Summary of class from Oct 10, 2025 - Introduction to Upanishad

Summarized by : Rajesh

We started the class with answering the questions from last session.
One group covered the 5 koshas and everyone walked through an exercise which we visualized each kosha as we got subtler.
The other group covered the differences between Karma, Bhakti & Jnana yogas.
3 Main/key/important texts as per Shankaracharya - Bhagavad Gita, Upanishads  and Brahmasutra
10 major Upanishads that people have written a commentary/Bhashyam
There are perhaps 100-120 upanishads, out of which there are only 80-82 remaining.

Introduction
- Veda means Knowledge
- Veda has 3 sections
  • Mantra - extremely limited poems, prayers to the Lord
  • Rituals - vast section, materialistic aspect, performed for some results
  • Spiritual knowledge - mystic literature = Upanishad, which are beyond rituals = Veda Nathan (Jnana)
- Upanishad - Subjective Vedic Literature 
- Upanishad- literal meaning means sitting near & below a Guru with respect.  This is the way it can be truly understood
- Most Upanishads are a conversation between guru & shishyas
- Katho Upanishad belongs to Krishna Yajur Veda
- It consists of 2 chapters (ahyayas) each divided into 3 sections (vallis) that contain a total of 119 mantras
- Many mantras of Kathoposhinad have been repeated in the Bhagavad-Gita in verbatim or adapted form
Gurudev calls this text as a Post Graduate class

Introduction - why Upanishads
- Purusharthas - human goals (in a different context it also means free will)
- Purusharthas - Dharma, Artha, Kaama- goals of objective world
- Happiness is a universal pursuit
- Objective happiness is the result of objective Purusharthas
- Objects have 3 fold defects
  • Dukkha mishri tatvam- joy is mingled with sorrow (no perfect joy all the time)
  • Atruptikaratvam - unsatisfied and incompleteness
  • Bandha tatvam - binds or attaches, need for more
  • Wise people look for permanent / happiness
  • Is this even possible?
- Fourth Purushastra is defect free - Moksha
- The goal is inward looking
  • Like seeing your own eyes - not possible without mirror
  • Shastras are the mirror

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