HARI MENON was born in Kuwait, the third and youngest of three children, where his father was working as an expatriate, initial schooling was carried out there and then returned to India, where he further did his Secondary Schooling in a Convent school and, his undergraduation in Science, switched channels and took a Baccalaureate in Commerce and so became a second generation accountant (his father being one himself). Higher professional education was pursued and qualified as a Chartered Accountant .

Work and career began at at an early age of 18 and the bulk of working life was in the middle east in various countries – UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait and a short stint in Nigeria. Over two or three stints abroad. Given to the liking for the psychical at a very early age, at the age of 32 decided that the world had nothing more to offer, gave up the idea of hearth and home parents and wealth and, moved on in a very determined manner to the soul and spirituality side of life Took initiation from a lesser known person, practised for a year and then took up sannyasa as per vedic rites  having been given the name of “ Swami Dhyananada Saraswati”– living in ashrams and a short sojourn in the Himalayas (really short – the winter was upsetting) returned to ashram and continued  practices.



Disillusioned by the various malpractices and wrong information within this sphere of human studies, left for home as a sannyasi but resident at home – The Mahabharata prescribes this method quite strongly. I was laso lucky in that both my parents were full fledged yogis unknown to others but who lived fully knowing themselves and others. It has had its effects on me also  quite naturally .



Having been single and travelled extensively to various ancient civilizations much of the esoteric was instilled during his childhood and youth. Given to deep thinking on events occurring to oneself and having keenly felt the “need to know” as to “why” and “what”. Has travelled  and  imbibed the air and sun of Ancient Greece, Persepolis, Heliopolis, Egypt, the Mediterranean islands, Constantinople, Levant and middle east and India and the raw natural energy emanating  from Africa. The excerpt (from my book) tells everything  -



All these meditations may be said to have been written as a person recovering from an unwanted illness. It has been arduous not to say the least; it has taken me the better part of 20 long years of convalescence if I may be permitted to say so. Mostly written in pain and deep thought, they may seem abstruse to a reader .But these were necessary where at times the hyper use of blocked judgement and reason were involved. Someone who has not gone through a similar period of extreme agony would not have any reason to even go through these meditations. At times they have been helpful in nursing me back to my health, and at times quite surprising in themselves as to their content. Each one of these meditations has been written more in a therapeutic vein than for any open public readership. They follow a common thread, viz one of recovery which no doctor can help but one reaches into one’s own depths and reserves and pulls one out.  The ideas may be familiar to readers of philosophy, but then it is understandably so as to some extent philosophy has been relied upon. It is surprising to me that I am alive at all, the intrusions have taken its toll and, sometimes I wonder at the very use of it all. The saddest part is in that, of what took place in my life or a majority of the incidents of the last 20 years have been totally unnecessary and point to a supreme lack of regard for life and its continuance within the ethos of  this one country and world .



Whatever good may ultimately emerge from all these exercises , one thing is certain , one has forever lost regard for the country and world and  places  in which these incidents took place and nothing will ever wipe away  either the pain or meaninglessness of the very violence inherent in whatever was extended as teachings of a higher nature .  



                 “Arjuna, everything exists as an idea within me, but really speaking,

                                              Neither am I in them nor they in me “.      – Bhagavad Gita



“................and that, when I had an inclination to philosophy, I did not fall into the hands of any sophist , and that I did not waste my time on writers of histories, or in the resolution of syllogisms, or occupy myself about the investigation of appearances in the heavens , for all these things require the help of the gods and fortune...........................”                  - Marcus Aurelius



Having been my “own doctor” and as the Upanishads proclaim - ......if so done , he cannot be set right by any doctor .........



Having started out as a youth aged 28 brimming with hope and now 53 wiser and fuller as a human being – my travails, travels, and background helped me – with help from people I know in distant lands yet unconnected physically , but only by understanding and understanding alone.



Presently I work to earn a living , do not save , at heart I am a sannyasi , I have had only one guru (myself ) and one excellent teacher and his demonstrations (which count for  nothing in the light of ignorance). I have lost nothing but all my youth and productive years- the result is gratifying so one does not complain .



Most of all I am myself and know myself through and through – which is really what we all crave for . My credo “The impossibility of One Being another” . No question is too hard anymore , no answer too soft .