Upanishad

Fundamental tenets of dharma

Advayataraka

Advaitakara is a composite Sanskrit word consisting of आद्य (advaita), meaning “non-identity, identity, unity, not two, without each other” and ताराक (taarak). Which means “to liberate, to carry, to deliver, to save”. ‘Tarak’ literally means star and “eyeball”.

Sariraka

The Upanishad, along with Garbha Upanishad, focuses on what is the relation between human body and human soul, where and how one relates to the other, and what happens to each at birth and after death.

Atma

The Upanishad describes three types of Self (atman): the Bahya-atma or external self (body), the Antar-atma or inner self (individual soul) and the Param-atma or highest self (the Brahman, Purusha).

Isha

The subject matter of Isha Upanishad is profound, spiritual and comprehensive. It helps in the formation of the foundation. Isha Upanishads tries to convey the knowledge of spiritual solidarity in the unity of all existences.

Atharvashira

The Upanishad is notable for asserting that all gods are Rudra, everyone and everything is Rudra, and Rudra is the principle found in all things, their highest goal, the innermost essence of all reality that is visible or invisible.

Aitareya

Aitareya Upanishad discusses three philosophical themes: first, that the world and man is the creation of the Atman (Universal Self); second, the theory that the Atman undergoes threefold birth; third, that Consciousness is the essence of Atman.

Amritbindu

The text opens with an introduction consisting of four verses, followed by four sections of which three discuss the practice, rules and rewards of yoga, followed by a discourse on life-force (Prana, breath). The text ends with a one verse summary.

Ashramopanisad

This Upanisad is most important when we analyse it with the weightage of content. It is related to Athravaveda. The provision of Asramas i.e. celibate, couple, past-couple, and reclusion have been explained consisting of its all aspects and the disciplines in a brief manner. The four hymns talk about four Aśrumas.

Yoga Tattva

It begins with the formulation of the esoteric principles of Yoga by Lord Vishnu to Grandfather Brahma. In the order of Mantrayoga, Layyoga, Hathayoga and Rajyoga, its four stages have been described. Later, the yogi's diet and daily routine have been mentioned.

Nirvana

The Upanishad asserts that the life of the sannyasi is of reflection, not rituals, dedicated to Jnana-kanda (knowledge section of the Vedas), finding home when he is in union with truth and perfection. Self-knowledge is his journey and destination, a solitary place his monastery of bliss.

Kundika

This Upanisad is related to Samaveda. From hymn 1 to 13 the entrance of a couple in reclusion when the liabilities of couple life are duly discharge as also the routine has been highlighted. The introvert penance of the recluse has been then enumerated.

Avadhuta

The Avadhuta Upanishad is a medieval era Sanskrit text and is one of the minor Upanishads. The text is attached to the Krishna Yajurveda, and is one of the 20 Sannyasa Upanishads. The text is also titled the Brihadavadhuta Upanishad, Laghuavadhuta Upanishad, and the Avadhutopanishad.

Mundak

Upanishad opens with declaring Brahma as the first of gods, the creator of the universe, and the knowledge of Brahman (Ultimate Reality, Eternal Principle, Cosmic Self) to be the foundation of all knowledge. The text then lists a succession of teachers who shared the knowledge of Brahman with the next generation.

Jabal Darshan

This Upanisad is related to Samaveda. It is also called as Darsanopanisad. There are ten sections in it. A questionaire like description has been made herein containing the questions and answers transacted between Dattatreya, an incarnation to Lord Vishnu and his disciple on Astänga Yoga.

Kena

Kena Upanishad is notable in its discussion of Brahman with attributes and without attributes, and for being a treatise on "purely conceptual knowledge". It asserts that the efficient cause of all the gods, symbolically envisioned as forces of nature, is Brahman.

Prashna

Prashna literally means, in modern usage, "question, query, inquiry". It is an ancient Sanskrit text, embedded inside Atharva Veda, ascribed to Pippalada sakha of Vedic scholars. It is a Mukhya (primary) Upanishad and is listed as number 4 in the Muktika canon of 108 Upanishads.

Garbha

Pippalada

The Garbha Upanishad is a text that almost exclusively comments on medical and physiology-related themes, dealing with the theory of the formation and development of the human embryo and human body after birth.

Chandogya

The Chandogya Upanishad is notable for its lilting metric structure, its mention of ancient cultural elements such as musical instruments, and embedded philosophical premises that later served as foundation for Vedanta schools.

Katha

The Katha Upanishad (Kaṭhopaniṣad) is an ancient text and one of the mukhya (primary) Upanishads. The Upanishad is the legendary story of a little boy, Nachiketa – the son of Sage Vajasravasa, who meets Yama (the deity of death).

Mandukya

The Mandukya Upanishad is an important Upanishad in Hinduism, particularly to its Advaita Vedanta school. It succinctly presents several central doctrines, namely that "the universe is Brahman," "the Self (Atma) exists and is Brahman," and "the four states of consciousness".

Aatampuja

The Upanishad, "Atmapuja" indicates the subtle meaning of the vedic rituals followed by the people during puja (worship).

Adhyatma

This Upanishad is related to Shukla Yajurveda. In accordance with its name, the subject of realization of the soul is propounded.

Brihadaranyak

It is the exponent of Advaita Vedanta and asceticism. This Upanishad's Brahmanrupanatmik is mostly a set of those interpretations from which Ajatashatru of Gargya Balaki, Jaivali Pravahna of Svetaketu, Yajnavalkya of Maitreyi and Janaka and eight sages like Gargi and Jaratkarava Artabhaga etc. Brahmic curiosity of the sages was retired.

Amrita Nada

Amritananda Upanishad explains the effects of pranayama, one of the eight limbs of yoga, in a typical Upanishad simile – just as the impurities of mineral ore are burnt by a blower, so too are the consequences of misdeeds committed by the senses.

Shvetashvatara

The Shvetashvatara Upanishad opens with the metaphysical questions about first causes. Upanishad is an ancient Sanskrit text embedded in the Yajurveda. The word Shvetashvatara translates to "the one carrying beyond on white horse" or simply "white mule that carries".

Kaushitaki Brahmana

The Kausitaki Upanishad asserts that Atman (Soul) is existent, and that one's life is affected by karma. It states that one doesn't need to pray, when one realizes and understands his true nature as identical with the universe, the Brahman.

Hamsa

The text opens with Gautama asking Sanatkumara to distil the knowledge of all Vedas for him. Sanatkumara states that Shiva pondered over the Vedas and answered the same question from Parvati. It is the knowledge of Yoga, the shrouded mystery of yogins, the path of the Hamsa, which he will share with Gautama.

Taittirīya

The Taittirīya Upanishad is a Vedic era Sanskrit text, embedded as three chapters (adhyāya) of the Yajurveda. It is a mukhya (primary, principal) Upanishad, and likely composed about 6th century BC.