The Vedas and Upanishads for Children

by Roopa Pai

Three thousand years ago, deep inside the forests of India, a great 'thought revolution' was brewing.In those forest labs, the brightest thinker-philosophers contemplated the universe, reflected on ancient texts called the Vedas and came up with startling insights into questions we still don't have final answers to, What is the universe made of?- How do I know I'm looking at a tree when I see one?- Who am I?And where did they put those explosive findings? In a sprawling body of goosebumpy and fascinating oral literature called the Upanishads! Intimidated? Don't be! For this joyful, fun guide to some of India's longest-lasting secular wisdoms, reinterpreted for first-time explorers by Roopa Pai, is guaranteed to keep you turning the pages.

Genres: Mythology, Nonfiction, Philosophy, Hinduism, India, Childrens, History

432 pages, Paperback

Published May 25, 2023

Reviews

[Pranita Bhat · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think the words FOR CHILDREN should be replaced with FOR THE CHILD IN EVERYONE for all Roopa Pai's books.

Such an insightful book. The ease with which the author communicates such complex topics is just amazing. Not just complex, but the fact that most of the content of the Vedas and Upanishads is so abstract, so debatable, and at times so ridicule-able in the 21st century.

But the way the author puts across each idea shows the enormous amount of attention to detail and work that has gone into it. A big thank you to Roopa Pai for another gem of a book.

It's a must must read for people of all ages, believers, non believers, atheists, and any other labels one may belong to.

[Charu Jain · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would love to read such easy translations for more ancient historical or religious texts. This book is a good balance of simple philosophy and supporting stories, some of which I had heard while growing up. Even though the book is for children, it is a very good read for adults as well.
May be now reading "The Principles of Upanishads" by Dr. Radhakrishnan will be more insightful.

[Gorab · Rating 3 out of 5]

Who am I to say anything on the Vedas and Upanishads?
Forget the latter... Who Am I?

Book is structured well. Don't go by "for children" in the title. Pretty informative on the epics for a beginner. Loved the Vedas part - 30% of the book. Upanishads didn't go well - felt like reading a bunch of self help books back to back. At times, felt irked by the "child tone" voice - Netflix references.

Overall - Not very impressive.

[Rutuja Ramteke · Rating 4 out of 5]

💚The Vedas And Upanishads By Roopa Pai
💚Category: Children's book
💚Publisher: Hachette India
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Introduction: Three thousand years ago, deep inside the forests of India, a great 'thought revolution' was brewing. In those forest labs, the brightest thinkers–philosophers contemplated the universe, reflected on ancient texts called the Vedas and came up with startling insights into questions we still don't have final answers.
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My Opinion: Whenever it comes to reading a children's book, I never leave a chance because they are born alluring. I was super excited to read this one & I gladly completed it earlier than expected. The book deals with the Vedas & the Upanishads which were penned down thousands of years ago, yes I had studied them in history but unfortunately I never enjoyed studying that! But, when I read this book, it was so fun to read it. The authors language is super cool & appropriate for children's & even or oldies who love reading about this topic but frequently gets bored due to the historical thing in it. Taking about this book, the case was completely inverted because the book was so interesting & intriguing. The book also started with a small author's note which is really beautiful & which acted like a guide to the entire book. I am really forward to read such more books from the author. The cover is so beautiful!
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Pros: The language was super easy and interesting, it made me feel very lively and I was so much intrigued in the book that I forgot I am reading the old Vedas which were written thousands of years ago. The narration was very appropriate and very concise for childrens and even for elders, so according to me the book needs no age group and can be read by anyone. Must say that daughter is very creative in her writing which provides more and more interest while reading to the Reader. I highly recommend it.
Cons: Well, more illustrations & some funny text was welcomed in the book.
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Rating: 3.75🌟

[Sagar Sumit · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book says it's for children (11+ years old), however, even being 20 years older than those kids, I discovered new understanding, to my delight, about things that I thought I "knew". One thing that could have made the book better for all audiences is to have mantras/shlokas in Sanskrit along with English. The book is in English including the shlokas and mantras. However, for readers who already know how to read Sanskrit, the feel of reading would have been even more delectable.

[Drishti Jain · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely amazing boook! This ain't mythology.. This is philosophy.! It's a must read.. not just for children but for anyone who seeks and wishes to know about the vedas and upanishads, bundle of ancient knowledge. It's for anyone who is looking for answers about life and death. This book is for believers as well as non-believers. One can even think of it as a self help book.

