Know The Upanishads E-Book

Ramanuj Prasad

• Herausgeber: V&S Publishers
• Kategorie: Religion und Spiritualität
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2018

Seitenzahl: 135

Beschreibung

Life as seen through the Upnishad

Leseprobe

Know the Upanishads

Ramanuj Prasad

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DISCLAIMER

While every attempt has been made to provide accurate and timely information in this book, neither the author nor the publisher assumes any responsibility for errors, unintended omissions or commissions detected therein. The author and publisher make no representation or warranty with respect to the comprehensiveness or completeness of the contents provided.

All matters included have been simplified under professional guidance for general information only without any warranty for applicability on an individual. Any mention of an organization or a website in the book by way of citation or as a source of additional information doesn't imply the endorsement of the content either by the author or the publisher. It is possible that websites cited may have changed or removed between the time of editing and publishing the book.

Results from using the expert opinion in this book will be totally dependent on individual circumstances and factors beyond the control of the author and the publisher.

It makes sense to elicit advice from well informed sources before implementing the ideas given in the book. The reader assumes full responsibility for the consequences arising out from reading this book. For proper guidance, it is advisable to read the book under the watchful eyes of parents/guardian. The purchaser of this book assumes all responsibility for the use of given materials and information. The copyright of the entire content of this book rests with the author/publisher. Any infringement / transmission of the cover design, text or illustrations, in any form, by any means, by any entity will invite legal action and be responsible for consequences thereon.

 

DedicationDedicated to the service ofmy teacher of VedãntaH.H. Swãmi Paramãrtãnanda196/A, St. Mary’s Road,Abhramapuram,Chennai.

Contents

Foreword

Invocation

Introduction

Shãnti Pãtha

TOPIC - IUpanishads Explained

TOPIC - IIWhom the Upanishads Address

TOPIC - IIIMundakopanishad

TOPIC - IVPrincipal Upanishads

Ishãvãsya Upanishad

Kenopanishad

Kathopanishad

Prashnopanishad

Mãndukyopanishad

Aitereyopanishad

Taittiriya Upanishad

Chhãndogya Upanishad

Brihadãranyaka Upanishad

TOPIC-VImportant Verses

TOPIC - VIThe Minor Upanishads

Paramahamsopanishad

Ãtmopanishad

Amritabindupanishad

Tejabindupanishad

Sarvasãra Upanishad-Atharva Veda

Brahmopanishad -Atharva Veda

Ãruni Up anishad - Sãma Veda

Kaivaly a Up anishad - Atharva Veda

Shvetãsvatar a Up anishad - Krishna Yajurveda

Nãr ãyana Up anishad - Krishna Yajurveda

Vajrasuchi Up anishad - Sãma Veda

Muktikop anishad - Shukla Yajurveda

Ãtmabodha Up anishad -Rig Veda

TOPIC - VIIUpanishads in Vogue

Bibliography

Glossary

Foreword

The Upanishads are the very quintessence of Indian wisdom, the blossoms of the finest thoughts gleaned from the dialectical relationship of wisdom teachers and their diligent students - the Guru shishya parasparyam.

Though the Upanishadic lore has been known in India for centuries, it is only in recent times that the teachings came to be known to the non-Sanskrit-speaking world. One of the earliest translations of the Upanishads was into Persian with the assistance of pandits from Benares at the behest of Prince Dara Shikoh in 1657. The Persian version was subsequently translated into the Latin Oupnek’hat by Anquetil Duperron in 1802. The teachings of the Upanishads became known in Europe through the German translation done by Franz Mischel in 1882.

Today we live in an unprecedented age where knowledge has overcome all past boundaries. More people are educated now than ever before. But the complexities of life along with deep anxiety and uncertainty have vitiated the joy and new-found freedom. It is as if mankind is navigating through uncharted waters. These circumstances make the teachings of the Upanishads very relevant and valuable to reorient our lives in a correct manner with a proper structure of values.

The teachings of the Upanishads clearly state the goal and purpose of life. They promise deliverance from ignorance and the associated pain and suffering. Unalloyed happiness is gained by the proper understanding of one’s own true nature, as well as that of the world in which we live. The philosophy of Vedãnta, which is based on the teachings of the Upanishads, begins with two questions: Ko aham? (Who am I?) and Kuto jagat? (Whence this world?). The teachings of the Upanishads give an enduring and convincing answer to these fundamental questions and bestow great peace of mind.

