The Upanishads

by Peter Russell (Translator), Alistair Shearer (Translator)

The Upanishads are the oldest and clearest expression of the perennial philosophy that is the inner core of all the great religions. Passed down by word of mouth for five thousand years, they teach of an absolute and unified field of intelligence that underlies and permeates all creation. This divine ground is our own nature, and to bring our lives into conscious harmony with it is the ultimate purpose of human existence.

This lucid translation captures both the poetry and the precision of the original, rendering accessible an extraordinary body of spiritual wisdom as never before. Speaking from the depth of the everlasting NOW, the Upanishads make the mind soar and the heart sing, and point the soul to freedom.

Genres: Philosophy, Nonfiction

176 pages, Hardcover

First published June 3, 2003

About the author

Peter Russell M.A., D.C.S., is a British author of ten books and producer of three films on consciousness, spiritual awakening and their role in the future development of humanity. He has designed and taught personal development programs for businesses, and has remained a popular public speaker.

In 1965 he was awarded an Open Exhibition to Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, to study Mathematics. In 1969, he gained a First Class Honours in Theoretical Physics and Experimental Psychology. He then went to Rishikesh, India, where he trained as a teacher of Transcendental Meditation under Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. In 1971, he gained a post-graduate degree in Computer Science. From 1971 to 1974, he studied for a Ph.D. on the psychophysiology of meditation at Bristol University.

Reviews

[Priyanka Vishwakarma · Rating 3 out of 5]

Author very shortly explains the most common types of Upanishad, their meaning, their underlying thoughts and supporting stories.

[Phil Calandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Upanishads" is a unique translation of the Upanishads to the basic tenets of Vedic teachings. Both translators are authors and practitioners of Transcendental Meditation that combine different prospectives. Alistair Shearer has graduate degrees in Sanskrit and Indian Studies among other things and Peter Russell has degrees in physics and computer science. This collaboration enables the reader to make comprehensible a very difficult and profound subject matter.

[Archana Sivassubramanian]

I guess I chose the wrong book to get started with Peter Russel. :)
I have (in parts) read the Samskrit version, and I am unable to place this translation anywhere up close to the original, which I concur, is the nature of translations. I would rather prefer to read commentaries on the Upanishads, than a literal translation. Mayhap, the purpose of this book was to help me realise that.