Upanishads

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Upanishads

Devanagari	Singular - उपनिषद्	Plural - उपनिषदः
English Transliteration	Singular - upaniṣad	Plural - upaniṣadaḥ
Indian Languages (if applicable)
Definition/Description	The term Upaniṣad term consists of उप (upa) and नि (ni) उपसर्ग-s (Upasargas or Prefixes) and सद् धातुः (Sad dhatu) used in the sense of विशरणगत्यवसादनेषु । viśaraṇagatyavasādaneṣu. Here visharana means to destroy - the seeds of Avidya; gati is used in the sense of knowing or obtaining - Brahmavidya; Avasadanam means to loosen or dissolve - the bondages of samsara. Alternative definition is to "sit devotedly near the Guru" to obtain Brahmavidya.	There are 10-12 mukhya pracheena or important Upanishads and close to 200 known Upanishads. Muktikopanishad lists 108 Upanishads. ईशावाश्योपनिषद् ॥ Ishavasya Upanishad (Shukla Yajur Veda) केनोपनिषद् ॥ Kena Upanishad (Sama Veda) कठोपनिषद् ॥ Katha Upanishad (Yajur Veda) प्रश्नोपनिषद् ॥ Prashna Upanishad (Atharva Veda) मुण्डकोपनिषद् ॥ Mundaka Upanishad (Atharva Veda) माण्डूक्योपनिषद् ॥ Mandukya Upanishad (Atharva Veda) तैत्तियोपनिषद् ॥ Taittiriya Upanishad (Yajur Veda) ऐतरेयोपनिषद् ॥ Aitareya Upanishad (Rig Veda) छान्दोग्योपनिषद्॥ Chhandogya Upanishad (Sama Veda) बृहदारण्यकोपनिषद् Brhadaranyaka Upanishad (Yajur Veda)
	Upanishadic texts, like the Vedas were passed down verbally from generations. They expound the philosophy of life and after-life, are are one of the Prasthana traya granthas. They are the basis of the six Astika Darshana shastras.	Central concepts in Upanishads Brahman, Atman, Prakrti, Purusha, Maya/Avidya, Jiva, Sarga/Creation, Jnana, Manas, Chitta, Karma, Moksha
Examples of Usage	साङ्गोपाङ्गोपनिषदः सरहस्यः प्रदीयताम् (sāṅgopāṅgopaniṣadaḥ sarahasyaḥ pradīyatām) Rāmayana.1.55.16.
Textual Sources/References
Common misinterpretations/mistranslations	Many Western translators have mistranslated the term Upanishads as having a sense of secrecy. - secret doctrine (Max Muller and Paul Deussen) - mystic meaning (Robert Hume) - hidden connections (Patrick Olivelle) Upanishads lack systematic philosophy and a central theme - Max Muller Chronology of Upanishads is a highly debatable topic