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Product Description The Vedas are the most ancient and sacred scriptures of the Hindu religion. The Upanishads form a very important part of the Vedas, called the 'jnanakanda,'which means the portion containing the sacred knowledge. That 'sacred knowledge' is the knowledge of the Brahman, the Supreme God. The nature of Brahman or Atman, though very difficult to describe in words, is the theme of the Upanishads. The Upanishads expound the vedantic philosophy according to which the inner self or Atman within a person is immortal, blissful and divine. Once a person realizes Brahman, he/she becomes Brahman himself/herself. Through thousands of years sages of India have experienced it themselves and have taught their students how to realize Brahman.
There are more than two hundred Upanishads in the Vedas. Shankaracharya, the eighth century vedantic philosopher and scholar, recommended that out of these only ten Upanishads are most important. He called them 'Principal Upanishads.' He wrote his commentaries on those and established a sequential order in which they should be studied. The present book brings forth that sacred knowledge of the Supreme God in simple English for anybody who is willing to study it. In this book the Principal Upanishads are arranged in traditional sequence. In the beginning of each Upanishad the author discusses its content in brief and presents his own commentary where necessary.
Neo-Vedantic HogwashAugust 1, 2001 8 out of 9 found this review helpful
It is fashionable in certain circles to attempt loose, feelgood translations of classical texts in a manner that serves the contemporary bias and preconceptions of the translators. Such works distort the true meanings of the classics, and serve no purpose except the aggrandisement of such pseudo-scholars. Shukla's present book is a fine example of such work. He strays from all the accepted classical commentaries and tries to strike out on his own, with little regard for the fact that his explanations are even ungrammatical in many instances (and are largely unfaithful to the genre of his source texts).
The book would be useful to a neo-Vedantin who has little patience for a deep and committed study of the classics but is very interested in coming up with a loose understanding that suits well the modern Hindutva movement that casts all the ancient texts in a modern right-wing political light. No one who has made an independent and detailed study of the Upanishads will care to agree with Shukla.
Very Good bookDecember 25, 2000 4 out of 6 found this review helpful
Very good book,this book describes The UPANISHADS in alot of Detail.Shyam Shukla Is A wonderful author.After Reading several books on the subject, I found this book to be the best.Shyam Shukla can Relate the Upanishads to life in the present day.I would say that Shyam Shukla Is A wonder with words.
GREAT BOOKMay 31, 2000 2 out of 7 found this review helpful
MY Parents are from India.I have never. been there there I never gought what UPANISHADS or Hinduisum.After I read this book I went to India 5 times.I recomend this book to evreyone.
WORLDS GREATEST BOOK! READ! READ!May 31, 2000 5 out of 12 found this review helpful
very descriptive. ANYONE can read it. MUST READ. I know really understand UPANishads.I GREW up on a farm in TEXAS,I didn't even know what hiduisum was.
Great bookMay 17, 2000 1 out of 6 found this review helpful
very good book.lots of detail.Shyam Shukla is brilliant.fantstic book,before I read it I did not get te Upanishads concept, But after I could write a book on it.