[Krishna Chaturvedi · Rating 1 out of 5]

A pessimistic writing style and vapid explanation of even the most interesting facts. Highly opinionated author, certainly not a best book for children as they will develop a glitchy perspective of our ancient texts.

I had never read Roopa Pai before but I would not recommend this book to others for children. Perhaps an adult of mature stream of thoughts can see the flaws.

[Swathi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought it for a 11year old, but was tempted to read it myself and I must admit that this book is a great place to start with, for anyone interested to explore the vedic religion. The author has managed to bring out the essence of the scriptures beautifully in a way today's teenagers can grasp, adding tidbits of history and science. The book starts with the basic facts of the scriptures, it's history and classification. Then the author has dealt with 10 Upanishads, describing the content of each in brief. It also has the important verses, their meaning and at times, how students can use this knowledge in real life. The states of mind, who am I, purpose of life, etc are very complex confusing concepts, but the author has written it well for a layman to understand.
At the end of the book, the reader is sure to be awestruck at the deep understanding and analysis of the human mind and the universe of the great sages who wrote the Vedas and Upanishads, how it is in sync with today's science, yet has the answers to questions unanswered by science.

[Sachin Prabhu · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are looking for a book which has a gist of ancient scriptures this is a good book to begin with. Author takes through a journey that's interactive that's easy to read for both children and adults. The main thing I really love about this book is it doesn't force anything to believe but rather question and feel everything, we see around just like ancient sages approached.

It starts with basics of Vedas and classification. Author focuses on 10 most important Upanishads and takes us through some questions that even today's science is dealing. Different forms of consciousness, what is it to be human etc.

[Avinash Matta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book to get a head start on the Vedas and Upanishads! Roopa Pai's writing is not only lucid and inspiring, but she peppers the book with various pop-culture references and relatable examples that make reading this book so much more interesting. Definitely recommend this for anybody willing to partake of the ancient glory and wisdom of Indian scriptures.

[Marutheesh Krishnamurthy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent







Excellent for both children and grownups, alike. Thank you for excellent books and pray many many more are published soon.

[Vikram Ketkar · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is no single book which encapsulates the 'Hindu' thought and beliefs. That is the strength and also the confusing part of Hinduism.

In the past few generations in the pursuit of western education, in a attempt to remain secular and free from superstition/ rituals, which abounds in the current practice of the Hindu faith, the Hindus have not bothered to teach their own kids the basic beliefs and thoughts of their faith. Even I had a faint idea about it. Had a blind faith in the Gita and Sanatan Dharma without understanding the foundation. These books of Roopa Pai in the 42nd year of my existence have finally helped me realize the depth of knowledge and enlightenment which is part of my heritage. And I am thoroughly grateful for it. It makes me want to discover more.

This book is another of the classics after the Gita for Children which explains the gist of the Upanishads in a clear cut and easy to understand manner. At the same time it does include some of the actual names and terms to retain authenticity. Must read for all those who loved her previous book.

One minor grouse is that unlike Gita the Devnagari version of the sayings/ prayers are not included. This would have really helped with the pronunciations

[Dharmit Shah · Rating 5 out of 5]

After finishing "The Gita for Children" by Roopa Pai, I found that "The Vedas and Upanishads for Children" was slated to release in next 10 days. I was excited since a colleague of mine had spoken enthusiastically about Vedas and I wanted to read about them. Having read "The Gita for Children", I was sure that this would be a perfect book to start my quest to understand these difficult texts.

Roopa Pai's writing is amazing. This book, I'm pretty sure, can be of help to anyone looking to get started with Vedas and Upanishads. It's very easy to understand. Just like "The Gita for Children", I am sure that many people will buy this book for a kid in their family and end up reading it themselves! I wish the author had covered at least 10 more Upanishads. I was craving for more at the end of the book. ;)

Once again, just like with "The Gita for Children", this book is totally awesome at introducing huge texts in easy-to-digest language with even better examples/metaphors from day-to-day life. Thank you, Roopa Pai.

