The Ribhu Gita forms the sixth section of the Sanskrit work known as Siva Rahasya. It is the teachings of Lord Siva in Mount Kailas to His devotee Ribhu, from whom the Gita derives its name.
The Ribhu Gita was translated into Tamil verse by a Brahmin Vedic scholar of high repute, by name Bikshu Sastrigal who was also an accomplished scholar in Tamil. He translated the work under the name of Ulaganatha Swamigal, and because of his efforts attained renowned fame among the Tamil devotees of Siva.
The Tamil version is a free translation of the original Sanskrit text, consisting of 1,924 verses of such scintillating brilliance that Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi recommended its recital as a strong support for spiritual sadhana. He used to say that the recital itself leads to spontaneous abidance in the Self.
The book presented herewith consists of 122 verses from the original Tamil work, being a free translation into English prose, conveying the essence of the original, rather than a mere mechanical word for word translation.
Translated by Professor N. R. Krishnamoorthi Aiyer. The esteemed translator, a retired physics professor, was encouraged by the Maharshi to study this text. The one hundred and twenty-one verses selected for this book are mostly those that the Maharshi made familiar to the devotees. They have been rendered into English with a trained accuracy and deep spiritual insight.
