Shandilya Upanishad
Shandilya Upanishad | ||
---|---|---|
Veda Atharvaveda | | |
Chapters | 3[4] | |
Philosophy | Yoga, Vedanta[5] |
The Shandilya Upanishad (
The text is primarily focussed on
History
Some historical manuscripts of this Upanishad are titled as Śāṇḍilyopaniṣad (शाण्डिल्योपनिषद्).
Contents
Virtues of a Yogi
तत्राहिंसासत्यास्तेयब्रह्मचर्यदयाजप क्षमाधृतिमिताहारशौचानि चेति यमादश । तत्राहिंसा नाममनोवाक्कायकर्मभिः सर्वभूतेषु सर्वदा क्लेशजननम् । सत्यं नाममनोवाक्कायकर्मभिर्भूतहितयथार्थाभिभाषणम् । (...)
. Of these, Ahimsa is the not causing of any pain to any living being at any time through the actions of one's mind, speech or body. Satya is the speaking of truth that conduces to the well being of creatures, through the actions of one's mind, speech or body. (...)
Under Yamas are ten:
The Shandilya Upanishad is structured as three chapters with many sections in each chapter. The first chapter of the text deals with Ashtanga Yoga. It contains eleven sections.
- Yama
- Niyama
- Asana
- Pranayama : Nadis, Vayus and Kundalini
- Pranayama: Purification of Nadis
- Pranayama with Pranava
- Pranayama: Purification of Susumna and others
- Pratyahara
- Dharana
- Dhyana
- Samadhi
The other Chapters have a single section each.
The Second chapter is comparatively a smaller one and expounds the Brahma Vidya.
The Third Chapter talks about the nature and forms of Brahman: Sakala Brahman, Niskala Brahman and Sakala-Niskala Brahman.
Raman states that the first chapter is one of the most detailed Upanishadic treatises on various types of Yoga.[22] The last two chapters integrate the Vedanta philosophy, particularly the "nondual Nirguna Brahman as the ultimate self" concept of Hinduism, and asserts that there is oneness of Atman in all living beings, that everything is Brahman.[23][24]
Yoga practice
The Yoga techniques-related chapter 1, which is the largest part of this Upanishad, begins by asserting that to be an accomplished Yogin, one must possess self-restraint, introspectively delight in truth and in virtue towards self and towards others.[22] A successful Yogin is one who has conquered anger and is proficient in Yoga theory and practice.[22][25]
Yoga is best done in a peaceful pleasant place, states the Upanishad, such as near river banks or water bodies, temple, garden abounding with fruits, water falls, a place of silence or where Vedic hymns are being recited, frequented by fellow yoga practitioners and such, and there the Yogi should find a level place.[22][25][10] After settling into his posture, he should do breath exercises to cleanse his body, then meditate, states the text.[26][10]
The Upanishad elaborates on eight-fold or Ashtanga Yoga, without citing Patanjali.[citation needed] The Upanishad defines each Yamas and each Niyamas. For example, Ahimsa (virtue of non-violence) states the text is the Yamas of "not causing pain to any living being at any time either mentally, vocally, or physically".[27][20]
Section 1.3 of the text describes eight
The text is one of the four Upanishads which includes a discussion of Kundalini
Section 1.8 of Shandilya presents five kinds of
Vedanta
The ultimate goal of its teachings is the realization of the nature of one's Atman and its nonduality with Brahman (ultimate reality).[23][36][10] This is the "Shandilya doctrine", named after the Vedic sage after whom this text is titled, and who is credited in section 3.14 of the Chandogya Upanishad with the oldest known statement of the Vedanta foundation.[37] This doctrine, also repeated in the last two chapters of this text, is "the identity of Brahman with the Atman, of God with the soul", states Deussen.[37][23]
The closing sections of the text declare the Aum, Atman, Brahman, Shiva and Dattatreya to be one and the same.[38][39]
See also
References
- ISBN 978-0195124354, page 12
- ISBN 978-0192835765, pages xxxiv, xxxvi, 33, 72, 94, 124
- ^ a b c Ayyangar 1938, p. 448.
