David Godman approaches Ramana Maharshi’s words in a way that is conservative and curator-like, keeping the sage’s own voice at the center. Rather than attempting to build an elaborate philosophical system around the teachings, he relies on established English sources such as “Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi,” “Day by Day with Bhagavan,” and similar records produced by close devotees. From these, he selects and arranges passages that already carry the stamp of those who lived with Ramana and recorded his utterances in real time. His editorial work is therefore not a wholesale retranslation, but a careful shaping of existing material so that Ramana’s meaning is preserved while becoming more accessible to contemporary readers.

The interpretive labor in this book lies less in altering individual sentences and more in the thoughtful selection, grouping, and contextualization of Ramana’s statements. Godman arranges the quotations thematically—on self-enquiry, surrender, the guru, and related topics—so that the reader can see how the same essential insight is expressed in different situations. When Ramana appears to speak in different registers, for example about effort and effortlessness or about devotion and non-duality, Godman places such statements side by side and uses brief commentary to show their underlying coherence. This method allows Ramana’s own words to illuminate one another, rather than being forced into a rigid doctrinal grid.

His editing is deliberately minimal yet precise. Repetitions are reduced, grammar is tightened, and key technical terms are standardized—terms such as “Self,” “I-thought,” “ego,” “heart,” and “mind” are used consistently so that the thread of the teaching is easier to follow. At the same time, he is careful not to paraphrase in a way that introduces ideas Ramana did not explicitly endorse. Where Ramana’s language is paradoxical, flexible, or context-dependent, Godman preserves that character rather than smoothing it out into a more systematized philosophy. The result is a form of clarity that does not come at the cost of fidelity.

Godman’s own voice appears primarily in short, explanatory passages that frame the quotations rather than overshadow them. These comments clarify technical vocabulary, indicate the scriptural or cultural background when necessary, and address common misunderstandings—such as mistaking self-enquiry for mere intellectual analysis or assuming that devotion has no place in Ramana’s path. His emphasis consistently falls on the practical heart of the teaching, especially the centrality of self-enquiry and the recognition of the Self. In this way, the book functions less as an interpretive treatise and more as a carefully arranged mirror, in which Ramana’s original words can reflect their full force for a modern seeker.