The Veda is defined by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi as vedamantrayorbrahmana | The Veda is by itself a mantra and a brahmana. Here, Brahmana is not the caste or credd, but the mantras specified for the persons who carry out the study and Vedic ritualas as family members. There are a class of renunciates who are devoted to studies of the selected mantra in a secluded place- like a forest or hill side and, these are called the Aranyaka. Further, there are mantra specially meant for the shukla paksha and Krishna paksha of Lunar month.
The Upanishads have been classified according to their source, viz the Veda from which it is derived. Of these 108, Ten Upanishads are derived from the Rk Veda, 51 Upanishads are from Yajurveda, 16 are from the Samaveda and 31are from the Atharvaveda. Further, there are 24 Upanishads are of general spiritual (Vedanta) nature. These include Atmabodha, Kaushitakai, and the Mudgala from the Rk Veda; Shveatashvatara, Garbha, Adhyatma, Sarvasara, Jabala, Paingala, etc.(51) from the Yajurveda; the Chandogya, Kena, Maitrayani, Mahar, Kundalini, Maitreyi, Savitri etc. (16) from Samaveda; and Shandilya, Pashupata, Brahma, mahavakya, etc. (31) from the Atharva veda. These are only a few to name and the entire list can be prepared showing all the details such as the sages associated with them, their disciples, the principles enunciated in them, etc.
There are 14 Viashnava Upanishads, 14 Shaiva Upanishads, 9 Shakta Upanishads, 17 sankhya Upanishads, 20 yoga and the rest are of general nature. The Garbha Upanishad give an account of the jiva in its initial or formal days in the mother's womb. It realizes its mistake of taking birth in a womb and recollects its earlier birth! It laments for its foolishness, ignorance, and realizes its miserable state in a restricted place in the womb! In fact, it decides not to take birth again once it comes out! Then, alas, the jiva forgets everything and runs its mill again, such as, childhood (balya), adolescent and youth (youvana), family state and old age (muppu), before it remembers its decision again!
The Upanishads have been classified according to their source, viz the Veda from which it is derived. Of these 108, Ten Upanishads are derived from the Rk Veda, 51 Upanishads are from Yajurveda, 16 are from the Samaveda and 31are from the Atharvaveda. Further, there are 24 Upanishads are of general spiritual (Vedanta) nature. These include Atmabodha, Kaushitakai, and the Mudgala from the Rk Veda; Shveatashvatara, Garbha, Adhyatma, Sarvasara, Jabala, Paingala, etc.(51) from the Yajurveda; the Chandogya, Kena, Maitrayani, Mahar, Kundalini, Maitreyi, Savitri etc. (16) from Samaveda; and Shandilya, Pashupata, Brahma, mahavakya, etc. (31) from the Atharva veda. These are only a few to name and the entire list can be prepared showing all the details such as the sages associated with them, their disciples, the principles enunciated in them, etc.
There are 14 Viashnava Upanishads, 14 Shaiva Upanishads, 9 Shakta Upanishads, 17 sankhya Upanishads, 20 yoga and the rest are of general nature. The Garbha Upanishad give an account of the jiva in its initial or formal days in the mother's womb. It realizes its mistake of taking birth in a womb and recollects its earlier birth! It laments for its foolishness, ignorance, and realizes its miserable state in a restricted place in the womb! In fact, it decides not to take birth again once it comes out! Then, alas, the jiva forgets everything and runs its mill again, such as, childhood (balya), adolescent and youth (youvana), family state and old age (muppu), before it remembers its decision again!
The Upanishads have been a source of spiritual knowledge to us and the Ramakrishna Ashram, Shivananda Ashram and its subsidiaries have published a number of these. These are valuable sources and these small books will give samskruta shloka along with the meaning and summary. However, it is essential to have a learned teacher to instruct us since many of these are not very easy to understand just by reading!
We will try to present as many Upanishads as possible in the following blogs, one by one.
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