Ten Upanishads - Part 2

[Dr.S.Ramanathan]

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Ten Upanishads - Part 2​

Over a period of time, the vedas spread out into innumerable branches (sakhas), depending upon which Rishi was practicing and teaching it and in which part of the country. There have been some minor variations in the Samhita and Brahmana part of them but the Upanishad parts have been remarkably well preserved. More than 1180 sakhas or branches are believed to have existed. In many cases, the rituals part (samhita) had disappeared but the upanishad part preserved. In other words, we seem to have deserted the stoves in many cases, but preserved the cooked food remarkably well, a nice process of refrigeration and freezing, known as 'Mananam'; go on repeatedly telling and getting it by heart, with the Raga, tala, etc.About two centuries back, a Sanyasi in Kancheepuram, has written Baashyam (commentary) to 108 Upanishads. Adisankara has chosen ten upanishads as important, covering a wide spectrum of knowledge and written commentaries on them based on Advaita philosophy. Ramanujacharya and Maadhwacharya have also written their commentaries on the same ten upanishads, according to their own respective philosophies.These ten Upanishads are :1) Isavasya Upanishad2) Keno Upanishad3) Kato Upanishad4) Prasna Upanishad5) Mundako Upanishad6) Mandukya Upanishad7) Titri (Taitriya) Upanishad8) Aitareya Upanishad9) Chandogya Upanishad10) Bruhadaaranyaka Upanishad
The 1180 sakhas or branches mentioned earlier is supposed to be mentioned in vishnu Puranam. According to another account, there are supposed to be 1133 branches of the vedas as given below.Rig Veda - 21 branches.Yajur Veda - 101 branchesSama Veda - 1000 branchesAtharva Veda - 11 branches_____________________________1133 branches.
The saint who classified the vedas into 4 parts is known as Vyasa. Vyasa means essay or composition and hence the name 'Veda Vyasa' got stuck to the sage, whose real name was Krishna, and because he was born on an island, he was called Krishnadwaipayana (Black man born on an island)Over the last few millenia, most of the sakhas have been lost and what we have now are only very few.Rig Veda - 1 branch, occurring in the Aithareya Upanishad.Sukla Yajurveda - 2 (out of 15). Kaanva Sakha in Maharashtra and Maadhyaandina Sakha in many parts of North India.Krishna Yajur Veda - 1 only (out of 94). Taithreeyam - most common in south India.Sama Veda - 3 only (out of 1000). Talavakara Sakha in Tamil Nadu, Raanaayaneeya Sakha in Maharashtra, Gautama Sakha in Kerala, Gujarat and a few other places.Atharvana Veda - 1 only. Saunaka Sakha, in a rare occurrence in Gujarat near Signor. Among the Brahmanas, similarly, only the following are currently available. Sukla Yajurveda - Satapada Brahmanam. this is a common reference book common to all the vedas. Brhuadaaranyakam serves as Aranyakam and Upanishad for the Sukla Yajur veda.Krishna Yajurveda - Brahmanam, Aranyakam and Upanishad are all in Taitreeyam only.Sama Veda - There are seven or eight Brahmanas like Dandya Brahmanam, Arsheya Brahmanam, Devadadhya Brahmanam, Samhitopanishad Brahmanam, Vamsa Brahmanam, etc.Atharva Veda - Only one Brahmanam called Gopatha Brahmanam.The ten popular upanishads occur in the different Vedas as mentioned below.1) Isavasya Upanishad - in Sukla Yajur Veda, at the end of the Samhitai itself.2) Kenopanishad - in Sama Veda, in Jaimini Sakha, Talavakaara Brahmana3) Katopanishad - in Krishna Yajur Veda, Kata Sakha. This is widely quoted in Geeta.4) Prasnopanishad5) Mundakopanishad6) MaandukyaupanishadAll these three occur in Atharva Veda.7) Taitreeya Upanishad - in Krishna Yajur Veda, Taitreeya Aranyakam. Because of its maximum usage and popularity, the Samhitai, Brahmanam, Aranyakam occuring in the Taitreeya Sakha, have all been called by the name Taitreeyam only.8. Aithareya Upanishad - in Rig Veda, Aithareya Aranyakam9) Chandogya upanishad - in Sama Veda, Chandogya Brahmanam. This is widely quoted in Brahma Sutram.10) Bruhadaranya Upanishad - in Sukla Yajur Veda as a complete Aranyakam. There are two branches in this. One is called Maadhyandina and the other Kanva Sakha. Adi Sankara has written his commentary only for the Kanva Sakha.Both Chandogya Upanishad and Bruhadaranyaka Upanishad are very big, bigger than the rest of the eight put together.These have been quoted in some detail to drive home the point about what we are left with, when compared to original Vedas, and our duty to hand over at least what is available to us, to the succeeding generations.We have inherited the earth and its environment not for our consumption, but to be preserved and handed over to our children. Similarly, we have inherited the Vedas, not to be extinguished, but to be preserved and handed over to our children, in all possible ways.We shall see in the future articles, some of the frequent quotes from the Vedas and what they mean.

 

[renuka]

Dear Dr Ramanathan Ji,

I would be grateful if you could kindly type with some spacing.

It is really hard to read the post which has hardly any spacing...it strains the eyes.

 

[Dr.S.Ramanathan]

I am sorry for the inconvenience. I am not able to edit this post. I shall try to repost this as another new thread, after editing. Regrets once again,
Regards,
Ramanathan.

