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The Upanishads are the basis of Vedanta. Although they are over 200 in number, only 11 are considered ‘primary,’ as they are the ones that Shankaracharya wrote commentaries on. In this video series, three of the primary Upanishads—the Mandukya, the Katha, and the Kena—are unfolded. The Mandukya Upanishad, upon which Shankara’s grand-guru Gaudapada wrote his famous treatise (karika), is often referred to as ‘the king of the Upanishads.’ Despite its brevity, it thoroughly proves how, instead of being the waking, dream, or deep sleep state entity, one is actually the witness of these three states: limitless, non-dual consciousness. The Katha Upanishad presents Vedanta in story form, that of the boy Nachiketas, who after descending into the kingdom of Death, foregoes the offer of fantastic worldly pleasures in favor of acquiring self-knowledge. The Kena Upanishad, literally the ‘By whom? Upanishad’ starts by asking the question, ‘By whom is the mind and senses directed?’ and proceeds to show that it is in fact limitless, non-dual consciousness.

Due to their cryptic nature, the Upanishads must be unfolded by a proper teacher to be understood.

And in this series, James Swartz, in his direct style, does just that. It is a valuable tool for those wishing to deepen their inquiry by delving into the source texts of Vedanta.

SPECIFICATIONS: MP3 VERSION OF THE UPANISHAD VIDEO SERIES. 15 HOURS OF AUDIO.

This series is available as an online download. After you place your order, you will receive downloadable link via email.