[Garima Gupta · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book that inspires. It inspires respect for our sage scientists, it inspires faith in oneself, and it inspires us to ethical action. I want to put this book in the hands of every teen around me.
The book doesn’t need a “bhakt”. But it will influence our thinking and open us to possibilities. I think the ideal outcome is that , teased by the wisdom, experienced and ‘facts’ in the book, the reader goes on a path of self discovery. Highly recommend. Roopa Pai, you rocked it.
Of course the knowledge in these original texts is so subtle and obtuse that there are parts where we seem to lose it. That’s when Roopa grabs our hand and somehow goads us to continue.

[Sriram Venugopal · Rating 1 out of 5]

The book claims that this is intended for children but it looks like the intention is to poison the young minds with communist/islamist propaganda. A book on Vedas and Upanishads and it was disappointing to see complete lack of Bhakthi throughout the book. Not even a hint of it. Also, too much of propaganda on Aryan invasion, Brahmin oppression, castes, dating of vedas to just before BC all sticking to British/western propaganda on inferiority of Hindu culture to Greek and other civilizations. And, from nowhere even Amir Khan and Mohammad Ali finds a way into a book on Vedas and Upanishads.

Overall, a disappointing read

[Meera Raman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this for my 15 year old niece, decided to sample it before handing it over to her and now am hooked...I cant put it down.

It's so well written - language, tone, humor and most importantly objectivity, all bang on for the young reader.

[Mahesh Sundararaman · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are looking to know about how Vedas and Upanishads originated and the stories that made them, this is something I will highly recommend. It's a simple book that takes you through various facets surrounding our thought process. Well-researched and enjoyable to read.

[Manan Majithia · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read.In fact should be mandatory reading in schools.Beautifully translated,leaves one with a wonder about the age old wisdom and intelligence of the ancients.Yet,we call ourselves modern.One of the finest works I have read in a while.A very brief yet comprehensive account of the Upanishads.

[Harshita Nanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this book is brilliant!
you can read my entire review on my blog.
https://undecidedindubai.wordpress.co...

[Yatindra Tawde · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book title : The Vedas and Upanishads for children

Author : Roopa Pai

Publisher: Hachette Book Publishing India Pvt. Ltd.


No. of pages: 410


Let there be no doubt about it, The Vedas and Upanishads are no simple subjects that anyone and everyone can attempt writing about them. First of all, they are so ancient; second, they are originally written in the ancient language of the Indian subcontinent, Sanskrit. This language has very few current aficionados. Third, there are quite a few translations available, from the 19th century to quite recent, where, not everyone has managed to capture the true gist of those great works. 


However the author, Roopa Pai has studied the best among them like the works of Bibek and Dipavali Debroy, Swami Vivekananda, S. Radhakrishnan, Sri M and many others. Please refer to the select bibliography at the end of the book.


Studying is only half the battle won. Interpreting it for the target audience, who are the teenagers, and keeping it interesting enough throughout the entire length of the book is a stupendous achievement. 


And mind you, this book is not only for teenagers, though written in a language they understand. Those who have only a cursory knowledge of the Vedas and Upanishads, like yours truly, will find it equally interesting and wonderous. I mean, those ancient rishis and sages really developed some profound thoughts which acted as guiding principles to innumerable generations. 


Like the author says, there might be parts of the Vedas and Upanishads that you will love and others which you don't feel comfortable with. Just take from them the useful and illuminating lessons and set the rest aside. Even those ancient sages are not asking you to believe everything they have said but exhorting you to think for yourself.


Speaking for myself, I felt those sages certainly had a scientific bent of mind, the way they thought and tried to unravel answers to some very fundamental questions. They sought to inspire people to seek the truth for themselves. Of course, the science of those times may not have been so advanced (though many would disagree) that few of those ideas would be relevant in today's age too, but you can't deny that the methodology they employed is still applicable. You might think I have said something preposterous, but read this book and then form your own opinion.


Hats off to Roopa Pai for attempting to communicate in simple language, the very difficult and sometimes confusing world of the Vedas and Upanishads. She says that the old, old answers of the Upanishads are among the most convincing, for a significant number of people still swear by them. So grab this book to find out more!


Totally recommended.


Yatindra Tawde

[Deepak Jaisinghani · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first part of the book, which deals with Vedas, was top-notch. As you might expect from the title, the author does not actually copy-paste the Vedas here and then explain their meaning. She just summarizes their teachings and only writes about the essence of Vedas. This author-ly prerogative was risky, since some readers may actually want to read Vedas in their original form and expect her to clarify its meaning. It does not backfire however. Instead, it works wonderfully. Because what she has chose to put her focus on in not just the content of Vedas, but the background, the history of Vedas in India and a whole lot of trivia surrounding the subject. For example, I didn't know the word 'Hindu' was never meant to denote people of a certain religion. It was just a word used by the ancient Greeks and Persians to describe people and the land beyond the River Sindhu, which, in Persian, was pronounced 'Hindu'! Even in Vedas and Upanishads, the word 'Hindu' is never used! You might come across more of such surprises while perusing the text.

