The Wisdom Of The Upanishats

This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the original. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions that are true to the original work. Little need be said in sending out this booklet to the world. It is an attempt, a very humble attempt, to draw a few drops from the ancient wells of Aryan wisdom, and to offer them to quench the thirst of weary souls, travelling through the desert, seeking for Truth. The Upani§hats are unique in the sacred literature of the world. They stand alone as beacon-lights on mountain peak, showing how high man may climb, how much of the Light of the Self may shine out through the vessel of clay, how truly God may speak through man. To speak on them, to write on them, seems presumption for such a one as myself, and yet it may be that help will come to some of my brethren even in this way. The translations are my own, but will, I think, be found as accurate, though less wooden, than those known in the West One word I have deliberately left untranslated - tapas. There is no one English word which expresses its meaning; the various translations given: austerity, penance, asceticism, devotion-all are in it, but it is more than all of these. It is from the root tap, burn. Heat s in it, burning force, all-consuming. The fire of thought is in it, the fire which creates. The fire of desire is in it, the fire which devours. It may be defined as " a sustained strenuous physical activity, sternly controlled and directed by the will to a given end, and dominated by concentrated thought " By tapas Brahm created worlds; by tapas Vishnu won his lofty rank; by tapas Maha- deva became the Jagat-Guru. By tapas every Rishis won his superhuman powers, and forced boons from the hands of even unwilling Jevas. So I have kept the word in its original form, and it will gradually become part of the theosophical vocubulary, as karma and dharma are already. So let the little book go forth on its mission, and win some to the study of its source. - Annie Besant.