-02_Publishers' Note PUBLISHERS' NOTE Among the Notes and manuscripts of Sri Aurobindo was found a sheaf of papers the cover page bearing the legend: THE UPNISHADS RENDERED INTO SIMPLE AND RHYTHMIC ENGLISH. (COMPRISING SIX UPANISHADS NAMELY THE ISHA, KENA, KATHA, MUNDAKA, PRASHNA AND MANDUKYA). Svalpamapyasya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt BHAGAVADGITA EVEN A LITTLE OF THIS LAW DELIVERETH ONE OUT OF GREAT FEAR. * *  * QUAL CH'ELLA PAR QUAND UN POCO SORRIDE, NON SI PUO DlCER NE TENER A MENTE, SI E NOVO MIRACOLO GENTILE DANTE WHAT SHE APPEARS WHEN SHE SMILES A LITTLE, CANNOT BE SPOKEN OF, NEITHER CAN THE MIND LAY HOLD ON IT, IT IS SO SWE

ON TRANSLATING THE UPANISHADS This translation of a few of the simpler and more exoteric Upanishads to be followed by other sacred and philosophical writings of the Hindus not included in the Revealed Scriptures, all under the one title of the Book of God, has been effected on one definite and unvarying principle, to present to England and through England to Europe the religious message of India only in those parts of her written thought which the West is fit to hear and to present these in such a form as should be attractive and suggestive to the Occidental intellect. The first branch of this principle necessitated a rigid selection on definite lines, the second dic

    AITEREYA UPANISHAD     Page-228 AITEREYA UPANISHAD CHAPTER I : SECTION I 1. Hari OM. In the beginning the Spirit was One and all this' (universe) was the Spirit; there was nought else moving1. The Spirit thought, "Lo, I will make me worlds from out my being." 2. These were the worlds he made; Ambhah, of the ethereal waters, Maricih, of light, Mara, of death and mortal things, Apah, of the lower waters. Beyond the shining firmament are the ethereal waters and the firmament is their base and resting-place; Space is the world of light; the earth is the world mortal; and below the earth are the lower waters. 3. The Sp

    KATHA UPANISHAD       Page-36 THE KATHA UPANISHAD THE FIRST CYCLE : FIRST CHAPTER 1. Vajasravasa, desiring, gave all he had. Now Vajasravasa had a son named Nachiketas. 2. As the gifts were led past, faith took possession of him who was yet a boy unwed and he pondered: 3. "Cattle that have drunk their water, eaten their grass, yielded their milk, worn out their organs, of undelight are the worlds which he reaches who gives such as these." 4. He said to his father, "Me, O my father, to whom wilt thou give?"- A second time and a third he said it, and he replied, "To Death I give thee." 5. "Among many I walk

  MANDUKYA UPANISHAD     Page-128 MANDUKYA UPANISHAD 1. OM is this imperishable Word, OM is the Universe, and this is the exposition of OM. The past, the present and the future, all that was, all that is, all that will be, is OM. Likewise all. else that may exist beyond the bounds of Time, that too is OM. 2. All this Universe is the Eternal Brahman, this Self is the Eternal, and the Self is fourfold. 3. He whose place is the wakefulness, who is wise of the outward, who has seven limbs, to whom there are nineteen doors, who feels and enjoys gross objects, Vaishwanara, the Universal Male, He is the first. 4. He whose place is

    MUNDAKA UPANISHAD       Page-94 MUNDAKA UPANISHAD CHAPTER ONE : SECTION I 1. Brahma first of the Gods was born, the creator of all, the world's protector; he to Atharvan, his eldest son, declared the God-knowledge in which all sciences have their foundation. 2. The God-knowledge by Brahma declared to Atharvan, Atharvan of old declared to Angir; he to Satyavaha the Bharadwaja, told it, the Bharadwaja to Angiras, both the higher and the lower knowledge. 3. Shaunaka, the great house-lord, came to Angiras in the due way of the disciple and asked of him, "Lord, by knowing what does all this that is become known?"

    PRASHNA UPANISHAD     Page-136 PRASHNA UPANISHAD (Being the Upanishad of the six Questions ) FIRST QUESTION 1. OM! Salutation to the Supreme Spirit. The supreme is OM. Sukesha the Bharadwaja: the Shaibya, Satyakama; Gargya, son of the Solar race; the Koshalan, son of Ashwala; the Bhargava of Vidarbha; and Kabandhi Katyayana;—these sought the Most High God, believing in the Supreme and to the Supreme devoted. Therefore they came to the Lord Pippalada, for they said, "This is he that shall tell us of that Universal." 2. The Rishi said to them, "Another year do ye dwell in holiness and faith and askesis: then as

    KENA UPANISHAD       Page-20 KENA UPANISHAD FIRST PART I. By whom missioned falls the mind shot to its mark? By whom yoked does the first life-breath move forward on its paths? By whom impelled is this word that men speak? What god set eye and ear to their workings? 2. That which is hearing behind the hearing, mind of the mind, the word behind the speech, that too is life of the life-breath, sight behind the sight. The wise find their release beyond and passing forward from this world they become immortal. 3. There sight attains not, nor speech attains, nor the mind. We know not nor can we discern how one should te