So far, so good. You are content with the book you have chose to give your time and attention to. The problem lies with the 'Upanishads' section. Again, she follows the same formula here, introducing Upanishads to under-informed readers and then proceeding to reinforce it with some mind-numbing details. The book should have ended there. Yes, it should have said 'thank you' and just finished there. But...

Unlike the section on Vedas, this time, the author somehow decides to stretch beyond. She painstakingly went on to write about the 10 Principal Upanishads in detail, spanning some 200 odd pages, which ultimately are just a bunch of spiritual mumbo-jumbo. The idea that 'Man is God' or the concept of 'Brahman' gets repeated so many times I wanted to close the book and just abandon it. The unending conversations between disciples and their gurus are complete nonsense. The mind is this, the mind is that, Brahman this, Brahman that, blah blah blah blah blah...

I would've hated the book but for the fact that the author seemed to have sensed my doubts. In the 'Acknowledgements' section, she says that if we agree with some ideas and disagree with others, it's irresponsible of us to completely disregard the book in its entirety because of some bits and pieces which are not to our personal liking. True.

[Saumyajit Bhaduri · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Vedas and Upanishads
Roopa Pai

“Three thousand years ago, deep inside the forests of India, a great ‘thought revolution was brewing. There’s no other way I could have started writing the review of this book without quoting these lines from the book.
As a child of the 1990s and growing up in 2000s, I like any other person of my age group never really took an interest in learning about the religious scriptures of my religion. And I must say that I have been missing so many things for such a long time.
I hold no authority and do not consider myself an expert or a scholar of the Vedas and Upanishads, I feel very blessed that I am being allowed to write a review of the book. I have had a huge spiritual change in me and my way of seeing things especially after reading this book. However, I guarantee that my fellow readers will be feeling similar things after reading this, and will get the essence of “Brahman”. Readers will understand the essence of “Who am I?” “What is my significance “
The chapters in the book focus on the Vedas and the Upanishads individually and explain the stories of those chapters. The stories keep making you guess, completely keeps you engaged.
I wish the book didn’t have the subtitle of ‘For Children’ because I completely feel it’s not for children only but adults like us, helps us bring out the child in us as the author as explained the stories in a very simple manner. She has managed to explain such complex scriptures in such a simple manner. The book even has quotes that help readers compare the situation mentioned in the book with the present-day scenario, and the use of modern lingo from time to time helps to keep the readers engaged as well. The amount of work she and the team have put into writing the script, the illustrations, and the small funny jokes in between make it even better. But on a personal note, I feel it would have been great if some more illustrations were added. I hope the author keeps this in mind and adds it next time.
I would recommend this book to my fellow readers, it would be a must-read for those who are interested in ancient “Indic civilization” and wanting to start reading the ancient scriptures in a much simpler form. Must read irrespective of your age.

[Vivek · Rating 4 out of 5]

As with the book on Gita, Roopa doesn't disappoint. This time around, the subject matter being so vast, complex, riddled with metaphors and archaic social ideas, it is a commendable job leaving the reader in a new world with lots of new insights.

Looking into our backyard of vast scriptures have never been an easy task considering the need to dedicate time, find the right guides and lots and lots of passion for unraveling the content in a relevant manner.

What Roopa has done for me is to let me open the eyes a bit wider to embrace some new facts, clear some misconceptions and most importantly given me quite a lot of concepts and tools to engage my mind with. Realizing that I may not yet have a clear picture of the actual scriptures and the original intentions, or even the interpreted ones, I am still lost in the brihad aranyaka, but thankfully have a sense of confidence that i can find my way around, if only I take this interest forward.

Some of the key morals she had derived out of the many stories points to the exact problem of not being able to focus long durations of quality time on such complex matter, with some techniques and rules to help.

So if I have to not lose the steam, i need to reflect on them quite immediately and be clear on what I want. I am off to do that, so those of you who have some idea on the Vedas and Upanishads, or have none, and are simply curious, just pick this book and give it a try.

