THE PRINCIPAL UPANISHADS : 3. SWAMI SIVANANDA

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28/05/2019
Upanishads—A Treasure of Wisdom

3. Significance And Ideal


There are four Vedas, viz., Rig, Yajur, Saman and Atharvan. The word "Veda" comes from the root "Vid", "to know". It means a book of wisdom. The Vedas are eternal, not the books but the Ideas contained in the Vedas. They have come out of the mouth of the Lord.

Each Veda consists of Mantras, Brahmanas, Aranyakas and Upanishads. The Mantras are hymns in praise of the gods such as Indra, Varuna, Agni, etc. They are all collected, and the collections are known as the Samhitas. The Brahmanas deal with the performance of sacrificial rites. The Upanishads contain the philosophy of Vedanta or ancient wisdom of the Rishis (Jnana).

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-realisation. Hence the name ‘Upanishad’. Knowledge of Brahman is called ‘Upanishad’, because it leads to Brahman and helps the 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 (Brahma-jnana);

(2) He who is equipped with the four means of salvation, viz., Viveka (discrimination), Vairagya (dispassion), Shad-sampat (the sixfold 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.

To be continued ...


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