The Upanishads--I : Isha Upanishad

by Sri Aurobindo

The Upanishads has now been expanded and brought out in two volumes, with much new material published for the first time in book form.

The single volume The Upanishads has been discontinued, with all its content included in the two new volumes, each available as an independent book.

"The Isha Upanishad is the gospel of a divine life in the world and a statement of the conditions under which it is possible and the spirit of its living," writes Sri Aurobindo in one of the commentaries that make up this book. He had a special interest in this Upanishad, and translated and commented on it a number of times before presenting his final interpretation in a terse, 75-page analysis.

In the present volume that final translation and analysis are followed by ten earlier commentaries, also containing much of interest.

All of them help us understand "the object of our existence, which is to manifest … the glory of the divine Life and the divine Being".

About the Author:

Sri Aurobindo was an Indian/Hindu nationalist, scholar, poet, mystic, evolutionary philosopher, yogi and guru. After a short political career in which he became one of leaders of the early movement for the freedom of India from British rule, Sri Aurobindo turned to the development and practice of a new spiritual path which he called the "integral yoga," the aim of which was to further the evolution of life on earth by establishing a high level of spiritual consciousness which he called the Supermind that would represent a divine life.

Sri Aurobindo wrote prolifically in English on his spiritual philosophy and practice, on social and political development, on Indian culture including extensive commentaries and translations of ancient Indian scriptures, on literature and poetry including the writing of much spiritual poetry.