The Upanisads: A Study of the Original Texts

The Upanisads: A Study of the Original Texts is intended to offer a new perspective on the study of the Upanisads. It will be surely helpful to all students of Indian philosophy, particularly those studying the texts of the Upanisads. It contains valuable information and insight not obtainable from the current literature on the subject.

There are twelve authoritative Upanisads. This study covers eight out of the twelve-Isa, Kena, Katha, Mundaka, Mandukya, Svetasvatara, Chandoogya and Brhadarabyaka. Its aim is to prove how discrimination and reliance on the original texts are the real sources of help in reading the Upanisads. The help given by the commentator is acceptable to the extent he is faithful to the original texts. Otherwise, it is not indispensable. The trustworthiness of a commentary is determined not by the large support received from scholars but solely by the measure of its fidelity to the original scripture.

N. Jayashanmugam taught Philosophy at Annamalai University and later at Sri Aurobindo International Centre of Education, Pondicherry.

Influenced by the writings of Sri Aurobindo, he began in the year 1990 a close study of the original texts of the Upanisads. In 2000 Indian Council of Philosophical Research, New Delhi, awarded him a Senior Fellowship to complete the study under the project title Upanisads: A Study in Their Light.

He is self-appointed to an important task and the task is to unfold the unique teachings of the Upanishads. He has developed his own method of study and placed the original texts in an entirely new perspective.

The style of the Upanisads is very peculiar. But still, it was quite intelligible to the great scholars of the Vedas (mahasrotriyah) about whom we hear from the Chandogya Upanisad. We live in an age far removed from the age of these great scholars. As a result, we find the texts of Upanisads to be very difficult to comprehend. Now commentators come to our help. They elucidate the texts and make them intelligible to us.

A good commentator should have three essential qualities. First, he should be well-versed in all the original texts of the Upanisads. Second, he should have the skill to logically analyse the texts and successfully bring out their true import through the analysis. Third, he should be absolutely sincere in interpreting the text. Generally speaking. The undertaken by him. Instead of elucidating the texts for the sake of making them intelligible, he preconceived notions. As a result, he gives up the primary senses of the original words and puts into them his own personal ideas. His elucidation is really unfaithful to the original texts. In such cases, he does not help us. However, we wrongly think we are helped by him to understand the original teachings of the Upanisads. There are plenty of instances to prove that an innocent reader of the Upanisads is not really helped by the commentator whose work is a right elucidation of the original texts.

In the circumstance what is needed is this: We must use the power of discrimination and reject the wrong readings of the Upanisads through the authority of the original texts. By doing so we must try to arrive at the right readings of these texts. Destruction without construction serves no useful purpose.

There are twelve authoritative Upanisads. My book covers eight out of the twelve-Isa, Kena, Katha, Mundaka, Mandukya, Svetasvatara, Chandogya and Brhadaranyaka. It is a record of my long association with the Upanisads, my sustained attempt at reaching the reading. My aim is to prove how discrimination and reliance on the original texts are the real sources of help in reading the Upanisads. The help given by the commentator is acceptable to the extent he is faithful to the original texts. Otherwise, it is not indispensable. The trustworthiness of a commentary is determined not by the large support received from scholars but solely by the measure of its fidelity to the original scripture. There should be no doubt about it.

This book is intended to offer a new perspective to the study of the Upanisads, It will be surely helpful to all students of Indian Philosophy, particularly those studying the texts of the Upanisads. It contains valuable literature on the subject.

I take this opportunity to thank the Indian Council of Philosophical Research, New Delhi, which granted me a Senior Fellowship for studying the Upanisads.