (it’s a commentary on Anma Viddai), but if you do, you may find yourself laughing out loud like I did. —Editor, realization.org
It’s extremely easy to know ourself according to this song by Sri Ramana and Sri Muruganar. Also known as Atma Vidya and The Science of Self Knowledge.
A loving biography and reminiscence by Ramana Maharshi’s grandnephew.
Preparation of a favorite food becomes a detailed allegory for Self-enquiry in this song that Sri Ramana Maharshi wrote for his mother.
A devotee asked Sri Ramana, “Who are you?” Ramana answered by writing this poem.
Contains translations of Arunachala Aksharamanamalai (Bridal Garland of Letters for Arunachala) and Arunachala Pancharatnam (Five Gems on Arunachala).
Sri Ramana’s Tamil translation of Atma Bodha, traditionally attributed to Adi Shankara, translated into English.
Sri Ramana’s Tamil translation of Atma Sakshatkara, traditionally attributed to Adi Shankara, translated into English.
This is the reprinted General Introduction to Ramana Maharshi and His Philosophy of Existence
An anthology of articles about Ramana Maharshi collected by his ashram to mark the hundredth anniversary of his arrival in Tiruvannamalai. Originally published in 1996.
Also known as the Red Book or Red Notebook. The contents of this notebook, in edited and incomplete form, are published by Sri Ramanasramam as Conscious Immortality. Parts are also included in Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi.
Consider reading the source of this book, Commentaries by Sri Ramana Maharshi, instead.
A silent mind will not lead to Self-realization unless awareness of ‘I’ is present.
Sri Ramana’s Tamil translation of Adi Shankara’s Dakshinamurti Stotra, translated into English.
Ramana’s Tamil translation of “Jnanachara Vichara Patalam,” a chapter of the Devikalottara, a Shaiva Siddhānta upagama, translated into English.
Sri Ramana’s Tamil translation of Drik Drisya Viveka, traditionally attributed to Adi Shankara, translated into English.
Sri Ramana Maharshi’s last poem.
Sixteen poems by Ramana in Tamil and English, including the five Arunachala hymns, Upadesa Saram, and Ulladu Narpadu. Includes Swaminathan’s commentary on the Aksharamanamalai.
A large anthology of articles about Ramana Maharshi commissioned by Sri Ramanasramam to mark the 50th anniversary of Ramana’s Self-realization. Originally published in 1946.
Sri Ramana’s Tamil translation of Guru Stuti, traditionally attributed to Adi Shankara, translated into English.
Sri Ramana’s Tamil translation of Hastamalaka Stotra, traditionally attributed to Adi Shankara, translated into English.
Helpful quotes from somebody who really knows how because he really did it.
In this little-known dialog, Sri Ramana Maharshi explained Self-enquiry briefly, simply, clearly, and completely. As with many written records of Ramana’s spoken remarks this one may not be completely accurate, but it’s informative and potentially helpful nonetheless.
Many people regard Sri Sadhu Om’s book on Self-enquiry as one of the best instruction manuals for that practice. He was Sri Ramana Maharshi’s direct disciple and Muruganar’s literary executor. This article contains the entire chapter on technique from his book.
Instructions for Self-enquiry by Frank Humphreys, Ramana Maharshi’s first Western devotee.
Every time you see “I-I” in a Ramana book, it’s a translation mistake that distorts the meaning.
An appreciative appraisal by Ramana Maharshi’s grandnephew.
Ramana Maharshi dictated this letter to Ganapati Sastri in Tamil in 1931. It describes the process of Self-realization and clarifies technical terms including “I-thought” and “aham-sphurana.”
Conversations with Ramana Maharshi recorded by Maurice Frydman, editor of Nisargadatta’s I Am That.
This is the original document later published by Sri Ramanasramam as My Reminiscences.
Ramana’s most important work. Explains what to do to get Self-realized. This is the first thing (maybe the only thing) you should read to learn Ramana’s method. Michael James’s translation is the most accurate. The title can be spelled Nan Ar or Nan Yar. Over the years Ramana’s ashram published many versions. The 1920s essay version, translated by Michael James, is the only one edited and rewritten by Ramana.
The little pamphlet Who Am I? says everything you need to know to become Self-realized.
