Questions tagged [upanishads]
The last part of the Vedas, consisting of dialogues between teachers and students clarifying the philosophical teachings of the Vedas.
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Which Upanishadic verse says that the very object of pleasure/beauty will turn into a object of pain or frustration?
I remember reading in some book related to Upanishad, probably one by Swami Sivananda of Rishkesh a quote something to the effect of this :
Whichever is the object/source of pleasure today, will turn ...
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430 views
What does the Prashna Upanishad say about Pitrayana and Devayana?
This book talks about Pitrayana and Devayana in the Prashna Upansihad
This interesting Upanishad deals in six questions put by six seekers of Brahaman to the sage Pippalada....the concepts of ...
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Are the upanishads later to the puranas?
In some places it is mentioned that some of the main upanishad like chandogya and brihadaranyaka mention about the puranas.
What are the references where puranas are referred in upanishad?
If indeed ...
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Is every being a God?
According to Kaivalya Upanishad:
He(Supreme Brahman) alone is all that was, and all that will be, the
Eternal. Knowing Him, one transcends death. There is no other way
to freedom.
We know ...
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Do the Vedas teach that Brahman is a conscious being?
Do the Vedas speak of Brahman as a being that is able to think and perform actions? Or is Brahman more like an inanimate thing, except immaterial?
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How does Advaita explain analogy of two birds on the tree(body)?
A well known analogy of two birds seating on the tree appears in Mundaka Upanishad.(Similar verse also appears in Svetâsvatara Upanishad)
Two birds, inseparable friends, cling to the same tree. ...
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How can Brahman/consciousness be all pervading including living and non living things?
Brahman is defined as Existance,Consiouness and Bliss(Satchitananda). Aitareya Upanishad 3.1.3 says Brahman is consciousness and pure awareness. Isa Upanishad 1 says its all pervading.
1)But how can ...
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Commentaries by Tantrika Acharyas on Mukhya Upanishads
Did Any Acharya like Bhaskaracharya, Utapaladeva, Abhinavagupta etc. from Tantrika sect write their own commentary on Mukhya Upanishads? If yes, Please share the link to the book/text.
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What is keelakam in Mantra Nyasa
Usually most (or all) rig veda samhita mantras have a Rishi, Chanda and Devata. When it comes to Upanishads, I find some mantras to also have Beejam, Shakti and Keelakam.
Can someone explain me what ...
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What scriptures describe sage Vamadeva attaining Moksha?
As I discuss in this question, by far the most popular school of Hindu philosophy is the Vedanta school. But there are five other Astika or orthodox schools of Hindu philosophy: Purva Mimamsa, Samkhya,...
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time and venue for learning the puranas
I found few puranas online and I really enjoy learning vedic stories/scriptures which contain not only a nice story in themselves but hidden with immense knowledge and wisdom. I wonder if it is a ...
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140 views
Why do people perform rites and meditate if its a hindrance?
According to the īśā Upaniṣad and the latter Śrī Śaṅkarācārya (of Advaita) commentary:
अन्धं तमः प्रविशन्ति येऽविद्यामुपासते । ततो भूय इव ते तमो य उ
विद्यायां रताः ॥
andhaṃ tamaḥ praviśanti ...
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Is Surdarshan Chakra mentioned In Vedic literature?
The Surdarshan Chakra is Lord vishnu's weapon mentioned in many puranas and in Itihasas. But is there any reference of Surdarshana Chakra in Vedic literature (that is Vedas,Upanishads,Brahmans).the ...
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Is amrita or legend of samudra manthan mentioned in Vedic scriptures?
The legend of samudra manthan and amrita is mentioned in itihasa, puranas but the legend of samudra manthan mentioned in verses of vedas, Upanishads or brahmanas or is the drink of immortality amrita ...
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Which scripture contains the story of Mahidasa Aitareya?
There is one famous story of Mahidasa Aitareya in upanishad/purana.
Which scripture described about him and his life?
I suppose it is in Aitariya aranyaka but I am looking for exact reference.
...
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Why is lord Dattatreya called Pisacha
Lord Dattatreya is referred to as बालोन्मत्त्पिशाच
in many scriptures.
The word itself is made up of three words
1) बाल-
Literally meaning the child (It is a jeevanmukta lakshana)
2)...
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How does Arya Samaj intepret Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 2.3.1?
