The Upanishads: Breath of the Eternal and over one million other books are available for Amazon Kindle. Learn more


or
Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering.
or
Amazon Prime Free Trial required. Sign up when you check out. Learn More
Sell Back Your Copy
For a $0.39 Gift Card
Trade in
More Buying Choices
Have one to sell? Sell yours here
The Upanishads: Breath of the Eternal
 
 
Share your own customer images
Search inside this book
Start reading The Upanishads: Breath of the Eternal on your Kindle in under a minute.

Don't have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here, or download a FREE Kindle Reading App.

The Upanishads: Breath of the Eternal [Mass Market Paperback]

Swami Prabhavanada (Translator), Frederick Manchester (Translator)
4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews) |
Price: $6.95 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details
  Special Offers Available
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
In Stock.
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. Gift-wrap available.
Only 17 left in stock--order soon (more on the way).
Want it delivered Friday, May 18? Choose One-Day Shipping at checkout. Details

Formats

 Amazon Price New from Used from
Kindle Edition $6.36   -- --
Hardcover --   -- --
Paperback $9.95   -- --
Mass Market Paperback $6.95   -- --

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 2002
The Wisdom of the Hindu Mystics

The principal texts selected and translated from the original Sanskrit, Upanishad means "sitting near devotedly", which conjures images of the contemplating student listening with rapt attention to the teachings of a spiritual master. These are widely considered to be philosophical and spiritual meditations of the highest order.

Special Offers and Product Promotions

  • This item is eligible for our 4-for-3 promotion. Eligible products include select Books and Home & Garden items. Buy any 4 eligible items and get the lowest-priced item free. Here's how (restrictions apply)

Frequently Bought Together

The Upanishads: Breath of the Eternal + Bhagavad-Gita: The Song of God + How to Know God: The Yoga Aphorisms of Patanjali
Price For All Three: $24.85

Show availability and shipping details

Buy the selected items together

  • In Stock.
    Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
    Eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details

  • Bhagavad-Gita: The Song of God by Swami Prabhavananda Mass Market Paperback $6.95

    In Stock.
    Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
    Eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details

  • How to Know God: The Yoga Aphorisms of Patanjali by Swami Prabhavananda Paperback $10.95

    In Stock.
    Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
    Eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details

Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

Editorial Reviews

Review

Captures the sense, beauty and spirit of the original. --Books for Inner Development --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

About the Author

Swami Prabhavananda was the founder of the Vedanta Society of Southern California and is best known for his many translations of the Hindu/Vedanta classics including:How to Know God: The Yoga Aphorisms of Patanjali,The Bhagavad Gita: The Song of God, Shankara's Crest Jewel of Discrimination, and Narada's Way of Divine Love: The Bhakti Sutras --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

  • Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  • Mass Market Paperback: 160 pages
  • Publisher: Signet Classics (August 1, 2002)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0451528484
  • ISBN-13: 978-0451528483
  • Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.2 x 0.7 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 1.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #136,935 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

    •  Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?

More About the Author

› Visit Amazon's Swami Prabhavananda Page
Swami Prabhavananda
Swami Prabhavananda was one of the pioneer swamis sent to America by the direct disciples of Ramakrishna to build on the work started by Swami Vivekananda at the turn of the century.

The swami was born in India on December 26, 1893. In 1914, after graduating from Calcutta University, he joined the Ramakrishna Order of India and was initiated by Swami Brahmananda, a direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna.

In 1923, Swami Prabhavananda came to the United States. After two years as assistant minister of the Vedanta Society of San Francisco, he established the Vedanta Society of Portland. In December 1929, he came to Los Angeles where he founded the Vedanta Society of Southern California the following year.

Under the able care of the swami, the Society grew into one of the largest Vedanta Societies in the West, with monasteries in Hollywood and Trabuco Canyon and convents in Hollywood and Santa Barbara.

Swami Prabhavananda was a man of letters as well as a man of God. He wrote and translated a number of books with the object of making the spiritual classics of India available and understandable to Western readers. He was assisted on several of the projects by Christopher Isherwood or Frederick Manchester. His comprehensive knowledge of philosophy and religion attracted such disciples as Aldous Huxley and Gerald Heard. His publications, which include the Bhagavad-Gita, The Upanishads, Breath of the Eternal, How to Know God: The Yoga Aphorisms of Pantanjali, The Eternal Companion, and The Sermon on the Mount According to Vedanta, continue to this day to capture interest and draw people to the Vedanta philosophy.

Swami Prabhavananda passed away on the bicentennial of America's independence, July 4th 1976, fitting for one who gave so much of his life to this country.

Customer Reviews

3 star
0
2 star
0
1 star
0
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
110 of 111 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Mass Market Paperback
Years ago I picked up a translation of the Upanishads because I wanted to understand Vedanta. I read that translation and struggled through it. It wasn't particularly interesting and was often confusing. The commentaries were long, painful and boring. I felt disappointed. I thought the Upanishads and the Great Vedanta would be more powerful than this. I pursued other teachings.

A few months ago I saw this little book and picked it up out of curiosity for some reason. I don't know why. I already had another copy of the Upanishads and didn't really care for it. But this little book hit me with much greater force. It was so significant. Yes the self, of course, yes..the self is one...The reading was so clear and powerful. I bought it immediately, brought it home, and compared it with the other translation. It's the translation that was the difference. It wasn't that I had suddenly matured and was now ready to hear this teaching because the other translation is still confusing to me. Not all translations are the same. What had been confusing to understand before, now became clear. Even if you don't agree with me that this translation is a good one, seek out various translations of the Upanishads and see which one is the clearest for you. Now, I truly believe the Upanishads are one of the most significant teachings this "World" has ever known. This translation has no commentary. It is so clear you don't need a commentary. It's also cheap and handy. With sacred texts from the past it pays to check out various translations and even formats for ease of reading and understanding.

