Product Description

An “Upanisad” is a teaching session with a guru, and the thirteen texts of the “Principal Upanis.ads”—which comprise this volume—form a series of philosophical discourses between teacher and student that question the inner meaning of the world. Composed beginning around the eighth century bce, the Upanisads have been central to the development of Hinduism, exploring its central doctrines: rebirth, karma, overcoming death, and achieving detachment, equilibrium, and spiritual bliss. Speaking to the reader in direct, unadorned prose or lucid verse, the Upanisads collected here embody humanity’s perennial search for truth and knowledge. Valerie Roebuck’s powerful new translation blends accuracy with readability and retains the oral style of these stirring and profound philosophical explorations.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #57306 in Books
• Published on: 1965-11-30
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 144 pages

Amazon.com
The poetic backbone of Hinduism, the millennia-old Upanishads transcend time. The selections offered here illuminate a path that is as "narrow as the edge of a razor" but pregnant with freedom and bliss. Through vivid metaphors and timeless prose, learn how the path of yoga leads beyond the treacherous web of karma to the final, blissful union of the personal soul, atman, with the universal soul, Brahman.

Language Notes
Text: English (translation)

Card catalog description
Hindu philosophical classics.

Customer Reviews

Sublime
This is the only effective translation of the "Himalayas Of The Soul" I have met ; Mascaro's introduction is itself a work of poetry as well as an important and sensitive appreciation of the document he has translated.In his hands,this ancient profession of faith in God's "otherness" becomes at once immediate,while capturing its' authors' glimpse of the eternal.The total is sublime.

New Penguin Upanisads (Roebuck 2000/2003) Fall Short of Oxford in Every Way
After some Sanskrit studies years ago, I decided I'd like to read the principal Upanishads in an accurate (so not the laughably loose Mascaro version) but readable (so not the painfully literal and commentary-heavy tome of Radhakrishnan) English version. It soon became apparent that the choice was between Roebuck and Olivelle (Oxford World's Classics). The academic book reviews were quite ambivalent, so I got the two rivals out from the library and made my own comparison.

I was surprised to find the Oxford superior in every way. Most importantly, Olivelle's translation (while plenty literal) is simply in much more natural English. Roebuck is fond of unnatural word order. Her version includes many footnotes on each page, without which her text would sometimes make no sense; Olivelle manages to translate just as literally, but so that you don't NEED to consult his equally voluminous notes in the back. Looking at the Sanskrit text in cases of notable differences, I found that I was almost always more satisfied with Olivelle's version as scrupulously & clearly reflecting the original, too. (In any case, there's no question that Olivelle is the more authoritative scholar; Roebuck needs to cite several of his books in her bibliography and apologize for the "temerity" of offering a new version, but there is no important scholarly work of Roebuck's that Olivelle can cite in his extensive bibliography.)

Publishing is a business. Roebuck freely admits that she relied heavily on Olivelle's version in making her own. The surprise is that she did not manage to stand on his shoulders and make something better in any way. (The reviews and marketing blurbs that suggest Roebuck's version has any more "devotional" value boils down to some pretty superficial and unimportant differences, like including the invocations before and after each upanishad--which are in no sense a part of the actual text or teaching.) In a sane world, there is no need for this Penguin. The chronology is clear: Penguin realized Mascaro was an embarrassment in need of replacement; they contracted Roebuck; while she was working Olivelle's version came out, making hers otiose. Penguin can't let its Mascaro version be totally eclipsed by Oxford, so we have this choice to confuse us. Don't be confused--get the Oxford.

Finally, the Oxford volume is much better-designed. The notes are clearly indexed by page numbers at the top; the upanishads themselves have much clearer running head-numbers; the upanishads are usefully prefaced by a short, clear outline; etc.

Excellent Introduction
I have read almost 12 translations of the Upanishads,including many by Indian savants and monks....By far this is the best translation for a general reader...the introduction,running to 45 pages, is an excellent summary for the 'Spirit of Upanishad' which may be easily missed by a philosphy student of Upanisahds or vedanta..the author ties up with the visions of Christian saints--a very valuable account for the western readers----After all,Truth is One--sages describe them or talk about them in different ways---