Books On The Upanishads and Vedanta

The Upanishads is a collection of Sri Aurobindo's final translations of and commentaries on every Upanishad or other Vedantic text he worked on. Upanishads are the ancient treatises on spiritual truths as envisioned by the seers, sages and rishis of the civilization of India. Index. The 18 verses of Isha Upanishad, which also appear in the Veda, were most dear to Sri Aurobindo in the sense that he has attempted several commentaries upon them in order to break free from the anomalies occuring in the received interpretations. In the process, he has audaciously ventured to disagree with many venerated masters and philosophical doctrines. Now that all these commentaries are available in one single volume, one should relish the delightful arguments and illumining explanations. (From the reviews available at Amazon.com)

The Principal Upanishads (Hardcover) by Swami Sivananda There is no book in the whole world that is so thrilling, soul stirring and inspiring as the Upanishads. The philosophy taught by the Upanishads has been the source of solace for many both in east and the west. The Upanishads teach the philosophy of absolute unity.They contain the sublime truth of vedanta and practical hints and clues which throw much light on the pathway of self realisation. The author is a great Spiritual leader, a great spiritual teacher and also a great spiritual author of hundreds of books. One neeed to read his books to estimate his greatness.

The Upanishads: Breath of the Eternal (Mass Market Paperback) by Swami Prabhavanada (Translator), Frederick Manchester (Translator). Years ago I picked up a translation of the Upanishads because I wanted to understand Vedanta. I read that translation and struggled through it. It wasn't particularly interesting and was often confusing. The commentaries were long, painful and boring. I felt disappointed. I thought the Upanishads and the Great Vedanta would be more powerful than this. I pursued other teachings. A few months ago I saw this little book and picked it up out of curiosity for some reason. I don't know why. I already had another copy of the Upanishads and didn't really care for it. But this little book hit me with much greater force. It was so significant. Yes the self, of course, yes..the self is one...The reading was so clear and powerful. I bought it immediately, brought it home, and compared it with the other translation. It's the translation that was the difference. It wasn't that I had suddenly matured and was now ready to hear this teaching because the other translation is still confusing to me. Not all translations are the same. What had been confusing to understand before, now became clear. Even if you don't agree with me that this translation is a good one, seek out various translations of the Upanishads and see which one is the clearest for you. Now, I truly believe the Upanishads are one of the most significant teachings this "World" has ever known. This translation has no commentary. It is so clear you don't need a commentary. It's also cheap and handy. With sacred texts from the past it pays to check out various translations and even formats for ease of reading and understanding. (From the reviews available at Amazon.com)

The Principal Upanishads by Swami Nikhilananda. The translation is both faithful and graceful, and the exposition is authentic, instructive, and attractive; they often shed new light on old concepts and bring out their significance in the perspective of modern Western thought."--S. J. Chatterjee, Philosophy East and West. This volume comprises the major Upanishads, regarded as the basis of the Vedanta philosophy and the outstanding contribution of Hindu thinkers to the philosophical thought of the world. A comprehensive glossary addresses the Sanskrit terms contained in this volume: prepared as a sort of Upanishadic dictionary, it provides a variety of meanings for each word, italicizing those especially pertinent to the Upanishadic texts. This abridged edition will be particularly useful for students in universities and theological seminaries where the Upanishads are studied in connection with comparative religion or world literature.

Eight Upanishads, with the Commentary of Sankara, Vol. I (Hardcover). Of all the translations I've read - and that's quite a few - this translation best reflects the structure, rhythym, and order of meaning as it exists in the original Sanskrit. So many translations "help" the original by straightening out statements, which sometimes makes them easier to understand on first encountering them, but in the end, hides the complexity and subtlety woven into the original. Gambhirananda's language, while not as accessible as some, is the "must have" if you want to study these Upanishads seriously.

Upanishads and the Bible by V. K. Subramanian The spiritual visions and philosophical arguments of the Upanishad and the Bible are explored in this vast study of the abstract concepts of God. God, the bountiful creator; God, the comforter; God, the enjoyer; God, the omnipotent; and God, the truth, are a few of the concepts examined.

The Principal Upanishads: The Essential Philosophical Foundation of Hinduism (Sacred Wisdom) by David Frawley (Introduction), Alan Jacobs (Translator). Alan Jacobs has used free modern verse to convey the essential meaning and poetry of the original text, omitting Sanskrit words as much as possible and providing a clear, contemporary commentary.

Origins of Indian Psychology (Paperback) by N. Ross Reat A brilliant study examining the development of the ancient theoretical psychological thought in India, starting from the pre-Vedic period and its maturation up to the early Buddhist period. It outlines the concept of monism in the Vedas, the Vedic concept of afterlife, the Vedic concept of the human being, in terms of individual identity, vital faculties and the mental organs. It should be of enormous interest to the students of religious as well as modern psychology.