Atmananda Krishna Menon

Śrĩ Atmananda (8 December 1883 – 14 May 1959), also referred as Sri Atmananda Krishna Menon, was an Indian sage, guru, and philosopher. He has been described by scholars as a "neo-Hindu".[1] His teachings have become a foundation for a spiritual method[2] called the Direct Path.[3]

For the political figure, see V. K. Krishna Menon.
Atmananda Krishna Menon
Born
P. Krishna Menon

(1883-12-08)8 December 1883
Peringara, Kerala, India
Died14 May 1959(1959-05-14) (aged 75)
Trivandrum, Kerala
NationalityIndian
Occupationguru and advaita philosopher

Biography

Early life

He was born as P. Krishna Menon in 1883 at Cherukulathu House, in Peringara, near Tiruvalla, in the state of Travancore, now a part of Kerala.[4]

After studying law, he became a Government Advocate and Inspector and District Superintendent of Police and remained in service until 1939.

Sadhana and realization

Meanwhile, his search for a guru led to his meeting Swami Yogananda (not to be confused with Paramahansa Yogananda) briefly in 1913. In 1923, he assumed the name Sri Atmananda and started teaching Jnana Yoga.[4] After retirement from government service, he resided in his family home, Anandavadi on the river Pampa in Malakara.[4]

He died at Trivandrum (now known as Thiruvananthapuram) in 1959.

Legacy

He published several books including, Atma Darshan and Atma Nirvriti in Malayalam (both of which he translated into English), and Atmaramam (in Malayalam).

After his death, the book Atmananda Tattwa Samhita, based on tape-recorded talks between Sri Atmananda and some disciples, was published. In the following years, his eldest son Adwayananda continued his teachings from his home in Anandawadi, Malakkara, near Chengannur, till his death in 2001. A school in his name, Sri Atmananda Memorial School, was founded in 1987 in Malakkara, and another school of the same name was located in Austin, Texas from 1995 to 2011.[5] When American mythologist Joseph Campbell visited India (1954–1955), his meeting with Krishna Menon has been described as the "climax of his visit" to India, and is recounted in his book, Baksheesh and Brahman, and the meditation he was given, "Where are you between two thoughts?"[6]

His teachings have become a foundation for a spiritual method[7] called the Direct Path.[8]

Bibliography
  • Atma Darshan (Malayalam and English). Advaita Publishers,1983.
  • Atma Nirvriti (Malayalam and English), Advaita Publishers, 1983.
  • Atmaramam (in Malayalam)
  • Atmananda Tattwa Samhita: The Direct Approach to Truth as Expounded by Sri Atmananda. Advaita Publishers, 1983. ISBN 0914793187.
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References
  1. Lucas, Phillip (2004). New Religious Movements in the Twenty-first Century. New York: Routledge. pp. 306.
  2. Godman, David (2000). Be As You are. Penguin India. p. 115. ISBN 978-0140190625.
  3. Lucas, Phillip (2004). New Religious Movements in the Twenty-first Century. New York: Routledge. pp. 306, 312.
  4. "Biography". advaita.org.
  5. Richard Whittaker, "Modern School Lessons: Reading, Writing, and Real Estate. The sale of a historic Central Austin estate puts private schools in jeopardy." Austin Chronicle, 23 October 2009.
  6. Campbell, Joseph (2002). Robin Larsen; Stephen Larsen; Antony Van Couvering (eds.). Baksheesh and Brahman: Asian Journals - India. New World Library. p. 355. ISBN 1577312376.
  7. Godman, David (2000). Be As You are. Penguin India. p. 115. ISBN 978-0140190625.
  8. Lucas, Phillip (2004). New Religious Movements in the Twenty-first Century. New York: Routledge. pp. 306, 312.


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