 

[mskmoorthy]

Reposting Dr. Ramanthan's article with spacing - Hope every one can benefit from Dr. Ramanthan's concise summary.
​

Ten Upanishads - Part 2
​

Over a period of time, the vedas spread out into innumerable branches (sakhas), depending upon which Rishi was practicing and teaching it and in which part of the country. There have been some minor variations in the Samhita and Brahmana part of them but the Upanishad parts have been remarkably well preserved.

More than 1180 sakhas or branches are believed to have existed. In many cases, the rituals part (samhita) had disappeared but the upanishad part preserved. In other words, we seem to have deserted the stoves in many cases, but preserved the cooked food remarkably well, a nice process of refrigeration and freezing, known as 'Mananam'; go on repeatedly telling and getting it by heart, with the Raga, tala, etc.About two centuries back, a Sanyasi in Kancheepuram, has written Baashyam (commentary) to 108 Upanishads.

Adisankara has chosen ten upanishads as important, covering a wide spectrum of knowledge and written commentaries on them based on Advaita philosophy. Ramanujacharya and Maadhwacharya have also written their commentaries on the same ten upanishads, according to their own respective philosophies.

These ten Upanishads are :

1) Isavasya Upanishad

2) Keno Upanishad

3) Kato Upanishad

4) Prasna Upanishad

5) Mundako Upanishad

6) Mandukya Upanishad

7) Titri (Taitriya) Upanishad

8) Aitareya Upanishad

9) Chandogya Upanishad

10) Bruhadaaranyaka Upanishad

The 1180 sakhas or branches mentioned earlier is supposed to be mentioned in vishnu Puranam.

According to another account, there are supposed to be 1133 branches of the vedas as given below.

Rig Veda - 21 branches.

Yajur Veda - 101 branches

Sama Veda - 1000 branches
Atharva Veda - 11 branches
__________________________
Total -1133 branches.

The saint who classified the vedas into 4 parts is known as Vyasa.

Vyasa means essay or composition and hence the name 'Veda Vyasa' got stuck to the sage, whose real name was Krishna, and because he was born on an island, he was called Krishnadwaipayana (Black man born on an island)

Over the last few millenia, most of the sakhas have been lost and what we have now are only very few.

Rig Veda - 1 branch, occurring in the Aithareya Upanishad.

Sukla Yajurveda - 2 (out of 15). Kaanva Sakha in Maharashtra and Maadhyaandina Sakha in many parts of North India.

Krishna Yajur Veda - 1 only (out of 94). Taithreeyam - most common in south India.

Sama Veda - 3 only (out of 1000). Talavakara Sakha in Tamil Nadu, Raanaayaneeya Sakha in Maharashtra, Gautama Sakha in Kerala, Gujarat and a few other places.

Atharvana Veda - 1 only. Saunaka Sakha, in a rare occurrence in Gujarat near Signor.

Among the Brahmanas, similarly, only the following are currently available.

Sukla Yajurveda - Satapada Brahmanam. this is a common reference book common to all the vedas. Brhuadaaranyakam serves as Aranyakam and Upanishad for the Sukla Yajur veda.

Krishna Yajurveda - Brahmanam, Aranyakam and Upanishad are all in Taitreeyam only.

Sama Veda - There are seven or eight Brahmanas like Dandya Brahmanam, Arsheya Brahmanam, Devadadhya Brahmanam, Samhitopanishad Brahmanam, Vamsa Brahmanam, etc.

Atharva Veda - Only one Brahmanam called Gopatha Brahmanam.

The ten popular upanishads occur in the different Vedas as mentioned below.

1) Isavasya Upanishad - in Sukla Yajur Veda, at the end of the Samhitai itself.

2) Kenopanishad - in Sama Veda, in Jaimini Sakha, Talavakaara Brahmana

3) Katopanishad - in Krishna Yajur Veda, Kata Sakha. This is widely quoted in Geeta.

4) Prasnopanishad

5) Mundakopanishad

6) Maandukyaupanishad All these three (4,5 and 6) occur in Atharva Veda.

7) Taitreeya Upanishad - in Krishna Yajur Veda, Taitreeya Aranyakam. Because of its maximum usage and popularity, the Samhitai, Brahmanam, Aranyakam occuring in the Taitreeya Sakha, have all been called by the name Taitreeyam only.

8) Aithareya Upanishad - in Rig Veda, Aithareya Aranyakam

9) Chandogya upanishad - in Sama Veda, Chandogya Brahmanam. This is widely quoted in Brahma Sutram.

10) Bruhadaranya Upanishad - in Sukla Yajur Veda as a complete Aranyakam.
There are two branches in this. One is called Maadhyandina and the other Kanva Sakha.

Adi Sankara has written his commentary only for the Kanva Sakha.Both Chandogya Upanishad and Bruhadaranyaka Upanishad are very big, bigger than the rest of the eight put together.These have been quoted in some detail to drive home the point about what we are left with, when compared to original Vedas, and our duty to hand over at least what is available to us, to the succeeding generations.We have inherited the earth and its environment not for our consumption, but to be preserved and handed over to our children. Similarly, we have inherited the Vedas, not to be extinguished, but to be preserved and handed over to our children, in all possible ways.We shall see in the future articles, some of the frequent quotes from the Vedas and what they mean.

 

[Dr.S.Ramanathan]

Thank you so much, Mr MSK Moorthy. I am so grateful to you for taking the trouble to format this.

Regards,

Ramanathan