BRIHADAARANYAKA ~ THE GREAT UPANISHAD

Lead me from the unreal to real from darkness to light from death to immortality: these three profound prayers emerge from the distilled soul of eternal India. They are the quintessence of the Brihadaranyaka (Great Forest Text) that ranks amongst the oldest of the esoteric revelations which constitute the Upanishadic corpus. This pristine work of intuitive wisdom having at its core the wondrous insight of Yajnavalkya its pioneer-sage offers a veritable roadmap guiding worthy seekers of knowledge on a course of spiritual ascendance and ultimate liberation – with faith logic and contemplation as the pilgrims’ wherewithal. Strewn along the path of this great journey of self-discovery are answers to mankind’s eternal questions on creation the meaning of existence karma transmigration and finally attainment of oneness with Brahman – the Ultimate Reality. Apart from Ethics Psychology and Metaphysics are other high grounds bridged by the Brihadaranyaka. Its in-depth examination of the sense organs and objects; of the propensity of the mind to act on the ‘pleasure principle’; and its incisive analysis of the states of dream and deep sleep; all constitute powerful testimony to the profound psychological insights of the Upanishadic Hrshi. But it is the enunciation of the Vedantic metaphysics of non-dualism based on neti neti (negation of all empirical reality) that constitutes the deepest philosophical message of this Great Upanishad. This volume presents an innovative transcreation of the Brihadaranyaka in simple free-flowing verse supported by an eclectic array of elucidations and commentaries gleaned from the works of many master interpreters. It beckons the modern truth-seeker towards the liberating experience of exploring this font of ancient wisdom (prajnaa puraanee) anew.