The Message of the Upanishads

The Message of the Upanishads
Author: Swami Ranganathananda
Publisher: Advaita Ashrama (A Publication House of Ramakrishna Math, Belur Math)
Total Pages: 787
Release:
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 817505932X

The Message of the Upanishads is a study, verse by verse, of three of the principal Upanishads, namely, Isha, Kena and Katha, in the light of modern thought and modern needs. Though constituting a small portion of the total Upanishadic literature, they yet contain a lucid exposition of all the essential ideas of this immortal literature. The spiritual insights of the Upanishads are an exception to the tyranny of time. Subsequent scientific advances have not only affected their truth-value but have, on the contrary, only helped to reveal the rational basis of their insights and enhanced their spiritual appeal. This is no wonder, because these insights are the products of an equally scientific investigation into a different field of experience, namely, the world of man’s inner life. Published by Advaita Ashrama, a publication house of Ramakrishna Math, Belur Math.

Essence of the Upanishads

Essence of the Upanishads
Author: Eknath Easwaran
Publisher: Nilgiri Press
Total Pages: 306
Release: 2009-08-25
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1586380362

The Katha Upanishad embraces the key ideas of Indian mysticism in a mythic story we can all relate to – the quest of a young hero, Nachiketa, who ventures into the land of death in search of immortality. But the insights of the Katha are scattered, hard to understand. Easwaran presents them systematically, and practically, as a way to explore deeper and deeper levels of personality, and to answer the age-old question, “Who am I?” Easwaran grew up in India, learned Sanskrit from a young age, and became a professor of English literature before coming to the West. His translation of The Upanishads is the best-selling edition in English. For students of philosophy and of Indian spirituality, and readers of wisdom literature everywhere, Easwaran’s interpretation of this classic helps us in our own quest into the meaning of our lives. (Previously published as: Dialogue With Death)

The Upanishads

The Upanishads
Author: Juan Mascaró
Publisher: Penguin
Total Pages: 148
Release: 1965-11-30
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 9780140441635

The Upanishads, the earliest of which were composed in Sanskrit between 800 and 400 bce by sages and poets, form part of the Vedas - the sacred and ancient scriptures that are the basis of the Hindu religion. Each Upanishad, or lesson, takes up a theme ranging from the attainment of spiritual bliss to karma and rebirth, and collectively they are meditations on life, death and immortality. The essence of their teachings is that truth can by reached by faith rather than by thought, and that the spirit of God is within each of us - we need not fear death as we carry within us the promise of eternal life. For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.

A Book of Hindu Scriptures

A Book of Hindu Scriptures
Author: William Q Judge
Publisher: Theophania Publishing
Total Pages: 740
Release: 2011-06-03
Genre:
ISBN: 9781770831902

The Bagavad Gita is a conversation between Lord Krishna and the Pandava prince Arjuna taking place on the battlefield before the start of the Kurukshetra War. Responding to Arjuna's confusion and moral dilemma about fighting his own cousins, Lord Krishna explains to Arjuna his duties as a warrior and prince, and elaborates on different Yogic and Vedantic philosophies, with examples and analogies. This has led to the Gita often being described as a concise guide to Hindu theology and also as a practical, self-contained guide to life. During the discourse, Lord Krishna reveals His identity as the Supreme Being Himself (Svayam Bhagavan), blessing Arjuna with an awe-inspiring vision of His divine universal form. Two words that are of paramount importance in grasping the Upanishads are Brahman and Atman. The Brahman is the universal spirit and the Atman is the individual Self. Differing opinions exist amongst scholars regarding the etymology of these words. Brahman comes from the root brh which means "The Biggest The Greatest The ALL." Brahman is "the infinite Spirit Source and fabric and core and destiny of all existence, both manifested and unmanifested and the formless infinite substratum and from whom the universe has grown." Brahman is the ultimate, both transcendent and immanent, the absolute infinite existence, the sum total of all that ever is, was, or shall be. The word Atman means the immortal perfect Spirit of any living creature, being, including trees etc. The idea put forth by the Upanishadic seers that Atman and Brahman are One and the same is one of the greatest contributions made to the thought of the world. The Rigveda is an ancient Indian sacred collection of Vedic Sanskrit hymns. It is counted among the four canonical sacred texts of Hinduism known as the Vedas. Some of its verses are still recited as Hindu prayers, at religious functions and other occasions, putting these among the world's oldest religious texts in continued use. The Rigveda contains several mythological and poetical accounts of the origin of the world, hymns praising the gods, and ancient prayers for life, prosperity, etc.

The Message of Vivekacūḍāmaṇi

The Message of Vivekacūḍāmaṇi
Author: Swami Ranganathananda
Publisher:
Total Pages: 625
Release: 2008
Genre: Vedanta
ISBN: 9788175053083

Study of Vivekacūdạ̄manị, aphoristic work on Vedanta philosophy; includes complete text with translation and commentary.

Belief and Beyond

Belief and Beyond
Author: Mukunda Rao
Publisher: Harper Collins
Total Pages: 360
Release: 2019-06-25
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 9353028485

Belief and Beyond delves into the realm of the mystic -- Adi Sankara, Allama Prabhu, Kabir, Nagarjuna, Gaudapada, Akka Mahadevi, Lalleshwari, Anandamayi Ma, Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, Sri Aurobindo, Ramana Maharshi, Nisargadatta Maharaj, Jiddu Krishnamurti, U.G. Krishnamurti, and the Buddha -- bringing to life their spiritual quests and the philosophical messages they left behind for humanity. The book explores the search for the non-dual state of being -- sahaja sthithi or the natural state -- which is not in the realm of experience at all, but a state of being where the borders and boundaries of the divided self have been transcended. The author also weaves in narratives from many difficult-to-access texts, including the Upanishads, the Ashtavakra Gita and the Avadhuta Gita. Written with depth and simplicity, this book is for the seeker and the curious alike.