Atma Upanishad
Atma | ||
---|---|---|
Veda Atharvaveda | | |
Chapters | 3[2] | |
Verses | 31 | |
Philosophy | Vedanta[3] |
The Atma Upanishad (
The Upanishad describes three types of Self (atman): the Bahya-atma or external self (body), the Antar-atma or inner self (individual soul) and the Param-atma or highest self (the Brahman, Purusha).[2][6] The text asserts that one must meditate, during Yoga, on the highest self as one's self that is partless, spotless, changeless, desireless, indescribable, all-penetrating.[7]
The text has also been referred to as Atmopanishad.
Structure
The Upanishad is a short text, structured as a mix of prose and verse poetry. It is presented as a sermon by the Vedic sage
Contents
The text opens with
The external or outer self, states the text is composed of the anatomical organs and parts to see, perceive, act, react and procreate. The outer Self is the physical body, it is born and it perishes.[10][1]
The internal self is what perceives the five
The highest Self is the one who is venerated by syllables of the
Commentary
The German Indologist Paul Deussen states the Atma Upanishad converts the "beautiful poetic" section on the Atman in the Chandogya Upanishad, into "most dry" scholastic description.[12] The Upanishad explains and references hymn fragments from ancient texts, including classical Upanishads. The description of Paramatman in this text is derived from the Chandogya Upanishad, the Shvetashvatara Upanishad, the Prashna Upanishad, the Bhagavad Gita,[1] the Katha Upanishad, the Dhyanabindu Upanishad, the Yogashikha Upanishad and the Maitrayaniya Upanishad.[12]
References
- ^ ISBN 978-1586380212, pages 280, 286-287, 375
- ^ a b c Deussen 1997, pp. 655–656.
- ^ a b Deussen 1997, p. 567.
- ^ Prasoon 2008, p. 82.
- ISBN 81-208-2086-X
- ^ Sharma, Shriram (2005). 108 Upanishads Part 1 (in Hindi). Mathura, U.P.: Yuga Nirman Yojna. pp. 36–40.
- ^ a b c d e Deussen 1997, p. 656.
- ^ Rajendralala Mitra, Notices of Sanskrit Manuscripts, Government of Bengal (1871), page 56
- ^ Deussen 1997, pp. 556–557.
- ^ a b c d Deussen 1997, p. 655.
- ^ a b c d e f g Hattangadi 2003.
- ^ a b Deussen 1997, pp. 655–6.
Bibliography
- Dalal, Roshen (October 2011). Hinduism: An Alphabetical Guide. Penguin Books India. ISBN 978-0-14-341421-6.
- Deussen, Paul (1 January 1997). Sixty Upanishads of the Veda. Motilal Banarsidass. ISBN 978-81-208-1467-7.
- Gajendragadkar, K. V. (1959). Neo-upanishadic Philosophy. Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan.
- Hattangadi, Sunder (2003). "आत्मोपनिषत् (Atma Upanishad)" (PDF) (in Sanskrit). Retrieved 19 January 2016.
- Prasoon, Prof.S.K. (1 January 2008). Indian Scriptures. Pustak Mahal. ISBN 978-81-223-1007-8.
- Weber, Albrecht (1677). History of Indian Literature. Trübner.
External links
- Atma Upanishad Archived 2016-03-05 at the Wayback Machine in Sanskrit