The Principal Upanishads

by Alan Jacobs

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.

Genres: Religion, Spirituality, Philosophy, Nonfiction

Paperback

First published November 14, 2003

About the author

Alan Jacobs (Alan^^Jacobs) was born in 1929 in London. From an early age, he has been interested in religion and mysticism. He commenced a personal search for truth, and studied comparative religion. He then entered the Gurdjieff Society in 1957 and remained there until the early seventies. He then met Jiddu Krishnamurti, and studied his teachings until 1979.

Next, he discovered Ramana Maharshi and became familiar with his extensive literature and spiritual practice. He is currently President of the Ramana Maharshi Foundation, UK.

Alan's first book was 'Dutch And Flemish 17th C Painters: A Collectors Guide for McGraw Hill'. He then compiled an anthology, 'Poetry For The Spirit', published by Watkins Publishing and Barnes & Noble.

As a poet he has versified for O Books 'The Bhagavad Gita', 'The Principal Upanishads' and 'The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius', as well as compiling a major prose anthology, 'The Ocean Of Wisdom'. For Watkins Publishing, he edited 'Ramana, Shankara and the Forty Verses', versified 'The Essential Gnostic Gospels' and compiled an anthology, 'The Wisdom of Ramesh Balsekar'.

XLibris have published a volume of his own poetry, 'Myrobalan of The Magi', and a history of London from a spiritual perspective, 'Mysterious London'. He has recently completed an anthology, 'The Wisdom of the Native American Indians', 'Plato's Republic: An Abridgemnent and Modernisation' and 'When Jesus Lived In India', all for Watkins Publishing.

His latest book, published by O Books, is a Utopian novella exploring up-to-now undiscovered land of the legendry Emperor Prestor John, found in Ethiopia, founded on Gnostic principles: 'Eutopia: The Gnostic Land of Prestor John' describes their direct path to Self-realization.

Reviews

[Nini · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a beautiful translation of this text. I got so much more out of this than the academic Penguin translation that failed to do justice to the layers of depth offered by Sanskrit only to practiced students of the language. Until reading this I think I had a really uninformed view of Hinduism as a result of Western reductions. I’ve come to learn it is a much more grounded philosophy and spiritual way of life than I had realised. It emphasises oneness, and turning inwards to find “God” rather than outwards. But by “God” we’re not expected to worship an individual being with doctrines and commandments. Here, “God” is a pure life force, something that flows through every living creature. I suppose, in a similar vein to the stoic argument, this means that nothing can cause you harm except yourself / your own perception. After all, you are one with the thing that you believe to have caused you harm. A very interesting idea.

[A V · Rating 4 out of 5]

Generally, this work offers many inspiring texts. The commentary of the author is focused on more on the ´spiritual´ side of things, explaining the motive for the introduction of symbols, adding some concise commentary from spiritual leaders, and generally adding some context and definition for the general readership. There were points were the commentary was slightly off-putting (for instance, when quantum physicists were drawn into the range of evidence to explain that the Self is Reality, which I find, at the very least, hard to believe (not the theological viewpoint mind you, but the fact that quantum physicists underwrite such conclusions)).

These Upanishads, as a whole, are quite inspiring on a practical and spiritual level. I discovered many pearls of wisdom, for which I am thankful. Temperamentally (and that is why the text, together with the point made in the paragraph above, have been given four stars (with somewhat of a sore heart and reticence!), I find the spiritual side extremely pleasing, but the clear primitive biology (clay-footed naturalism) which sometimes comes forth (the numerical categorization of the senses for instance) detracts from the powerful 'human' (extra-human?) message of truth.

However, in my arrogance I would see it as a call for modern man to synthesize modern biological truth with the moral and spiritual truths underlying these Upanishads.

Oh yes, and the passages concerning Vedic ritual have been largely removed through editorial choice. Personally, I would've rather made my own conclusions on these parts of the texts.

Conclusion: recommended for those seeking personal, moral and/or spiritual development. Not for those who may get bogged down too much in naturalistic inaccuracy.

[Blaze-Pascal · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this up because I read about it from Freud who mentions it in Beyond the Pleasure Principle. I was blown away. This translation, and the verses are wonderful. It makes me think that all that I am getting from reading Lacan, Freud, Hegel, Parmenides or any other form of philosophy and continental philosophy, is just a way of retouching on the same thing, which Hegel would suggest is the dialectic of Spirit. And to think that all this knowledge is much more ancient than even the Greeks. And yet, humans, living their short ego centric lives, need to relearn these truths again and again.

[Erjon 7 · Rating 5 out of 5]

God is the destination

[Moriah Lavey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very powerful, artful translation and delightfully deep.

[Rah~ri]

Aww jeez.
This books has been kicking around in my life all my life, lol?
Had read parts and pieces in so many versions and references?
A friend had just got this and made the mistake of leaving it next to me.
How many so called "holy/spiritual" books had I read in the past,
lot's with the Meat of them taken almost directly from the Upanishads???
Shoot, how'd I skip this? Had never even attempted to read it through,
Not any version? What's up with that??? Just one of those things that
because it's been around it just got ignored. How weird?
Started reading this one that sat by me, liked the introduction,
then my buddy came and picked it back up and walked off with it.
Found myself thinking about it for the next two weeks
before I finely went and bought a copy!
Have only just reread the intro but am really looking forward to
diving into it when i get the time!
Goal is to simply read it through and see? Think it will be fun :)

This is a great little copy,too, i think?

[Bad Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

the upanishads are a must-read for the dedicated spiritual seeker. the depth of understanding the ancient vedics acheived is mind-numbing.

this translation is rather stilted with politically correct double pronouns, which makes it cumbersome to read at times.

can we please get over this PC BS already? it's especially sad when approaching literature that promotes detachment that the translator is attached to perceptions of exclusion; but in this day and age, i guess i should give him credit for not abusing plural pronouns.

[ds white · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is more to learn in this book than 90% of what is found in any bookstore,library,or museum in the world, but it sits quietly on a multiple shelves collecting dust rather that interest. SAD!!!!

[Dinesh Balachandran · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was a pleasant surprise. wish the people screaming about Hinduism take the time to read what Vedas are about.