Guide to Giripradakshina

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Giripradakshina or Girivalam (in Tamil language) is the practice of circumambulation of Arunachala, the Hill of the Holy Beacon at Tiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu. Giripradakshina is walking around the Holy Hill with devotion in a clockwise direction keeping the Hill on one's right. Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi and the scriptures assure that it is actually Lord Siva Himself, manifesting as this Hill that one walks around when one does Giripradakshina.

The traditional Outer Path (on the paved road) or the more recent option of the Inner Path (through peaceful forest at the base of Arunachala) can be taken for doing Giripradakshina. After walking on the part of the Inner Path that goes through woods, there are options to go through the Pavalakkunru (Coral Hill) neighbourhood or one can turn left and join the Outer Path and go through the town, the rest of the way. While one is free to choose either of these paths, what is very important and will yield the maximum spiritual benefit is that one should go around Arunachala with a heart filled with devotion and thought entirely focused on Lord Arunachala.

There may be many reasons why one wants to acquire this Guide. One may be moved by intellectual curiosity to know more about what .one sees during the circuit; or one may have the practical desire to learn the ways of doing it which will make the Pradakshina as comfortable and enjoyable as possible, or one may have the pious wish to learn how to maximize the spiritual benefit of the circumambulation. But the experience of Pradakshina confirms that all these factors are eventually absorbed by the Power and Grace of Arunachala into the all-consuming desire to realize the Self and attain Liberation. This innermost yearning of those who find themselves drawn to this Holy Hill, like iron filings to a magnet, is granted in the form of sure progress towards Self-Knowledge, and is offered back in worship to Arunachala through every step one takes during Giripradakshina. As one walks on the Girivalam Road, whether the Outer Path or the Inner Path, one spontaneously and irresistibly follows one's deepest yearning to return to the Source of Being, one's true Self, of which Arunachala is the visible form, as Bhagavan Ramana often reminded his devotees. Let this Guide serve the devotee in his journey of knowing the ultimate Truth.

This book is produced by the devotees who have come together to offer their devotion at the Holy Feet of their Sadguru, Bhagavan Arunachala- Ramana.

This is a second edition of this book; the first having sold out quite soon after it was put on the stands.