End suffering through sadhana

Guru Atma Nambi explains to Pradeep Krishnan how focussing on the spiritual side of life (instead of the material) fulfils its very purpose

-  Pradeep Krishnan

Atma Nambi, an enlightened master and mystic, was born on March 17, 1955, to Subramanian and Mayilambal in a village near Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu. As the boy had a deep spiritual quest right from his school days, he was sent to several religious teachers. Ultimately, his enlightenment happened on October 7, 1994, and then, for about two years, he was in complete silence. Afterward, he started guiding seekers through meditation, yoga, and kriya.

In 2008, Atmaji (as he is affectionately called) quit a top managerial post in a leading multinational pharmaceutical company and plunged deep into the dissemination of spiritual knowledge. In 2010, he established the Upanishad Ananda Mandir (UAM) in Siva Hari hills, a quiet place surrounded by hillocks of the Western Ghats, in Vazhapadi village near Salem, Tamil Nadu. Regarding the choice of name for the institution, he said, “I love the Upanishads, which teach that one’s inherent nature is ananda (bliss). I am of the view that every human being must become an Ananda Mandir (temple of bliss).” He said that in UAM, the energy of the place beautifully amalgamates with the energy of the guru, enabling the seeker’s quick transformation. Perhaps that might be the reason for seekers from all over the globe coming to Atmaji. He says that to attain realisation, one’s inner qualities and individual power have to be enhanced through different techniques.

Atmaji, a householder, lives with his wife Smt Dhanalakshmi and twin sons, Siva Sankar and Siva Kumar in a nearby house. Here are excerpts from an exclusive interview he had with Pradeep Krishnan for Life Positive:

Q Atmaji, please tell us about your spiritual journey?