Upanishads The Science of Freedom from Bondage

SPREAD OF UPANISHADS 

Another important fact in this connection is about the spread of Upanishads to the rest of the world particularly to the West. A collection of 50 Upanishads was translated from Sanskrit to Persian in the year 1656 under the name of Oupnek’hat at the instance of Sultan Mohammed Dara Shukoh son of the Moghal King, Shahjehan.

This Persian work was later translated into Latin in 1801-1802. Thereafter, German scholars translated the Latin version into German from where it was taken to the shores of England by others like Bohtlingk and Deussen. Max Muller who lived between 1823 and 1900 A.D. selected 12 major Upanishcids in his Sacred Books of the East Series which were published in two volumes in 1879 and 1884

Paul Deussen, another German scholar wrote two masterpieces on the Upanishads in German which were translated into English later. His works are entitled ‘The Philosophy of the Upanishads’ translated into English by Rev. AS. Geden and ‘Sixty Upanishads of the Veda’ in two volumes translated into English by Professors V.M. Bedekar and G.B. Palsule of Pune. The well noted work by an Englishman is ‘The Thirteen Principal Upanishads’ by Robert Earnest Hume.

COMMENTARIES ON THE UPANISHADS

By its very definition Upanishads are works of deep thought requiring special efforts and skill to understand. The language used is archaic dating back thousands of years. Because of their affiliation with sacrificial and ritualistic religion, their concepts are not easily intelligible to us, removed as we are, by millennia from those ideas. Hence, it is impossible for any one to understand them much less get consistent understanding of them without an authoritative commentary.

Sankara was the earliest and the first to comment upon the Upanishads. It goes to the eternal credit of Sankara that through his masterly commentaries he brought out the Upanishads from obscurity and made them accessible and intelligible to a wider audience. His followers wrote explanatory works on Sankara’s commentaries which became the source books of Hindu philosophy.

Ramanuja who lived between 1017 and 1137 AD, did not comment on any of the Upanishads but had enriched some of their concepts in his Vedantasangraha. His follower Rangaramanuja completed the task by commenting on all the major Upanishads.

Madhvacharya who lived between 1197 and 1276 AD. wrote brief commentaries on all the ten ancient Upanishads upon which his followers had also written explanatory studies.

The audience to the Upanishads is ever growing owing to the contributions of subsequent commentators, thinkers and sages aided by modern Information Technology.

ROLE OF THE UPANISHADS

The Upanishads prepare, inspire, and lead the student to know and realize the Ultimate Truth. It helps one to expand his individual consciousness to reach Universal Consciousness; thus one's personality is transformed, and one becomes a universal being. An individual is essentially Brahman, or identical to Universal Consciousness and direct realization of that truth is called enlightenment.

One of the main themes of Upanishadic philosophy, however, is to attain a state of fearlessness, cheerfulness, and self-confidence. In addition, the Upanishads lead the student to know life in its totality. Knowledge of life before birth, knowledge of now, and knowledge of life hereafter can be realized through the methods given in the Upanishads. The Upanishads provide systematic methods for self-training, self-transformation, and self-enlightenment. They lead aspirants “from the unreal to the Real, from darkness to Light, and from mortality to Immortality.”

The Upanishads do not impose commandments, but, rather, offer practical guidelines and methods for self-discipline and self-unfoldment. The steps for inner growth contained in the Upanishads can be incorporated into one's individual lifestyle and can help one examine the accomplishments of one's spiritual practice (sādhanā).

The vast majority of the human population practices religious rituals in some way or other, but no ritual exists that can eliminate the ignorance that causes pain and misery. The Upanishads say that to rise above and reach a state beyond and to know the real nature of the transitory world, one must cultivate logic and pure reason and make sincere efforts with the help of deep contemplation.

CONCLUSION

Today the world lives under the law of fear, trembling with doubts and uncertainty.  The Upanishadic declaration - “Rise, awake, and gain knowledge”— asserts that one should not act like a dumb and desolate inert person who does not know the meaning of life and the universe. It insists that all human beings have the essential potentialities to understand and direct their life streams toward the ocean of bliss.

The message of Upanishadic philosophy extends goodwill to the whole of humanity, saying, “Let all of mankind be happy; let all of humanity attain physical, mental, and spiritual health; let all receive and enjoy auspiciousness; let no one experience pain and misery here and hereafter.”

The Upanishads contain the essence of the Vedas. They are the concluding portions of the Vedas and are the source of the Vedanta philosophy. Profound, original, lofty and sublime thoughts arise from every verse. They contain the direct spiritual experiences or revelations of seers, or sages, the Rishis. They are the products of the highest wisdom, supreme divine knowledge. Hence they stir the hearts of people and inspire them.

The Upanishads have indeed greatly contributed to the peace and solace of mankind. They are highly elevating and soul-stirring. The Upanishads give a vivid description of the nature of the Atman, the Supreme Soul, in a variety of ways, and expound suitable methods and aids to attain the Immortal Brahman, the Highest Purusha.

Ages have passed since they were first presented to the world. Even now they are remarkably sweet and charming. Their freshness is unique. Their fragrance is penetrating. Many cannot live today without the study of Upanishads daily. They give supreme food for the soul.

It is said that Schopenhauer, the renowned philosopher of the West, had always a book of the Upanishads on his table, and was in the habit, before going to bed, of performing his devotions from its pages. He said, "In the whole world there is no study so beneficial and as elevating as that of the Upanishads. It has been the solace of my life; it will be the solace of my death."

The Upanishads have undoubtedly exercised and will continue to exercise a considerable influence on the religion and philosophy of India. They present a view of reality which would certainly satisfy the scientific, the philosophic, as well as the religious aspirations of man.

Knowledge of the Upanishads destroys ignorance, the seed of Samsara. 'Shad' means to 'shatter' or 'destroy'. By having knowledge of the Upanishads one is able to sit near Brahman, i.e., to attain Self-realization. Hence the name 'Upanishad'. Knowledge of Brahman is called 'Upanishad', because it leads to Brahman and helps aspirants to attain Brahman. The term 'Upanishad' is applied to the book also in a secondary sense, by courtesy.

The following two ideas dominate the teaching of all the Upanishads: (1) Final emancipation can be attained only by knowledge of the Ultimate Reality, or Brahman (Brahmajnana): (2) He who is equipped with the four means of salvation, viz., Viveka, (discrimination), Vairagya (dispassion), Shad-Sampat (the six-fold treasure; self-control, etc.) and Mumukshutva (yearning for liberation), can attain Brahman. The Upanishads teach the philosophy of absolute unity.

The goal of men, according to the Upanishads, is realisation of Brahman. Self-realisation alone can dispel ignorance and bestow immortality, eternal bliss, and everlasting peace. Knowledge of Brahman alone can remove all sorrows, delusion and pain.

The Upanishads are rightly called the Vedanta, the end of the Vedas, that which is reserved for those who have freed themselves from the bonds of formal religion.

The Upanishads are not meant for the masses, as they contain the highest speculations of philosophy. They are meant only for the select few, who are fit and worthy to receive the instructions. Hence the term 'Upanishad' signified at first 'secret teaching' or 'secret doctrine'. As already stated, Sadhana-Chatushtaya (the fourfold means) is the primary qualification of an aspirant of Jnana-Yoga, or one who seeks the knowledge of the Upanishads.

Hence the means of salvation or achieving Purusharthas to attain everlasting Bliss lie in the study of the Upanishads systematically and meditating on the non-dual Atman or Brahman.

Also read
Vedas and Upanishads – A Structural Profile
Mundaka Upanishad
Brihadaranyaka Upanishad – The Flame without a Flicker

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