Introduction to Vedas and Vedanta - Part 10

Upanishads are the whisperings of God

Spiritual practice is based on the holy scriptures (sastras). They can’t be mastered in a trice. They can’t be followed through talk. 

Their message is summed up in the Upanishads, so they are revered as authoritative. They are not the products of human intelligence; they are the whisperings of God to man. They are parts of the eternal Vedas, and the Vedas shine gloriously through all their parts.

The Upanishads are authentic and authoritative, since they share the glory of the Vedas. They are 1,180 in number, but, through the centuries, many of them disappeared from human memory and only 108 have survived. Of the 108, 10 have attained great popularity as a result of the depth and value of their contents.

Sage Vyasa classified the Upanishads and allotted them among the four Vedas. 

The Rig-veda has 21 branches, and each branch has one Upanishad allotted to it. 

The Yajur-veda has 109 branches and 109 Upanishads. 

The Atharvana-veda has 50 branches and 50 Upanishads. 

The Sama-veda has 1,000 and 1,000. 

Thus, Vyasa assigned the 1,180 Upanishads to the four Vedas.

Sankaracharya raised the status of ten of the Upanishads by selecting them for writing his commentaries, so they became specially important. 

Humanity stands to gain or fall by these ten. All who seek human welfare and progress are now apprehending whether even these ten will be forgotten, because neglecting them will usher in moral and spiritual disaster. 

However, there is no reason for such fears. The Vedas can never be harmed. Pundits and those with faith should resolve to present at least these ten Upanishads before humanity. They are:

Other Upanishads are:-

The Upanishads have inspired other works on geography, astronomy, astrology, and economic and political theory, as well as the eighteen Puranas comprising Skanda, Siva, Garuda, and others.

God is the prophet of the universal spirituality of the Upanishads

The Vedas and the Upanishads are the very foundation of the Eternal Religion (Sanathana Dharma). 

This religion has no one founder, as do others. The invisible unknown founder is God, the source of all wisdom. He is the prophet of this eternal universal religion. 

His grace and inspiration manifested through pure sages, and they became the spokespersons of this dharma. When the moral purity of men degenerates, God takes form as grace and inspiration in sages and teachers. 

Through the Upanishads, He has also spoken the wisdom concerning the Supreme Reality.

(Upanishad Vahini)

Love.

“Embodiments of Love, Students!

Whatever you have learnt here, share it with others. It is not enough if you share it with others, you too should put your knowledge into practice and derive benefit therefrom. We prepare many delicious items at home and serve them to the guests. Is it not necessary that we should also partake of them?

Likewise, we should digest the Vedic knowledge we have acquired and also share it with others. All types of knowledge have originated from the Vēdas. That is why the Vēda is extolled as sarva vijñāna sampatti (the treasure chest of knowledge). But unfortunately, we are not making proper use of such a treasure. Share your knowledge to the extent you have acquired. Never forget what you have learnt. With sincere effort, you will certainly be able to attain sākṣhātkāra. Those of you who wish to have the vision of God should digest the Vedic wisdom you have acquired and share it with others.”

Bhagavān Sri Sathya Sai Baba – Discourse on 19 October 2004