Tamil. 2nd ed. 1997 reprint.
Abdul Wahab knew Ramana when they were teenagers. In later life he became Ramana’s devotee.
He describes what it was like to realize the Self.
An anthology of articles about Ramana Maharshi commissioned by his ashram to mark his hundredth birthday. Originally published in 1980.
Krishna Bhikshu’s commentary on ten short phrases in Sri Ramana Gita, nine of them from Ramana’s verse on the heart cave, the tenth on watching the breath.
His face was red with rage. “What a fool you are!” he told me. “What do you think you have come to Bhagavan for?”
Instructions for Self-enquiry by Muruganar from Guru Vachaka Kovai
A hymn of praise and love for Arunachala consisting of 108 verses.
A nine-verse poem of praise, gratitude, supplication, and love.
A cry of all-consuming love for his Master, the red hill, by Sri Ramana Maharshi. A poem of extraordinary depth.
The author is known by a number of names and titles including Ganapati Sastry, kavyakantha, and Nayana.
Tamil song collection originally published in 1962 and later reissued by Sri Ramanasramam to mark the 100th anniversary of Ramana’s arrival at Arunachala.
A poem of more than 700 verses that summarize Ramana’s teachings, written by Sarma in Sanskrit and translated by him into English. The Tamil translation is by K.V. Subrahmonyan. The English translation offered here has been edited by David Godman.
Songs published by Sri Ramanasramam in 1981 to celebrate the hundredth anniversary of Ramana’s birth.
English translations of the second section of Ramana’s Tamil collected works, including Ulladu Narpadu, Ulladu Narpadu Anubandham, Ekanma Panchakam, Appala Pattu, Anma Viddai, and 27 stray verses collected by Sadhu Om. This collection has been superseded by Michael James’s translations of individual poems listed elsewhere on this page.
A compilation of various articles written by devotees of Ramana reprinted from The Mountain Path and The Call Divine.
Advice from a Self-realized expert on Self-enquiry who was a direct disciple of Ramana Maharshi.
Conversations with Ramana Maharshi from as early as 1912.
The method of dwelling on the ‘I’ sense.
Consider reading individual translations by Michael James instead. They are more accurate than translations published by Sri Ramanasramam.
Practice, practice and practice only.
A quarterly journal for devotees of Sri Ramana Maharshi.
Sadhu Om as recorded by Michael James. Complete revised version.
A compilation of various articles written by devotees of Ramana reprinted from The Mountain Path and The Call Divine.
An appendix of forty verses to Ramana’s great philosophical poem, Ulladu Narpadu.
Ramana’s most important philosophical work. The original Tamil title means “Forty Verses on What Is”. English translations have been published under many names including Truth Revealed, Forty Verses on Reality, Revelation, and Sat-Darshanam.
Sri Ramana Maharshi’s greatest philosophical work, translated by Robert Butler and presented in the form of a textbook of literary Tamil. This is the only translation of Ulladu Narpadu that includes English definitions of every Tamil word.
The extended version of Sri Ramana Maharshi’s great philosophical poem, Uḷḷadu Nāṟpadu. “Extended” means here that Ramana added words to connect each verse to the next one, making the poem better suited to chanting.
A record of Sri Ramana’s conversations compiled by Sri Natanananda.
Sri Ramana’s Sanskrit translation of his great Tamil poem Upadēśa Undiyār. Also spelled Upadesa Saram.
One of Sri Ramana Maharshi’s three most important works.
Sri Ramana answers forty questions only a few of which have to do with Self-enquiry or other aspects of his teachings.
Sri Ramana’s Tamil translation of Vivekachudamani, traditionally attributed to Adi Shankara, translated into English.
It’s just an idea; don’t worry about it; find the source and abide as that.
Our main page on the primary instruction manual for Ramana’s method.
A short anthology published by Sri Ramanasramam containing English translations of Who Am I?, Self-Enquiry, and Spiritual Instruction. Consider reading Michael James’s translations instead. They are more accurate.
No works match.
1 Ramana Maharshi quoted by A. Devaraja Mudaliar in Day by Day with Bhagavan, 16 March 1945, Morning.
This page was first published on October 28, 2026 and last revised on November 1, 2026.
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