COMMENTARIES

Upanishads

Upanishad means sitting close - sitting close to the master

What are the Upanishads?

In Sanskrit, Upanishad means sitting close - sitting close to the master, not just physically, but also mentally. It signifies the finite getting close to the infinite, the known reaching out to the unknown. The Upanishads are dialogues between Master and student from ages ago. The master is the embodiment of wisdom and the student represents a spiritual seeker eager to come closer to wisdom.

Commentary by Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

There are nearly 100 Upanishads available today out of which eleven are considered most important. Gurudev has spoken on four to date

Ishavasya Upanishad

Experience the wisdom of ages from Upanishad by Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. Ishavasya Upanishad is the most regarded of all Upanishads. All the other Upanishads are said to be commentaries on the verses mentioned briefly in the Ishavasya Upanishad. It contains many hints which show an extraordinarily piercing insight to who we really are. It contains a mystical description of the Self and both, the seen and the unseen, world.

Watch a clip from the Katha Upanishad

 

EXCERPTS FROM GURUDEV'S COMMENTARY

"This temporary world is of death. Here, everything dies and everything changes. Do you recognize that subtle field of energy, that subatomic level of energy which does not change? All these human bodies are different, but there is one field of energy, the mind, that flows through everybody. Do you realize that there is one thing that is in everybody? Do you recognize the one consciousness?" Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
“In your true nature, you are free the moment you see it’s not in you. If you have a pain, observe it’s happening in the body. If there is tightness or joy in your mind, observe that it is tight, sad, unhappy or happy. Just observe that you are not enjoying, and it is happening elsewhere, as though it is happening elsewhere.” Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
“If even the slightest desire to be free has arisen in you, you should pat yourself on the back, you are very lucky. Billions of lives on this planet don’t have this blessing. They do not even live. They exist, die and dissolve. They are not bored. Even if they are bored, they’re bored about something very small. A little change can make them very comfortable again. So, blessed are those who get bored!” Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
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