Book Review 2024.08: The Upanishads- Breath of the Eternals, 128 pages, Paperback, 2002
This short concise book of Upanishads was the logical book to follow after I had read The Essentials of Hinduism that provided a birds’ eye view of the Sanatana Dharam. Unlike in the past where I had started books on Upanishads only to drop it quickly, what helped me complete this book was its clear and simple language and the authors intent to convey the gist instead of a literal rendering.
As I started reading this book, the context of earnest minds seeking to learn from well versed scholars was firmly imprinted in my mind providing the backdrop for the abstract discussions that followed which focused on the quest to find enduring bliss. Covering a total of twelve, nine Upanishads in full -Katha, Isha, Kena, Prasna, Mundaka, Mandukya, Aitareya, Kaivalya, Svetasvatara, and three in select portions-Taittriya, Chandogya, Brihadaranyaka, the book provides a varied and distinctly nuanced interpretation of how to discover the Universal Self that is present in each and every one of us, the individual self.
While the basic theme is quite simple and easy to trace, starting with the four states of existence, of which Awake, Dream and Dreamless sleep is quite obvious and easy to understand, the fourth state of identification with the Universal Self is the challenge that Upanishads seed to address. The means to addressing this challenge is also clearly laid out, but the difficulty is in practicing it. An individual focused and dedicated to meditating on the Universal Self, by turning their senses and mind inward, detached from this physical world is the path, for which the different Upanishads provide guidance to the practioner on their journey.
I found this short and concise book extremely useful as the first step in the study of Upanishads, giving me the confidence to read more elaborate books on the subject.
Trust my experience with this book is of help to anyone wanting to explore this subject. Happy to hear your experiences and learnings that can help me in my journey.
