Book Review- From The Hindu- Upanishad Commentary- BRIHADARANYAKA Upanishad

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Upanishad commentary

http://www.hindu.com/br/2004/12/07/stories/2004120700121600.htm

 

PRINCIPAL UPANISHADS — Volume III: N. S. Anantha

Rangacharya; 780, V Main Road, Vijayanagar,

Bangalore-560040. Rs. 250.

THE BRIHADARANYAKA Upanishad is one of the larger

Upanishads. It is a part of the Satapatha Brahmana (in

the Kanva recension) of the Sukla Yajurveda. It is

generally regarded as composed of six chapters. It is

a mine of Mantras and it is related to forest life.

Hence the name. It has a great impact on the Brahma

Sutras.

 

This particular Upanishad is of special significance

for Visishtadvaita philosophy as it expounds the

concept of the Supreme Soul residing in every one and

acting as the inner ruler. An interesting homily is

administered by Sage Yajnavalkya to his wife Maitreyi

that a man becomes dear to his wife and vice versa,

not because he or she is worthy of it.

There is an excellent homily that is very relevant

today; a man might have reached the acme of learning

and wisdom and even glory on that score. Nevertheless,

he should behave as an urchin of innocence.

 

Granting that it is one of the less esoteric of the

Upanishads, the author has to present a translation

and commentary that would make some sense to the

modern reader. One has to necessarily recall what Sri

Aurobindo had to say (in the 1950s) regarding Max

Mueller's rather unkind comment on these sacred books

(that there was much not only meaningless, artificial,

and silly, but even hideous and repellent). The

problem arises only when the interpreter depends

purely on his linguistic mastery. Such a scholar

merely feels the language but then misses the spirit.

 

In this book, however, the Upanishad has a commentary

of a great scholar, Rangaramanuja Muni of 17th Century

A.D. His commentary has been rendered into English

with comments by the present author. Incidentally,

this Acharya's commentary on the Upanishad is possibly

the only one ever available in Ramanuja's school.

Hence, he is sometimes referred to as the "Upanishad

Bhashyakara".

 

The book assumes particular importance, being an

excellent English version of an authentic presentation

of the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad. The author has been

doing monumental service by bringing out our ancient

classics.

 

The admiration and the appreciation of all discerning

students of Indian philosophy for his work ought to

turn into a massive support and encouragement for his

future endeavours in this direction.

V. N. VEDANTA DESIKAN

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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