One Hundred and Eight Vedic Upanishads

The Upanishads (Sanskrit: उपनिषद्) are a collection of philosophical texts which form the theoretical basis of the Hindu faith. They Upanishads are not revealed truths but rather commentaries which explain the essence of divinely revealed knowledge. The Upanishads are found mostly in the concluding part of the brāhmanas and in the āranyakas. All Upanishads have been passed down in oral tradition. The essential teachings of the Upanishads are known as vedānta.

 

More than 200 Upanishads are known, of which the first dozen or so are the oldest and most important and are referred to as the principal or main (mukhya) Upanishads. Along with the Bhagavad Gita and the Brahma Sūtra, the Upanishads are known collectively as the Prasthāna-trayī. The main Upanishads provide a foundation for several later schools of Indian philosophy (vedānta), among them, two influential schools of Hinduism - dvaita and advaita.

 

Historians believe the chief Upanishads were composed over a wide period ranging from the Pre-Buddhist period to the early centuries of the Common Era. Minor Upanishads were still being composed in the medieval and early modern period. However, there has been considerable debate among authorities about the exact dating of individual Upanishads.

 

The Upanishads are amongst the most influential books ever written. Their significance has been recognised by many writers and scholars over the centuries.

 

Of the 108 Upanishads, this series has published 72 Upanishads in 12 volumes so far. The remaining 32 Upanishads shall be printed in 5 - 6 volumes by March 2018.