The Upanishads, 2nd Edition / Eknath Easwaran

In the ancient wisdom texts called the Upanishads, illumined sages share flashes of insight, the results of their investigation into consciousness itself. In extraordinary visions, they have direct experience of a transcendent Reality which is the essence, or Self, of each created being. They teach that each of us, each Self, is eternal, deathless, one with the power that created the universe.

Easwaran’s best-selling translation is reliable and readable. It includes an overview of the cultural and historical setting, with chapter introductions, notes, and a Sanskrit glossary. But it is Easwaran’s understanding of the wisdom of the Upanishads that makes this edition truly outstanding.

Each sage, each Upanishad, appeals in a different way to the reader’s head and heart. In the end, Easwaran writes, “The Upanishads are part of India’s precious legacy, not just to Hinduism but to humanity, and in that spirit they are offered here.”