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The Thirteen Principal Upanishads [1921] The Online Library of Liberty A Project Of Liberty Fund, Inc. Misc (Upanishads), The Thirteen Principal Upanishads [1921] The Online Library Of Liberty This E-Book (PDF format) is published by Liberty Fund, Inc., a private, non-profit, educational foundation established in 1960 to encourage study of the ideal of a society of free and responsible individuals. 2010 was the 50th anniversary year of the founding of Liberty Fund. It is part of the Online Library of Liberty web site http://oll.libertyfund.org, which was established in 2004 in order to further the educational goals of Liberty Fund, Inc. To find out more about the author or title, to use the site's powerful search engine, to see other titles in other formats (HTML, facsimile PDF), or to make use of the hundreds of essays, educational aids, and study guides, please visit the OLL web site. 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LIBERTY FUND, INC. 8335 Allison Pointe Trail, Suite 300 Indianapolis, Indiana 46250-1684 Online Library of Liberty: The Thirteen Principal Upanishads Edition Used: The Thirteen Principal Upanishads, translated from the Sanskrit with an outline of the philosophy of the Upanishads and an annotated bibliography, by Robert Ernest Hume (Oxford University Press, 1921). Author: Misc (Upanishads) Translator: Robert Ernest Hume About This Title: These are commentaries on the Hindu sacred texts known as the Vedas. PLL v6.0 (generated September, 2011) 2 http://oll.libertyfund.org/title/2058 Online Library of Liberty: The Thirteen Principal Upanishads About Liberty Fund: Liberty Fund, Inc. is a private, educational foundation established to encourage the study of the ideal of a society of free and responsible individuals. Copyright Information: The text is in the public domain. Fair Use Statement: This material is put online to further the educational goals of Liberty Fund, Inc. Unless otherwise stated in the Copyright Information section above, this material may be used freely for educational and academic purposes. It may not be used in any way for profit. PLL v6.0 (generated September, 2011) 3 http://oll.libertyfund.org/title/2058 Online Library of Liberty: The Thirteen Principal Upanishads PLL v6.0 (generated September, 2011) 4 http://oll.libertyfund.org/title/2058 Online Library of Liberty: The Thirteen Principal Upanishads Table Of Contents Preface Remarks Concerning the Translation Its Method and Arrangement List of Abbreviations Errata An Outline of the Philosophy of the Upanishads Chapter I: The Place of the Upanishads In the History of Philosophy Chapter II: The Upanishads and Their Place In Indian Philosophy Chapter III: First Attempts At the Conception of a Unitary World-ground Chapter IV: The Development of the Conception of Brahma Chapter V: The Development of the Conception of the Atman and Its Union With Brahma Chapter VI: The Realistic Conception of the Ultimate Unity, and the Doctrine of Illusion Chapter VII: Idealism and the Conception of Pure Unity Chapter VIII: The Outcome On Religion and On the Doctrine of Karma Chapter IX: The Outcome On Practical Life and On Morals Chapter X: The Artificial Method of Unity In Renunciation and In Yoga Chapter XI: Concluding Estimate B?ihad-Āra?yaka Upanishad First AdhyĀya Second AdhyĀya Third AdhyĀya Fourth AdhyĀya Fifth AdhyĀya Sixth AdhyĀya ChĀndogya Upanishad First PrapĀ?haka a Glorification of the Chanting of the Sāma-veda 1 Second PrapĀ?haka the Significance of the Chant In Various Forms Third PrapĀ?haka Brahma As the Sun of the World-all Fourth PrapĀ?haka Conversational Instructions Fifth PrapĀ?haka Concerning Breath, the Soul, and the Universal Soul Sixth PrapĀ?haka the Instruction of Śvetaketu By Uddālaka Concerning the Key to All Knowledge Seventh PrapĀ?haka the Instruction of Nārada By Sanatkumāra Eighth PrapĀ?haka Concerning the Nature of the Soul TaittirĪya Upanishad First VallĪ (Śikshā Vallī, ‘chapter Concerning Instruction’) Second VallĪ (brahmānanda Vallī, ‘bliss-of-brahma Chapter’) Third VallĪ (bh?igu Vallī, ‘chapter Concerning Bh?igu’) Aitareya Upanishad First AdhyĀya Second AdhyĀya Third AdhyĀya KaushĪtaki Upanishad 1 PLL v6.0 (generated September, 2011) 5 http://oll.libertyfund.org/title/2058 Online Library of Liberty: The Thirteen Principal Upanishads First AdhyĀya the Course of Reincarnation, and Its Termination Through Metaphysical Knowledge 2 Second AdhyĀya the Doctrine of Prā?a, Together With Certain Ceremonies Third AdhyĀya Doctrine of Prā?a (the Breathing Spirit) Fourth AdhyĀya a Progressive Definition of Brahma 2 Kena Upanishad 1 (first Kha??a) (second Kha??a) (third Kha??a) 3 (fourth Kha??a) Ka?ha Upanishad First VallĪ 1 Second VallĪ Third VallĪ Fourth VallĪ Fifth VallĪ Sixth VallĪ ĪŚĀ Upanishad 1 Mu??aka Upanishad First Mu??aka Preparation For the Knowledge of Brahma Second Mu??aka the Doctrine of Brahma-Ātman Third Mu??aka the Way to Brahma PraŚna Upanishad 1 First PraŚna Second PraŚna Third PraŚna Fourth PraŚna Fifth PraŚna Sixth PraŚna MĀ??