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Upanishad · Shruti

The Principal Upanishads

The philosophical summit of the Veda; the mahavakyas and the non-dual vision that Vedanta is built on.

A quick reference entry. For the full account, follow the guides below.

Appears in

  • What are the Upanishads? Scriptures

    The one idea, in many voices If you read the principal Upanishads looking for a single doctrine laid out point by point, you will not find one.

  • The Unwritten Library Treatise

    For roughly three thousand years, the most important texts in India were never written down. They were heard, memorized syllable by syllable, and carried across a…

  • What is Advaita Vedanta? Philosophy

    Advaita Vedanta is the non-dual school of Vedanta, the most influential of the several schools of Vedanta. Its central claim is that there is only one reality,…

  • What is a Mantra? Worship

    The Atman is Brahman." A word on dates, since the tradition and the scholars do not fully agree. The Mandukya is short and late among the principal Upanishads.

  • What is Sanatana Dharma? Essentials

    Sanatana Dharma, 'the eternal way,' is the tradition's own name for itself, built on the ancient refrain esha dharmah sanatanah, 'this is the eternal law.' The…