As some of you must be knowing, Arya Samaj is a Hindu organisation that rejects the notion of idol worship and teaches God is only formless. This is due to the controversial verses in the Yajurveda ...
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625 views
Where is the Vedic verse quoted by the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad about Brahman entering the body as a bird?
As I discuss in this question, by far the most popular school of Hindu philosophy is the Vedanta school, which bases its tenets on the doctrines laid out in the Brahma Sutras, a work by the sage Vyasa ...
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अग्निः सजीवः अस्ति अथवा निर्जीवः (Is Agni alive or dead entity)? [duplicate]
According to Hinduism, things like stone etc are called निर्जीव or अचेतन (dead) because stone has no consciousness and it doesn't feel pain.
The same goes for Agni, it looks like निर्जीव, but Veda ...
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How does dvaita philosophy explain aham brahmaasmi? [duplicate]
aham brahmaasmi (I am Brahman) is a famous upanishad sentence. Prima facie, this statement is advaita-friendly because it is saying that jeeva is same as Brahman. But the dvaita philosophy of ...
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What is the earliest reference to the “yo vapyetam” verse of the Katha Upanishad?
The first chapter of the Katha Upanishad, in the recensions commented on by Adi Shankaracharya and Madhvacharya, has 29 verses. But the recension of the Katha Upanishad commented on by the Sri ...
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Are only the hymns of the Vedas considered apaurusheya, or are the Upanishads considered apaurusheya as well? [duplicate]
I've read multiple times that the Vedas are considered to be without error, and I was wondering whether the same thing is thought of the Upanishads that are often claimed to be part of the Vedas.
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Who agrees with Kumarila Bhatta that the Chandogya Upanishad refers to magical powers?
As I discuss in this question, by far the most popular school of Hindu philosophy is the Vedanta school, which bases its tenets on the doctrines laid out in the Brahma Sutras, a work by the sage Vyasa ...
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0answers
195 views
Where is the Sama Veda quote referenced in the Brahma Sutras?
As I discuss in this question, by far the most popular school of Hindu philosophy is the Vedanta school, which bases its tenets on the doctrines laid out in the Brahma Sutras, a work by the sage Vyasa ...
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365 views
Has the Paramatmika Upanishad ever been translated into English?
As I discuss in this answer, each of the four Vedas each of the four Vedas consists of four portions: Samhitas, the core part of the Vedas which consist of mantras heard from the gods; Brahmanas, ...
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Where are Madhvacharya's Puranic quotes describing the path to Moksha?
In verse 8.24 of the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna says this:
Those who know the Supreme Brahman attain that Supreme by passing away from the world during the influence of the fiery god, in the light, at an ...
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What is the story regarding birth of Surya
I want to know the Puranic inscriptions regarding birth of Surya. How sun planet was created? When it was created? Why he is sometimes considered as direct expansion of Vishnu?
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What kings passed on the Panchagni Vidya of the Upanishads?
As I discuss in the this question, by far the most popular school of Hindu philosophy is the Vedanta school, which bases its tenets on the doctrines laid out in the Brahma Sutras, a work by the sage ...
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584 views
Where is the allusion to Venkateshwara in the Taittiriya Upanishad?
During British rule, the town of Tirupati including its world-renowned Tirumala Venkateshwara Temple came to be controlled by the East India Company, starting in 1801. And the first East India ...
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Conversion of Sattva, Rajas, Tamas
I've read in one of the Upanishads that at the "beginning" of the universe sattva, rajas and tamas were in balance. But for some unknown reason the balance was disturbed and this is cause of the ...
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Are the Vedanta Sutras Smriti or Shruti?
Vedanta Sutras, as you must be knowing, is the primary text of the most popular philosophical school of Hinduism i.e. the Vedanta school. Written by Badarayana Vyasa, it is summary of all the ...
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Why does chandogya upanishad use kannada-telugu words?
In the Chandogya Upanishad, the word “मटची” “maTacI” is used to
describe famine in the Kuru kingdom.
“मटचीहतेषु कुरुष्वाटिक्या सह जायया उषस्तिर्ह चाक्रायण इभ्यग्रामे
प्रद्राणक उवास” (1.10.1).
...
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How has Hell been described in the Vedas and Upanishads?
How has Hell been described in the Vedas and Upanishads?
Whether Hell has mental torture or physical torture?
