The Upanishads

The Upanishads are the philosophical core of the Vedas, composed between 800 and 200 BCE as dialogues between teachers and seekers on the nature of reality, consciousness, and the Self. This volume contains three of the most important: the Isa-Upanishad, which opens with the great declaration that all existence is pervaded by the Lord; the Katha-Upanishad, the famous dialogue between the boy Nachiketas and Yama, the Ruler of Death, on what lies beyond mortality; and the Kena-Upanishad, which inquires into the power behind all perception and thought. Swami Paramananda's 1919 translation renders these ancient texts in clear, accessible English while preserving their spiritual force, with commentary that illuminates each verse for the modern reader.