Comment | 
Was this review helpful to you?
65 of 68 people found the following review helpful
Format:Mass Market Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
_If you have ever been intimidated by the multi-volume scholarly translations of the Upanishads, then this book is for you. I still marvel at how Prabhavananda and Manchester managed to encapsulate so much of the core content and meaning of the twelve principle Upanishads in such a slim volume. Yet they did- and it works. This translation was originally produced in 1948 for the Vedanta Society of Southern California but it still holds up as one of the best. I have reread this book more times than I can remember- and yet I still reach new realizations in the interwoven, holographic whole. It isn't dogma or theology- it is the direct experience of saints and seers who have touched on divine union transcendent of time.

_Of course if you truly understand these oldest of mystical scriptures then you could condense them down still further to:

Brahman is true, the world is false,

The soul is Brahman and nothing else.

_Or if that is a bit wordy for you, then you can sum up the Upanishads, and all the Vedas, with: "Tat tvam asi" (Thou art that.)

_Most people need to work up to the true understanding of these statements with a bit more commentary, however....
Was this review helpful to you?
38 of 39 people found the following review helpful
Format:Mass Market Paperback
The term Upanishad has been translated in many ways, "sitting near devotedly", "secret teachings", and the more elaborate, "knowledge of God." It is the knowledge of God that truly captures the essence of the Upanishads.

The 7th century scholar, Shankara, describes the Upanishads as "the knowledge of Brahman, the knowledge that destroys the bond of ignorance and leads to the supreme goal of freedom." Each Upanishad illustrates the path towards discovering this inner knowledge, thus achieving escape from samsara, or this world of suffering.

This translation contains the twelve standard Upanishads, including one of the most famous, the Brihad-aranyaka, which is the oldest and largest of these ancient scriptures.
This work embodies the mystical and esoteric aspects of ancient Hindu philosophy, and serves as an interesting and enlightening guide to knowledge of Self.

Was this review helpful to you?
Most Recent Customer Reviews
flawless!
Came as described! Brand new, no wear or tear on any area of the book. I also received the book in no time! Thanks! :)
Published 7 months ago by B. Goetz
Powerful, timeless; amazing translation.
This was my first introduction to the Upanishads, but it is still my favorite years later. I have bought several copies of this version, because I keep giving them away to people. Read more
Published 16 months ago by Nicholas J. Hytinen
Poetry in motion
I can see the roots of the Tree of Life within the text of this book. There is so much knowledge expressed in a most honest way, much like a poem, written with love and respect. Read more
Published 21 months ago by Phebbie
most important
this is an excellent translation of the upanishads.its easy to understand if you are a meditator or even if you are just a seeker of truth. Read more
Published on March 6, 2010 by naturelover
A magical translation and the finest possible entry into the...
THE UPANISHADS - Breath of the Eternal. Translated by Swami Prabhavananda and Frederick Manchester. New York: Signet Classics, 2002 (1948). Paperback, 128 pages. Read more
Published on February 6, 2010 by tepi
Good Source on Hinduism, but Don't End Here
The Upanishads illuminated that the Self (Atman) is connected to the all-pervasive Brahman, and that to realize the Self and the connection to Brahman is to attain Enlightenment... Read more
Published on September 24, 2008 by Will Jerom
My favorite - the most beautiful sacred text I've ever read
I was talking to my brother-in-law's father about favorite spiritual books. He's been a dedicated meditator for decades. Read more
Published on January 28, 2008 by Pete Russell
The Advaita Vedanta "Textbook"
The Upanishads holds the core teachings of Advaita Vedanta - Brahman is all there is. It is a good book to be read by any serious seeker - along with Nisargadatta. Read more
Published on September 18, 2007 by Randall Friend
Reality
The Atman is the Soul. It is our real Self, God residing within us. We are to submerge the ego, and discover the Atman (Self). Read more
Published on January 15, 2005 by Frank DeFelice
Good
I used to think that for reason Upanishads were huge texts, but author explained that upanishads are found in the end of vedas. It is beauty piece of work. Read more
Published on September 12, 2004 by JayFromLA
Search Customer Reviews
Only search this product's reviews
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Search Inside This Book:
Inside This Book (learn more)
First Sentence:
ON A CERTAIN OCCASION Vajasrabasa, hoping for divine favor, performed a rite which required that he should give away all his possessions. Read the first page
Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
honey for all beings, subtler than the subtlest, intellectual sheath, vital sheath, revered sir, physical sheath, mental sheath, universal person, less joy, subtle essence, primal energy
Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Inner Ruler, Ajatasatru Nay, King of Death, King Janaka, May Brahman, Supreme Being, Brahman Supreme, Inner Reality, Satyakama Jabala, Yagnavalkya Ask
New!
Books on Related Topics | Concordance | Text Stats
Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Search Inside This Book:

Books on Related Topics (learn more)
 
 

What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?

› Explore similar items

Tags Customers Associate with This Product

 (What's this?)
Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
 
(10)
(9)
(8)
(8)
(6)
(4)
(4)
(3)
(3)
(2)
Agree with these tags?
See all 22 tags...

Your tags: Add your first tag
 
See most popular tags

Customer Discussions

This product's forum
Discussion Replies Latest Post
No discussions yet

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
 


Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
Search all Amazon discussions
   
Related forums


Look for Similar Items by Category

Look for Similar Items by Subject

Search Books by subject:












i.e., each book must be in subject 1 AND subject 2 AND ...