Upanishad 1 by Swami Lokeshwarananda [Hardcover]

"The deepest spiritual teachings of the eternal human soul are found in the Upanishads. The glorious and divine expression of eternal truth-realization unfolds through the tradition of the Upanishads. In the light of this great creation, humanity has kindled the flame of its inner light since the dawn of intellect and spiritual practice. In the history of Indian philosophical thought, Vedanta holds a high place. Swami Vivekananda has made respectful comments about the Upanishads in various contexts. In his words, 'The primary purpose of the Upanishads... is to present before us the idea and image of the earth.' Elsewhere, he says, 'The ancient Upanishads are filled with the highest levels of poetry... Through poetry, the Creator seems to have created the Rishis of the Upanishads as beings far above ordinary humans, to reveal the highest truths of the world.' Swamiji was also enthusiastic about the beauty of the Upanishads' expression: '...The language of the Upanishads—there is no complexity in it; each of its words strikes the heart like the blade of a sword or the blow of a hammer.' For Vivekananda, Vedanta was both the symbol of 'meditation and struggle.' He wanted to bring it to every home. In the detailed discussions of the eight Upanishads—Isavasyam, Kena, Katha, Prashna, Mundaka, Mandukya, Taittiriya, and Shvetashvatara—Swamiji’s thoughts are reverently recalled. Furthermore, from the life and teachings of Sri Ramakrishna, the Upanishadic essence is also extracted. Based on these two great souls and following Shankaracharya’s approach, the 'First Part of the Upanishads' has been written in a simple interpretation."