- ^ a b c d Larson & Bhattacharya 2008, p. 626.
- ^ Larson & Bhattacharya 2008, pp. 626–628.
- ^ Deussen 1997, p. 557.
- ^ Aiyar 1914, p. viii, 173.
- ^ Ayyangar 1938, p. vii.
- ^ a b c Aiyar 1914, p. 173.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Hattangadi 2000.
- ^ Ayyangar 1938, pp. 448–449.
- ^ Flood 1996, p. 96.
- ISBN 978-0877071761, page 110
- ISBN 978-1557782458, page 418
- ISBN 978-0791453063, page 95
- ^ Vedic Literature, Volume 1, A Descriptive Catalogue of the Sanskrit Manuscripts, p. PA562, at Google Books, Government of Tamil Nadu, Madras, India, pages 562–563
- ^ Deussen 1997, pp. 556–557.
- ^ OM Yoga. How To Regrow Lost Hairs. p. 51. GGKEY:E2C8GSJ0QYJ.
- ^ Daniélou 1991, p. 167.
- ^ a b Ayyangar 1938, pp. 449–450.
- ISBN 978-0091233402, pages 6–7
- ^ a b c d Larson & Bhattacharya 2008, pp. 626–627.
- ^ a b c Larson & Bhattacharya 2008, pp. 627–628.
- ^ Ayyangar 1938, pp. 484–490.
- ^ a b Aiyar 1914, pp. 178–179.
- ^ Aiyar 1914, pp. 178–182.
- ^ Smith-Christopher 2007, p. 62.
- ^ Ayyangar 1938, pp. 451–452.
- ^ Ayyangar 1938, p. 453.
- ^ Ayyangar 1938, pp. 449, 453, 460, 463.
- ^ Ayyangar 1938, pp. 467–468.
- ^ Booth 2014, p. 489.
- ^ Gopal2000, p. 37.
- ^ Ayyangar 1938, p. 482.
- ^ Ayyangar 1938, pp. 482–483.
- ^ Ayyangar 1938, pp. 448, 478, 483–487.
- ^ a b Deussen 1997, pp. 110–111 (see Volume 1).
- ^ Ayyangar 1938, pp. 488–491.
- ^ Larson & Bhattacharya 2008, p. 628.
- Bibliography
- Aiyar, Narayanasvami (1914). "Thirty minor Upanishads". Archive Organization. Retrieved 16 January 2016.
- Ayyangar, TR Srinivasa (1938). The Yoga Upanishads. The Adyar Library.
- Booth, Mark (2014). The Sacred History: How Angels, Mystics and Higher Intelligence Made Our World. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 978-1-4516-9856-5.
- ISBN 978-8120817067.
- Daniélou, Alain (1 August 1991). Yoga: Mastering the Secrets of Matter and the Universe. Inner Traditions / Bear & Co. ISBN 978-1-59477-734-9.
- ISBN 978-81-208-1467-7.
- Deussen, Paul (2010). The Philosophy of the Upanishads. Oxford University Press (Reprinted by Cosimo). ISBN 978-1-61640-239-6.
- ISBN 978-0521438780
- Frawley, David (7 October 2014). Vedic Yoga: The Path of the Rishi. Lotus Press. ISBN 978-0-940676-25-1.
- Gopal, T. V. (2000). Hrishikesa: Krishna – A Natural Evolution. Universal-Publishers. ISBN 978-1-58112-732-4.
- Hattangadi, Sunder (2000). "शाण्डिल्योपनिषत् (Shandilya Upanishad)" (PDF) (in Sanskrit). Retrieved 17 January 2016.
- Larson, Gerald James; Bhattacharya, Ram Shankar (2008). Yoga : India's Philosophy of Meditation. Motilal Banarsidass. ISBN 978-81-208-3349-4.
- Smith-Christopher, Daniel L. (2007). Subverting Hatred: The Challenge of Nonviolence in Religious Traditions. Orbis Books. ISBN 978-1-57075-747-1.