The Principal Upanishads (Divine Conversation) [Paperback]

Alan Jacobs (Author)

Book Description

Series: Divine Conversation | Publication Date: November 14, 2003

The author uses modern free verse to convey the essential meaning and poetry of the original text, providing a powerful new translation of these crucial works of self-understanding for a new century.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Alan Jacobs Chair of the Ramana Maharshi Foundation (UK). He is editor of Poetry of the Spirit, Reflections: An Anthology of Contemporary Mystical Verse, and his poetry is regularly published. He lives in London.

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Mantra Books (November 14, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1903816505
• ISBN-13: 978-1903816509
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,577,016 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars All there is is That, March 13, 2004

By 

Paula Marvelly (United Kingdom) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Principal Upanishads (Divine Conversation) (Paperback)

`Upanishads breathe throughout the sacred spirit of the Vedas!' wrote Arthur Schopenhauer, `How every line is full of sure, definite and harmonizing significance! How out of every page confront us deep, original, elevated thoughts, while a higher and highly sacred earnestness vibrates through the whole!'

Alan Jacobs has produced yet another literary masterpiece in his transcreation of the 'Principal Upanishads', which together with his 'Bhagavad Gita', aim to convey the nondualist teaching (Advaita Vedanta) of the ancient Indian scriptures as well as explore the author's own poetic expression.

There are over 200 Upanishads or `secret teachings' in existence however 12 of them have become universally acknowledged as the primary vehicles of the Divine revelation leading to Self-Realisation. And the 'Isa Upanishad' is traditionally placed at the beginning of the sequence, setting the tone and establishing the essential Truth that ultimately everything is as is should be:

All is perfect, so perfectly perfect!
Whatever being lives, moves
And breathes on Earth
At every level from atom
To galaxy is absolutely perfect in its place
Precise and choreographed,
Because `That' flows from the Glory of God,
The Lord,
The Self,
Consciousness . . .

Each Upanishad is supplemented with the author's own commentary, drawing on nondualist cross references to other writers and beliefs - Homer and Plato, Aurobindo and Schopenhauer, the teachings of Jesus and Ramana Maharshi.

The message of Advaita Vedanta has been gently flourishing in the West - Alan Jacob's 'Principal Upanishads' will only serve to illuminate further this blessed Truth:

That all there is is `That',
The I am-ness
Of consciousness, Reality, Love,
Self, Awareness,
I am `That'
`That' all there is is Brahman, God.
Sat, Chit, Ananda.