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                                          18.ISHAVASYOPANISHAT

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(Also known as Ishopanishat)

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The One Upanishat which may replace every other

 

The Upanishats, in general, are not just a catalogue of dogmas. Instead they are records of dialogues or conversations held by the ancient seers about their spiritual experiences, not only the final ones but intermediate experiences also. In that sense we see the evolution of spiritual wisdom step by step and also the presence of differing points of view.  But Ishopanishat differs from this general pattern of Upanishats. There is no discussion or conversation here.  We are presented with a set of conclusions almost in final form. So when this short Upanishat is commented upon by the Masters it naturally gives rise to varied interpretations to the thought processes embedded in it.  In that sense it is one of the difficult Upanishats – scholarly, profound and fundamental.

The fact that this most ancient scripture is studied avidly even today, shows that the truths presented therein  are satisfying even to the most modern mind.  As Mahatma Gandhi used to say, even if every other scripture of Hinduism vanished and this alone survived, Hinduism will survive!

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                                                                GO TO 18.1 TO 18.5

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