We are fortunate that in the author, Ramanuj Prasad, we have a well-disciplined academic mind along with mature understanding and original thinking. He has competently and systematically explained the teachings of the Upanishads by taking one of the finest, the Mundaka, as his theme. He has also given apt references from other major Upanishads like the Brïhadãranyaka, Kena, Svetãsvatara and Katha to show the underlying unity of Brahma Vidyã, or the Science of the Absolute. The Mundaka Upanishad has evolved from the Atharva Veda, which is also the source of other highly mystical Upanishads like the Prasna. In the Mundaka Upanishad Guru Angiras instructs the ascetic Shaunaka on “that knowledge on knowing which nothing remains to be known”.

With this highest of teachings as his subject, Ramanuj Prasad has kept the common reader in mind. For centuries, the Upanishadic treasure of wisdom has been confined to very few people. With its clear logical presentation, this book will render sterling service in spreading the sublime teachings of the Upanishads to all readers. The aspirant seeking wisdom as well as the scholarly person keen to deepen his or her understanding of the Upanishads will benefit from this book.

H.H. Swãmi Vyãsa Prasãd

Nãrãyana Gurukula,

Fernhill - 643004,

Tamil Nadu.

Invocation

This is a prayer to the Lord for successful completion of a work undertaken and the work is offered to the Lord as service to Him. Therefore, whatever may be the credit that accrues, even in the future, it belongs to the Lord. The individual being an instrument in the hands of the Lord, one remains only an agent for name’s sake; the actual work is done by Him and for Him.

In our tradition, all work is undertaken only after invoking the Lord’s blessings. The very creator of the Universe Brahman also began the work of creation of the Universe after uttering the words OM TAT SAT (the triple designation of Brahman), which is the very essence of the essence. This is said to be the reason that creation is so perfect and flawless. The invocation stands on the same plane as that of a shãnti pãtha of the spiritual works. It is also a norm that we should not study any spiritual work that does not have the Lord’s name or a prayer at the start. Auspiciousness is indicated through the invocation and without that, it is neither auspicious nor a fruitful work.

Thus, invocation of the blessings of the Lord for the work is through a prayer to Lord Krishna, who is the teacher of all teachers of spirituality, which is the very goal of human life. Lord Krishna is the son of the Universal Mother Devaki, incarnated in the family of Vasudeva from the Vrishnis dynasty. Lord Krishna is the destroyer of Kansa and Chãnoora, the enemies of virtuous thoughts and deeds.

The verse:

I salute Lord Krishna, the world teacher, the son of Vasudeva and the supreme bliss of Devaki, the destroyer of Kansa and Chãnoora.

This is one of the verses in the Gita dhyanam and is chanted before the study of the same. As discussed later in the example of the Upanishad, normally shãntipãtha is from that Veda to which that particular Upanishad belongs. Similarly, here it should have been from the Mahãbhãrata of which the Bhagavad Gitã is a part. But in this case it is not so, as the invocation was incorporated by the recent ãchãrya, Madhusudhana Saraswati, for the study of the Bhagavad Gitã.

Introduction

There is a verse signifying that most of the functional instincts between human beings and animals are common - such as hunger, thirst, fear and procreation. What is exclusive to humans is the power of thought. Human beings can think clearly, analyse a situation objectively and take appropriate measures for a better future, whereas animals have no faculty to think and choose. Their behaviour is programmed and no improvement is possible under the laws of nature.

If one interviews people at the New Delhi Railway Station or the inter-state bus terminus and asks what made them come there at that point of time, there will be as many answers as the individuals questioned. One may say he is going to the office, another to the Parliament session, the third to meet the President or to visit the RTO office, hospital, school, library, Rãjghãt and so on and so forth. It will appear that there are innumerable objectives being pursued by human beings. But if little more thought is given to these multifarious activities, one can see that all lead to one common goal : the perennial search for happiness.

Without any doubt, all activities are means to happiness and may not be pursued if they resulted in pain or discomfort. This is true even in the case of one’s wife, husband, son, daughter and a host of other relatives and related objects who or which are all means only. The lineage of the family, one proudly claims to belong to, is also a means to happiness only. The objectives enumerated so far are external to one, come to join at a point of time and similarly leave too. Therefore, whatever happiness we get out of them is dependent on the source, which is not the inner part of the self as heat in the fire but like the heat of the water.

The happiness that comes from external objects is borrowed. The only internal happiness is the independent one, which is the very nature of human beings. Happiness that comes from external objects will certainly vanish and this threat always exists. The external sources of happiness are governed by many conditions that have to be fulfilled for enjoying happiness. One has to work hard to fulfil them in order to be happy occasionally. Whenever the conditions are not fulfilled, they leave a trail of pain proportionate to the happiness one got out of it. In fact, there is no pleasure from external sources but simply a rearrangement of the problem, much like the relief felt after shifting a load from one shoulder to the other.

