उपनिषत्
Upanishads
"ब्रह्मविदापरणान्तो वेदाः"
"The Vedas have their culmination in Brahma Vidya"
Mundaka Upanishad 1.1.5
The Upanishads are the Vedanta - the end (final portion) of the Vedas. They reveal the highest truth: Brahman (the Ultimate Reality), Atman (the Self), and the non-dual relationship between them. I taught this knowledge to Arjuna in the Bhagavad Gita.
वेदान्त - The Essence of All Knowledge
The word "Upanishad" means "sitting near" - the disciple sits near the Guru to receive the highest teaching. Unlike the karma kanda (ritual portion) of the Vedas, the Upanishads contain jnana kanda (knowledge portion) - the path to liberation through wisdom alone.
There are 108 principal Upanishads, but 10 are considered major (Mukhya Upanishads). Each Upanishad is a conversation between a Rishi and a disciple, revealing different aspects of the same Ultimate Truth: "सर्वं खल्विदं ब्रह्म" - All this is indeed Brahman.
Bhagavad Gita 15.15
"वेदैश्च सर्वैरहमेव वेद्यो"
"I am to be known by all the Vedas"
The goal of all Upanishadic inquiry is to know Me - the Supreme Brahman with qualities (Saguna) and without qualities (Nirguna).
108
Principal Upanishads
10
Major (Mukhya) Upanishads
श्रुति
Divine Revelation
दशोपनिषत्
The Ten Major Upanishads
ईशावास्योपनिषत्
Isha Upanishad
Shukla Yajur Veda - Chapter 40
ऋषि (Rishi/Teacher)
Rishi Veda Vyasa revealed this to the world
शिष्य (Disciple)
All seekers of Brahman knowledge
Essence
Isha Upanishad begins with "पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदं" - The Whole is complete. This 18-verse Upanishad teaches renunciation and the knowledge of the Whole (Purna). I taught this essence when I said: "यद्यच्छविभूति श्रेष्ठस्य वर्यः" - Whatever exists, the best among it is renunciation.
महावाक्य (Mahavakyas - Great Sayings)
पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदं पूर्णात्पूर्णमुदच्यते
The Whole is complete. From the Whole, when the Whole is taken away, the Whole remains.
Key Teachings
- ✓Contains 18 mantras explaining the nature of Brahman
- ✓Teaches renunciation (Vairagya) as the path to liberation
- ✓"ईशावास्यमिदं सर्वं" - All this is pervaded by the Lord
- ✓Explains both Karma Yoga and Jnana Yoga paths
- ✓Famous prayer for purity: "पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदं पूर्णात्पूर्णमुदच्यते"
Gita Connection
In Gita Chapter 2, I taught Arjuna about the eternal soul (2.20) - this is the essence of Isha Upanishad. The famous prayer "असतो मा सद्गमय, तमसो मा ज्योतिर्गमय" at the end of Isha Upanishad is the prayer for seeking My guidance from ignorance to light.
चत्वारि महावाक्यानि
The Four Great Sayings - One Truth from Four Angles
प्रज्ञानं ब्रह्म
Consciousness is Brahman
Aitareya Upanishad
The ultimate reality is pure consciousness - not matter, not energy, but aware consciousness itself.
अहं ब्रह्मास्मि
I am Brahman
Brihadaranyaka Upanishad
The individual soul is not separate from the Universal - when the individual "I" awakens, it discovers it is Brahman.
तत्त्वमसि
Thou art That
Chandogya Upanishad
You (individual soul) are That (Universal Reality). The father-son dialogue revealing non-duality.
अयमात्मा ब्रह्म
This Self is Brahman
Mandukya Upanishad
The innermost Self, beyond all changes, is none other than Brahman itself.
ब्रह्म सत्यं जगन्मित्या
Brahman is Truth, the world is appearance
The Upanishads teach that the individual soul (Jivatma) and the Supreme Soul (Paramatma) are one. "अहं ब्रह्मास्मि" - I am Brahman. But who is this "I"?
Bhagavad Gita 2.20
"न जायते म्रियते वा कदाचिन्नायं भूत्वा भविता वा न भूयः"
"The soul is never born, nor does it die; nor having once existed, does it ever cease to be. The soul is without birth, eternal, immortal, and ageless."
This is the teaching of the Upanishads - and this is what I taught Arjuna. When he saw My Vishwarupa (Universal Form), he realized what the Upanishadic sages had seen in meditation.
Bhagavad Gita 18.66
"सर्वधर्मान्परित्यज्य मामेकं शरणं व्रज ज्ञात्वा मां शान्तिमृच्छति"
"Abandoning all varieties of dharma, surrender unto Me alone. I shall free you from all sins. Do not grieve."
This is the ultimate teaching of all Upanishads - surrender to the Divine, for that is the path to peace.
ॐ असतो मा सद्गमय
From unreality, lead me to reality