Friday, January 26, 2007

002 INTRODUCTION TO UPANISHADS

WHAT I PROMISE
Unbiased analyses. Discussion. Particularly trying to identifying verses which are secular or which have special messages to convey. I am not writing this as a propaganda for any religion or cult. I do not belong to any cult. I am not a monk. I am very much a householder. Just trying to identify what could have happened or the truth. I do not collect donations.

There are 108 Upanishads in Hinduism. Of these, 10 are popular. Brihadaranyaka Upanishad is the largest. Isavasyopanishad is considered the smallest.

"Upanishad" is a Sanskrit word. Means: Sit together. With the teacher and learn. Upanishads are part of Aranyakas. What are Aranyakas?
Aranyakas means: Teachings in a forest. In those days, the teachers lived in forests.

001 ISAVASYOPANISHAD full text

ISAVASYOPANISHAD (Pronunciation:"IiSAvAsyOpanishad")

This Upanishad has 18 verses. All these can be considered secular. Reasons: 1. No references to idol worships. 2. No reference to any specific Hindu God.

The word ISvara means the God. It is not a proper noun. It is a common noun. Used in generic sense of God. Words Yesu, Jesus seem to have some etymological relationship with the generic word for God, ISvara.

SIGNIFICANCE
Part of Yajurveda (Second of Vedas). Wing: S`ukla Yajurveda (First Part). Chapter 40. Considered as the first of all Upanishads. Deals with KNOWLEDGE. (The previous 39 chapters in Yajurveda dealt with Sacrifices.)



PRAYER FOR PEACE
Om PUrNam adam pUrNAt
pUrNAt pUrNam udadyatE,
pUrNasya pUrNam AdAya
pUrNam Eva avaSishyatE.

1. IiSA vAsyam idah sarvam
yatkimca jagatyAm jagat
tEna tyaktEna bhumjIthA
mA grudhah kasya svid dhanam.

2. Kurvan nE nEha karmANi
jijIvishE chchatah samAha
Evam tvayi nAnyakEtO asti
na karma lipyatE narE.

3. AsuryA nAmatE lOkA
amdhEna tamasA avruthAha
tAh stE prEtyAbhi gachchamti
EkE ca Atma hanO janAha.

4. AnEjadEkO manasO janIyO
nainad dEva apnuvan pUrvamarshat
taddAvatO anyAn atyEti
tishTat tasminnasO mAtariSvA dadhAti.

5. TannEjati tannaijati
tad dUrE tadvamtikE
tadamtarasya sarvasya
tad u sarvasyAsya bAhataha.

6. Yastu sarvANi bhUtAn
AtmanyE va anupaSyati.
Sarva bhUtEshu ca AtmAnam
tatO na vijugupsatE.

7. Yasmin sarvANi bhUtAn
AtmaivA bhUdvijAnataha
Tatra kO mOhaha,
kaha SOka Ekatvam anupaSyataha.

8. Sa paryagA chchukram akAya vraNam
asnAvirah Suddham apAva viddham
kanirmanIshI paribhUh svayam bhUryAthA
tathyatOrthAn vyadadhA chchASvatIbhyaha samAbhyaha.

9. Amdham tamaha praviSamti
yE1h avidyAm upAsatE
tatO bhUya iva tE tamO
ya u vidyAyAh ratAha.

10. Anya dEva ahar vidyaya
anyadAhar avidyA
iti SuSrum adhIrANAm
yE nas tad vicacakshitE.

11. VidyAm ca avidyAm ca
astad vEdo ubhayama saha,
avidyayA mrutyum tIrtvA
vidyayA amrutam asnutE.

12. Amdham tamaha praviSamti
yE asambhUtim upAsatE
tatO bhUya iva tE tamO
ya u sambhUtyAratAha.

13. Anya dEvAhah sambhavad
anyadAhar asambhavAt
iti SuSruma dhIrANAm
yEnas tad vicacakshirE.

14. SambhUtim ca vinASm ca
yas tad vEdo bhayah saha
vinASEna mrutyum tIrtvA
sambhUtya amrutam aSnutE.

15. HiraNmayEna pAtrENa
satyasyApihitam mukham
tatvam pUshan apAvruNu
satya dharmAya drushTayE.

16. PUshan nE karshE Yama SUrya PrAjapatya
VyUha rasmIn samUha,
TEjo Yat tE rUpam KalyANa tamam tat tE paSyAmi
YO apAvasau purushaha sO-aham asmi.

17. VAyur Anilam Amrutam athEdam
bhasmAmtaha SarIram
Oom kratO smara krutah
smarah kratO smara krutah smara.

18. AgnE naya supathA rAyE asmAn
viSvAni dEva vayunAni vidvAn
yuyOdhyas magnu harANam Eno
bhUishThAm tE namah uktim vidhEma.


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