With concern, compassion and love equal to that of thousands of mothers, the Veda (Scriptures) promises assistance for both types of happiness - that born out of external objects or that which is the intrinsic nature of every human being. The choice is left to the individual. The Veda never forces anyone to choose either, but cautions that all pleasures dependent on anything are temporary, unreal and also a source of pain in equal measure.

The first portion of the Veda contains rituals to attain worldly happiness and is capable of fulfilling whatever desire one has, be it for a son, wealth, wife, fame, complexion, etc, all of which can be attained through karma and rituals. However, the end part of the Veda insists on renunciation of all worldly possessions and desires - the ‘less luggage, more comfort’ principle. Its concern is in the discovery of the ‘Self, just like the lost prince who was not aware of the fact that he was a prince and had to be told: “You are a prince of this kingdom; arise to claim your own glory.”

This is the wisdom of the Upanishads that we will study objectively in the subsequent pages, as the reward for this knowledge far surpasses the acquisition of the entire world’s wealth. Such happiness lies in completeness, which external objects can never give one to feel complete, as they are all ephemeral in nature. Knowledge of the Upanishads is liberation; it leads to internal happiness, which is one’s own nature.

A quotation conveys the fact that happiness is the very embodiment of a spiritual peak:

“(He) knew Bliss as Brahman; for from Bliss, indeed, all these beings originate; having been born, they are sustained by Bliss; they move towards and merge in Bliss. This knowledge realised by Bhrigu and imparted by Varuna (starts from the food-self and) terminates in the Supreme (Bliss), established in the cavity of the heart. He who knows this becomes firmly established; he becomes the possessor of food and the eater of food; and he becomes great inprogeny, cattle and the lustre of holiness, and great in glory. “

-Taittiriya Upanishad (III, V-l)

The Upanishads are the basic foundation and the fountainhead of philosophical wisdom, the eternal truth and the religion of mankind. No other literature of the world can match the thoughts that are taught in the Upanishads and were accepted as the ultimate by the greatest thinkers of the time such as Sanatkumãra, Yãjnavalkya and Shankara. While the language of the Upanishads is rich in grandeur and sublimity, its simplicity and spiritual beauty also cannot be missed.

The idea and the concept that is very difficult even to imagine has been so successfully infused into one’s mind that the student is hijacked from the lower self to the higher self, even before one can realise that one is not the old self. At times one is lifted to that height of poetic grandeur from where the finest music of the relative world remains only an irritating noise. Time has not been able to diminish the lustre of the Upanishads, as they remain ever fresh, sustaining their beauty as though they had just captured the fragrance of the flowers, the energy of the morning sun and the beauty of the full moon in winter.

The Upanishads take one by the hand to the other shore where immortality is waiting with a garland in its open arms. And the hand is gripped lest one may not fall back. Therefore, let that lead one so that one may not free the hand, as the guide is trustworthy and sincere to your cause alone.

This introductory volume focuses on the essentials of the Upanishads, along with a brief illustration of the content in the Mundakopanishad. A few parallel mantras are drawn from the other Upanishads, as an exercise to appreciate the universal nature of the facts in Upanishadic teachings, since they belong to the Vedas, which is universal by implication.

Basic Upanishads

Amongst the Upanishads, there are many minor Upanishads dealing only with one or the other aspects of the principal Upanishads. Adi Shankaracharya and other acharyas have commented upon the ten principal Upanishads too.

These ten Upanishads are known by various names, such as ‘Fundamental Upanishads’, ‘Old Upanishads’, ‘Genuine Upanishads’ and so on, but whatever their name, these ten Upanishads are the very essence of the Vedanta philosophy contained in the Vedas.

1. Ishãvãsya Upanishad: This is also known as Vajasaneyi Upanishad and has beautifully brought out the path of renunciation for sannyãsis and for others with an active life-style who are not yet ready for sannyãsa but want to worship Hiranyagarbha together with the unborn prakriti. Esoteric terms such as vidyã, avidyã, sambhuti and the like have been used at various points, which make the Upanishads not easily understandable, though apparently simple. The very first line of the first mantra is a very popular quotation Ishãvãsyamidam Sarvam, “This whole world is covered by the Lord”, which induces a thrilling inspiration in the mind of the student.

2. Kena or Talavakra Upanishad:Kena