Yogashikha Upanishad (critical study)
by Sujatarani Giri | 2015 | 72,044 words
This page relates 鈥業ntroduction to Indian Philosophy鈥� of the English study on the Yogashikha Upanishad鈥攁 key text from the Krishna Yajurveda, focusing on the pinnacle of Yogic meditation. This essay presents Yoga as a crucial component of ancient Indian philosophy and spirituality and underscores its historical roots in Vedic literature鈥攑articularly the Upanishads and Vedant. The chapters of this study are devoted to the faculties of the mind and internal body mechanisms such as Chakras as well as the awakening of Kundalini.
Go directly to: Footnotes.
Part 2.1 - Introduction to Indian Philosophy
The story of Indian Philosophy is a long one, though full of human interest a little difficult to tell in the distant past, that story was told again and again by the teachers to their devoted students. The story was related to reality meaning and purpose of life. It helped people to think clearly, act effectively and live decently.
The earliest records of the story of the most profound knowledge and the highest wisdom are contained in the hymns of the 峁欢惫别诲补 in later 蝉补峁僪墨迟腻蝉, the 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺蝉 and the 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲补蝉 the Epics. The books of ethics justice and laws. The massage of their teachings reached to the distant land of China, Japan, South East Asia, Persia, Central Asia and Greece. Philosophy in India began basing on the problems of human existence, the place of man in the universe, the meaning and purpose of life. But in thrashing out these problems, it always pointed out beyond intellectual satisfaction.[1]
Philosophy in India is not an intellectual persuit for pleasure but a spiritual striving for direct experience of the absolute; may it is an integral feeling an immediate awareness of the absolute Brahman. Philosophy in India is love for wisdom or knowledge and is to live the life of the Brahman.
Indian philosophy is said to be the quest for values and those values are summed up in the 辫补谤补尘补辫耻谤耻峁Ｄ乺迟丑补. It has two distinctive features, theoretical and practical Swami Abhedananda says,
鈥淥蹿 the tree knowledge, philosophy is the flower and religion is the fruit. Philosophy is the theoretical side of the religion, and religion is philosophy in practice鈥�.
Therefore two aspects of Philosophy in India sing the same Universal song of the transcendental reality; or it can be said that one aspect theory is complementary to the other aspect practice. So Indian philosophy maintains both the aspects of theory and practice, which lead the seekers of truth to one and the same goal, which is no other than the realization of the absolute Brahman.
Philosophy in India is not a mere speculative or intellectual pursuit of pleasure, but it is direct God-Intuition (颈艣惫补谤腻苍耻产丑耻迟颈), or it is to see God face to face. Therefore Philosophy in India means to see God, to get a 诲补谤艣补苍补 of God the absolute and to have a direct experience of the Brahman or 腻迟尘补苍 which transcends the categories of time, space and causation known as nesience (补箩帽腻苍补 or 尘腻测腻).
The Indian Philosophy is based on the idea of rebirth system of all living being, liberation is the highest goal of Indian Philosophy and realization of the truth is the root of Indian Philosophy.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
鈥孴he Six Systems Of Indian Philosophy, p.1.