Ūkya Upanishad ŚvetĀŚvatara Upanishad First AdhyĀya Second AdhyĀya Third AdhyĀya Fourth AdhyĀya Fifth AdhyĀya Sixth AdhyĀya Maitri Upanishad First PrapĀ?haka Second PrapĀ?haka Third PrapĀ?haka Fourth PrapĀ?haka Fifth PrapĀ?haka Sixth PrapĀ?haka Seventh PrapĀ?haka A Bibliography of the Upanishads Selected, Classified, and Annotated PLL v6.0 (generated September, 2011) 6 http://oll.libertyfund.org/title/2058 Online Library of Liberty: The Thirteen Principal Upanishads [Back to Table of Contents] PREFACE In the long history of man’s endeavor to grasp the fundamental truths of being, the metaphysical treatises known as the Upanishads1 hold an honored place. They represent the earnest efforts of the profound thinkers of early India to solve the problems of the origin, the nature, and the destiny of man and of the universe, or—more technically—the meaning and value of ‘knowing’ and ‘being.’ Though they contain some fanciful ideas, naive speculations, and inadequate conclusions, yet they are replete with sublime conceptions and with intuitions of universal truth.2 Here are found intimations of the inadequacy of mere nature-worship and of the falsity of an empty ceremonialism. Here are expressed the momentous discoveries that the various gods of polytheistic belief are but numerous special manifestations of the One Power of the universe, and that the supreme object of worship is this variously revealed, partially elusive, all-comprehending unitary Reality. Still more momentous are the discernments that man is of more significance than all the forces of Nature; that man himself is the interpretation as well as the interpreter of Nature, because he is akin to the reality at the heart of the universe; indeed, that the One God, the great intelligent Person who is immanent in the universe, is to be found most directly in the heart of man. Here in the Upanishads are set forth, in concrete example as well as in dogmatic instruction, two opposing theories of life: an ignorant, narrow, selfish way of life which seeks temporary, unsatisfying, unreal ends; and a way of life which seeks to relate itself to the Supreme Reality of the universe, so as to escape from the needless misery of ordinary existence into undying bliss. These important texts, the earliest of which can hardly have taken form later than the seventh century bc,1 are surely finding, and will continue to find, more than a limited circle of readers. The student of the history of philosophy who desires to know the answers reached in India for the ever insistent problems of man and the universe and the ideals of the highest existence; the special student of India who strives to understand the essence as well as the externals of its culture; the religious teacher and worker in East and West who seeks to apprehend the aspirations and spiritual ideals of the Hindu soul; the educated English-speaking Hindu who feels a special affection for, and interest in, the sacred writings of his native land; and the deep thinker who searches in arcane doctrine for a clue to the solution of life’s mysteries—all of these will turn constantly to the Upanishads as an authoritative compendium of Indian metaphysical speculation. To meet the need of these varying types of readers for a faithful rendering of the original text—an English version that will enable them to know exactly what the revered Upanishads say—has been my constant aim in the preparation of this work. It is hardly necessary to dwell here on the difficulties and perplexities that confront anyone engaged on such a task; texts such as these are among the hardest to present adequately in another language, and a completely satisfying translation is wellnigh unattainable. I trust that I have succeeded at least in being literal without becoming cryptic, and in attaining clearness without exegetical accretions. Further remarks on PLL v6.0 (generated September, 2011) 7 http://oll.libertyfund.org/title/2058 Online Library of Liberty: The Thirteen Principal Upanishads the plan and arrangement of the translation will be found on subsequent pages (pp. xii-xiv), which those making use of this book are requested to consult. In publishing this new version I would first pay due respect to Professor F.
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