[Kirthi Iyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been trying to introduce my kids to some spiritual ideas, but they’re not exactly excited about reading spiritual books. However, this one really worked for me. Even though it’s written for children, I found it just as useful for myself. The way the author explains the Vedas and Upanishads is simple and easy to understand, so it made it easier for me to talk to my kids about these big ideas in a way that they can follow.

What I really liked about this book is how it explains deep topics like the soul (Atman), the universe (Brahman) and things like karma and meditation, but in a simple way. These are not just religious teachings but they are the life lessons about kindness, understanding ourselves and finding peace. My kids might not pick up spiritual books on their own, but if I share it as a story, they are definitely more interested and willing to listen.

So, if you are a parent like me, looking to introduce your kids to spiritual ideas but struggling to get them to pick up a book, this is a great place to start. It’s perfect for telling them these lessons in a way that feels like storytelling and not like reading a heavy textbook.

[Piyusha Vir]

My head is reeling from all the wisdom contained in this book. If this is a mere fraction of the real thing, can't even begin to imagine what it must be to read the scriptures for themselves.
What a fantastic illuminating read this was!
Definitely recommend it to those who wish to explore the wealth that's Hindu scriptures but are intimidated by the sheer volume and size of the scriptures.
This is in itself no easy read for it makes you ponder and introspect a lot. But then that's the whole purpose of reading such literature, isn't it?
I firmly believe that books should make you question and seek, we know how well our Scriptures make one do that. But they also provide answers and some wonderful enlightening stories. Dipping into them even a little bit makes one want to explore more and more.
It reminds me of a line from my own book 'Dashavatar-Stories of Lord Vishnu' : 'This way I will keep searching for answers and my thirst for knowledge will never quench.' Little did I know then how apt that line was.
Can't wait to explore more books including The Gita by the same author .

[Sanjay Singh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Roopa jee for another wonderful book!
This book is not only CHILDREN, but also for grown ups.

Very excelleant introduction to The Vedas and Upnishads.

I am enlightened by knowing such a accurate, beautiful, and true Indian philosophy about finding our innerself. I came to know about how Knowledges of Upanishads help us to live joyful life.


असतो मा सद्गमय ।
तमसो मा ज्योतिर्गमय ।
मृत्योर्माऽमृतं गमय ॥
ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥

asato mā sadgamaya,
tamaso mā jyotirgamaya,
mṛtyormā'mṛtaṃ gamaya.
om shanti shanti shanti.

Lead me from the asat to the sat.
Lead me from darkness to light.
Lead me from death to immortality
Om Peace Peace Peace.

[Shubham · Rating 5 out of 5]

As rightly mentioned elsewhere, the book is definitely not just for children.
I am blown away by the writers ability to explain something so vast and complex in such a structured and succinct manner that for a minute it seems like vedas are not so complex after all.
The “matrix reference” and other such modern pop culture references added some colours to make it more interesting.
Such a book should be part of our school curriculum to say at least to empower people to read for themselves the good and limitations of our ancient texts, rather than some YouTubers telling us half baked truths.

Either ways, a MUST READ!

[LoonyRose · Rating 4 out of 5]

The hindu religion has no shortage of gods. And with each one, comes a number of stories that teach us a lesson. The vastness of our scriptures is daunting for someone who is interested to learn about all the different religions and their teachings.
Roopa Pai was a godsend in that she summarised the essence of our scriptures in this book and made it a blast to read it too.
As she said in the beginning of the book, it in no way covers everything there is, but it damn sure is a great starting point.

[Nkmgmt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Do you want to delve into the wisdom of ancient Indian texts? Ancient India is known for its spiritual wisdom because of its continuous seekers of the truth. Vedas and Upanishads are the ancient texts that were used to transfer this knowledge gained by the seekers through traditional methods. All these days this wisdom was accessible only to a few. But with authors like Roopa Pai each and every one of us can immerse in this profound knowledge.


http://www.strawberrykrishnareads.com...

[Ram Khetan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful book.
Extremely interested and fascinating.
You will love ancient India and their great rishis after reading this book.
Very simple language used to make it understand to even beginners who have no knowledge about greatness of ancient India.
Must read book to know about heritage of India.
I was in awe when I was reading this book.
This book successfully provides understanding about vedas and Upanishads and clears all doubts.
I thank roopa pai for bringing this wonderful work.
I also thank sages for sacred wisdom.