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Liberated souls come back [duplicate]
Do the souls which attained moksha in this creation again come back to earth to undergo birth and death process in the next creation which takes place after mahapralay?
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Does there exist a complete English translation of Narasimha Tapaniya Upanishad?
Is there a complete English translation of the Narasimha Tapaniya Upanishad available online?
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Mention of “Bhagavan” in Upanishads
Brahman / Brahma is frequently mentioned in the Upanishads as in the famous statement from Chandogya Upanishad 3.14.1:
सर्वं खल्विदं ब्रह्म
sarvam khalvidam brahma
All this is Brahman
Is the ...
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Where in the Mahanarayana Upanishad is the Nyasa Vidya, the path of surrender to Vishnu?
As I discuss in the this answer, by far the most popular school of Hindu philosophy is the Vedanta school, which bases its tenets on the doctrines laid out in the Brahma Sutras, a work by the sage ...
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Why is Vedanta called so and what is its relationship with Upanishads?
I know that the word Vendanta has two parts 'Veda' and 'Anta'. Anta means end. I have read that Vedanta is nothing but Updanishads. I have seen people using the term Veda and Vedanta as if they are ...
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Where is the passage about silence and Brahman preserved by Adi Shankaracharya?
In this excerpt from his book "Spiritual Heritage of India", Swami Prabhavananda quotes a number of passages from the Upanishads concerning the indescribability of Brahman. In particular, ...
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What is the meaning of 'fifth' in the following shloka?
भयद्सग्निस्तपति भयात्तपति सूर्यः ||
भयादिन्द्रश्च वायुश्च मृतुर्धावति पञ्चम: ||३||
Kathopanishad Chapter 2 valli (shloka/verse) 3
Meaning:
From fear of bramhan fire burns, from fear(of bramhan) the ...
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What is the origin of Nishkama Karma (selfless action)?
I am interested to know where in the Vedas or Upanishad is the philosophy of Nishkama Karma i.e., giving up fruits of actions, mentioned?
What is the origin of Karma Yoga as we know in the Gita?
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What are the details of this process of identifying a thief in the scriptures?
'A red-hot axe was placed before two persons accused of theft charge and both were asked to touch the axe one by one. The thief got his hand burnt while the other one remained unhurt'
the above is ...
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According Advaita philosophy, can the formless Absolute Brahman see, speak, hear and smell? [duplicate]
In the Kena Upanishad following is said about the Absolute Brahman(not Atma...if Atma and Brahman are same then probably I have asked this question before. But in my opinion Absolute Brahman is a ...
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Do Upanishads say that they shouldn't be taught to people who don't study or ineligible to study Vedas?
Mundaka Upanishad 3.2.10 says "This is explained by the mantra “who perform the karma enjoined, who are srotriyas, who are centred in the Brahman (lower) and who with faith, offer oblations ...
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Just like there is a Shiva Purana and Vishnu Purana, is there a Purana praising Brahma?
Title. I want a book about Brahma. It can be in the form of a Gita like Shiva Gita or Bhagavad Gita or it can be in the form of a Purana.
Thanks.
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In which scripture does the word “Bhagavan” appear first?
We all know that the words Bhagavan and Ishwar are used in many Hindu scriptures. They give their meanings also. I want to know, in which scripture did the word "Bhagavan" appear first?
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Why the three levels of reality of Advaita Vedanta are not mentioned in any scriptures?
According to Advaita Vedanta, there are three levels of reality:
Pāramārthika (Absolute reality)
Vyāvahārika (Relative reality)
Prāthibhāsika (unreality)
Now, as far as I know, this concept is not ...
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156 views
Any Vedantic messages from Karma Kanda of Vedas?
It is well known that Upanishads contain Vedantic statements, but I want to know Vedantic statement from Karma Kanda of Vedas if any.
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Why people of Bengal worship Durga also during Basanti Puja?
There is a festival in Bengal region named Basanti Puja in which Bengali people worship Goddess Durga but why they worship Maa Durga in Basanti Puja also,whereas they have time to worship Goddess ...
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562 views
Is there any English versions available for Dara Shikoh's 50 Upanishadic translations?
Dara Shikoh's translations of 50 out of 108 Upanishads is said to be the most authentic source of the Upanishads available to date. Which is the best book available in the market which compiles all of ...
