The Upanishads

This edition is aimed for curious readers that have little or no previous knowledge of the Vedic, Brahmanic, and Hindu traditions. Although, this doesn't mean the scholar, researcher or student won't find something in this book. Indeed this is more of a popularization effort than a scholarly-intended work. Don't worry, this is a great quality. The language used is modern (no "thee", "thou", "ye", German-looking conjugations or weird archaisms you can only find in a scholar dictionary) and Aswaran really drives it home in terms of making sure the reader understands the point regardless of previous knowledge on the subject, but without stripping the text of any linguistic and/or rhetoric beauty. He just makes it understandable, he doesn't dumb it up. Besides, there's a great Introduction from Aswaran himself which sums up the basic points about why the Upanishad are so important and how they contributed in the evolution from Vedism to Brahmanism (I'm studying this theological transition and this book helped me a lot to shore up my data on the matter). This book includes the ten major Upanishads (though a couple of them in abridged versions) and four minor Upanishads. Don't fret about the abridged versions: they are competently shortened to include the most significant and essential sections. No greater meaning is lost. Also, Michael N. Nagler gives short introductions to each Upanishad and a general afterword that round up each text. Add a very pertinent glossary and most relevant notes to the Upanishads, along with a very attractive design, and you have a wonderful mix. (Personally, I don't like having all the notes at the end of the book, but I understand the sweet design didn't allow for footnotes on each page of the text) So, in short, this is a wonderful edition for either the curious or interested reader as well as the beginner or medium scholar on Hinduism. (I'm assuming the advanced scholar masters Sanskrit and has access to complete untranslated editions) This is a great book, make no mistake. You won't regret this purchase.

The Upanishads "form a kind of ecstatic slide show--snapshots of towering peaks of consciousness taken at various times by different observers and dispatched with just the barest kind of explanation," writes Easwaran in the foreword of this book. Reading this book, this particular translation and perspective of the Upanishads, there are several thoughts that leap into my mind. The author was a skilled writer with a mastery of the English language. After all, he was a professor of Victorian English literature who was also comfortable with Sanskrit. Easwaran was at ease with both the East and the West and learned in both. And all this is present in his writing. Eleven major and four minor Upanishads unfold in fluid, eloquent lyrics that run like "pouring oil into oil." There is no Sanskrit script, no transliteration, just the flow of uninterrupted prose. It draws the reader in and wraps itself around the reader. Like a riveting novel, it is hard to put down. Easy to read, not overwhelmed by Sanskrit terms, this book can be appealing to a whole spectrum of readers. The reader does not have to be into yoga, meditation, philosophy, or religion. In the introduction, Easwaran explains that "the sages of the Upanishads learned to make a science and art and craft of insight--something that could be mastered and then taught to others, as a painting master in the Renaissance might take a gifted student as part of his family and absorb his art." The critical analysis goes on to expound the message of the Katha Upanishad "to dare like a teenager: to reach for the highest you can conceive with everything you have, and never count the cost." This is a book to be revisited over and over again. Whether the reader has an interest in yoga, meditation, spirituality, or simply reading beautifully composed writing on the philosophy of life, the Upanishads are worth the time. At the very least, we see how so much meaning can be conveyed in the fewest possible lyrical words, enriching our lives with meaning.

Excellent translation of the Upanishads. Wonderful introduction to this great classic. Insightful. A must read for everyone on the spiritual path.

Just by luck, this book arrived at my house the same day as Hinduism : A Very Short Introduction . The second book looks interesting, but this translation of the Upanishads is the one that grabbed me and wouldn't let go! Mr. Easwaran is a master of lucid thinking and writing. He very deftly plunged me into the traditions of Hindu philosophy / theology. I later learned that he had become something of a guru, but what I would call a "good guru" as opposed to the frauds driving Rolls-Royces, or leading their troops to mass suicide in the jungles. Not a bit of this could be scented at Easwaran's web site, where he eagerly provides free materials so there is no need to buy his books. This book also gave me further insight into Buddhism, which can be seen, in some ways, as a revolt against Hinduism. The Hindus have a supreme Godhead; Buddhism declares the question of God irrelevant. What is particularly fascinating is that both Hinduism and Buddhism attach great importance to meditation: the Hindus hoping to reach "samadhi," while the Buddhists hope to reach "nirvana." The problem is that "samadhi" is viewed as a mystical union with God, while "nirvana" is an ecstatic state which completely frees you from the cycle of birth, death, and re-birth. This book was also another lesson in the vast influence of Indian culture on what used to be called Indochina. There's a huge amount of Chinese influence in Indochina as well, especially in Vietnam. but the Chinese influence in Thailand has been more in the area of cuisine and business than in the area of religion. I found this to be a very deft and appealing translation of the "Upanishads" which makes very interesting reading. For people interested in religion, the highest possible recommendation!

Neither the listing nor the book itself makes it clear that the Upanishads which are included are CONDENSED. In other words, not the whole text is included, sections are omitted. Having said this, overall that's a good thing. The Upanishads are ancient documents which evolved via a history which cannot be accurately reconstructed. What is an issue is that they contain duplicated material, plus some material which is really digressionary and not focused. So, as far as the reader is concerned, it is actually helpful to omit such material and create a tighter edit. Eknath has done this. But this should have been made clear. Honesty is important... By the way, if you want the complete text of all the Upanishads, the book "112 Upanishads", edited by Joshi et al., is a good place to find that. Big, fat book. 1216 pages long. However, I would say that, for English-speaking readers, Eknath's version is a way better place to dig into.

The Upanishads can be read, not only for historical interest, but for portraying a radically different worldview to that prevalent in the contemporary neo-Enlightenment West. To be honest, I disagree with this perspective, sometimes radically so, but as a believer in the worth of diversity of ideas I found the Upanishads provide a fascinatingly different perspective on the underlying nature of the universe. Essentially, the modern scientific worldview—noting the similarity between the brains of human beings and the brains of other primates--assumes that the material configuration of the brain explains the phenomena of consciousness. Noting that matter existed before terrestrial life, the scientific worldview sees matter, and the laws governing it, as the fundamental grounding of the world. The Upanishads take an entirely different perspective. Instead of seeing matter increasingly organizing itself into a mind through the mechanism of natural selection, the Vedic commentaries see consciousness as present in all things while rising to its highest state in humanity. This, the self, Atman, or consciousness—these words describing different aspects of the same substance---is the primary reality. In fact, the seeming plurality of the world is really beneath its appearance the same self or Brahmin. To realize the underlying sameness of all reality beneath apparent differences is to achieve enlightenment and escape the cycle of births and rebirths. While not a perspective I share, I am far too aware of the lacunae in the modern science paradigm to think that exploring other perspective is fruitless. That, along with the fact that the text was written to be memorized and recited so that it displays an almost melodic rhythm, makes this a book worth reading for those interested in ontology. The peculiarity of the ideas prevents me from calling this essential reading, however, except for those who want to understand South Asian culture. Is the theory of the Upanishads true? This is for every reader to decide. Is it worth reading nonetheless? Yes, if you are interested in ontology, metaphysics or whatever you want to call philosophical reflection on the underlying nature of reality. Good prose and verse make the text enjoyable as well.

Boring. It won't make you an enlightened being.

Highly reccomend this version of The Upanishads to anyone looking for a copy. Their are overviews before each chapter, which makes the text much easier to digest and understand. The print is easy on the eyes and the binding seems to be of high quality.