|| Aum Sai Ram || Aum Sai Para Brahmanaa Namah ||
Isha Upanishad
“Das Ganu once started to write a Marathi commentary on the Isha Upanishad. Let us first give a brief idea of this Upanishad, before proceeding further. It is called a ‘Mantropanishad’, as it is embodied in the Mantras of the Vedic Sanhita. It constitutes the last or the 40th Chapter of the Vajasaneyi Sanhita (Yajurveda) and it is therefore, called Vajasaneyi Sanhitopanishad. Being embodied in Vedic Sanhitas, this is regarded as superior to all other Upanishads, which are in the Brahmanyaks and Aranyakas (explanatory treatises on Martras and rituals). Not only this, other Upanishads are considered to be commentaries on the truths, mentioned briefly in the Isha Upanishad. For instance, the biggest of the Upanishads, viz, the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, is considered by Pandit Satawalekar to be a running commentary on the Isha Upanishad.
Professor R.D. Ranade says, “The Ishopanishad is quite a small Upanishad and yet it contains many facts, which show an extraordinarily piercing insight. Within the short compass of 18 verses it gives a valuable mystical description of the Atma, a description of the ideal sage who stands unruffled in the minds of temptations and sorrows and adumbration of the doctrine of Karma Yoga, as later formulated. The most valuable idea, that lies at the root of the Upanishad, is that of a logical synthesis between the two opposites of knowledge and work, which are both required according to the Upanishad to be annulled in a higher synthesis.”
(Page 24 of the Constructive Survey of the Upanishadic Philosophy). In another place he says that, “The poetry of the Ishopanishad is a co-mixture of moral, mystical and metaphysical knowledge (ibid, page 41).”
From the brief description given above, about this Upanishad, one can see how difficult it is to translate this Upanishad in a vernacular language and bring out its exact meaning. Das Ganu translated it in Marathi ‘Ovi’ metre, verse by verse; but as he did not comprehend the gist or essence of the Upanishad, he was not satisfied with his performance. On being dis-satisfied he consulted some learned men, regarding his doubts and difficulties, and discussed it with them at great length. They did not solve them nor did they give him any rational and satisfactory explanation. So Das Ganu was a little restless over this matter.”
– SHRI SAI SATCHARITRA (Chapter XX)
|| Aum Sai Sharnam || May Peace Be To All ||
|| Happy and Blessed Makar Sankranti To You All 🙂 _/\_ ||
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