Principal Upanishads-Volume I by DR. N.S.Anantha RangAchar Swamy : Reviews by Indian Scholars & AchAryAs : Part One

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SrI:

 

Dear VedAbhimAnis :

 

VedAnta VidvAn Dr.N.S.Anantha RangAchAr Swamy released

in February 2003 the first in the series of monographs

entitled Principal Upanishads: Volume I . This monograph

follows the one released during 2002 under the title of

"Selections from Upanishads " . Latter has a collection of

910 manthrAs selected from all the 15 well known Upanishads .

 

The most released monograph covers 603 manthrAs from Nine

Upanishads with the original Sanskrit Text, outstanding

English translations and author's own annotated commentaries .

 

The outstanding translation of the above manthrAs is a treat

to the beginner as well as to the serious student of

Upanishads. As an erudite Scholar and KaalkashEpa

adhikAri steeped in SrI Vaishnavite tradition , Dr.NSA Swamy

has a unique place of his own among the VedAnthisc scholars.

Dr.NSA Swamy has stepped in at a time , when there are

very few authentic intrepretations in English of Upanishads

following the VisishtAdhvaithic tradition . Following closely

the commentary of the Upanishad BhAshyakArar , SrI RangarAmAnuja

Muni , Dr.NSA Swamy has presented us a delectable treat .

His clarity of style , the mastery of subject matter ,

the right amount of notes on the individual manthrAs

has made the "Selections from Upanishads " a reference

text that one must have in one's library as a crown jewel.

 

Principal Upanishads: Volume I

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We are truly blessed to have the above volume

in a series of three monographs .This volume is

a brilliant assembly of 603 manthrAs from 9 principal

Upanishads: Isa, Kena , Katha , Prasna, Mundaka ,

Maandookya , Taittiriya , Mahaa Narayana and

Svetasvataara.

 

The Upanishads are the distillation of extraordinary

mystical experiences and as such have perrenial interest

to all saadhakAs. DR. NSA Swamy's monograph has been

reviewed by scholars and his own AchAryan , HH PoundarIkapuram

SrImad Andavan. Here are some excerpts from them. adiyEn

will offer my own comments in a subsequent posting .

 

VidyAlankAra Professor S.K. Ramachandra Rao

********************************************

Excerpts from this eminent scholar from India are:

 

" The present work on the Principal Upanishads by one of

our most eminent traditional scholars,

Dr.N.S.AnanatharangAcharya , is very welcome.

He has devoted every single day of his long life

over 80 years to the cause of preserving our cultural

values in their pristine purity; he has been breathing

spirituality from his early years; and has been

articulating eloquently the upanishadic philosophy

through his writings and discourses.And he has stuck

fast to tradition , SampradhAya.This is what has given his

life meaning and abundance and has provided strength

and clarity to his writings ,in Kannada and in English;

and has endowed upon his discourses , at his home and

in public force and vitality.He is at once orthodox

and catholic, steeped in tradition and generous in

outlook , gentle and steadfast. He has not frosaken

Karma , he has pursued Jn~Ana with a fervour , but he

remains eminently a BhakthA. The most comfortable

combination of the three classical approaches is to be

found in him.It is this that makes us hold our breath

and listen to what he says or read what he writes....

 

The author has followed the gloss of Ranga Ramanuja

Muni both in translation and in the additional notes .

This line of thought has been presented for THE FIRST TIME

in English....The texts selected here are not only popular

but edifying to the common man . Given here are essential

thoughts --contents f these texts ,brief introductions,

suggestions for spiritual practise (UpAsana)simple

translations in English and the original passages

in Sanskrit.And more importantly, introduced at

appropriate places are the author's own commnents ,

by way of annotation and explanation , kept apart

from translations by changes in font (italics).

These are significant contributions towards discovering

hidden teachings in the Upanishads;they emerge from

loyalty to tradition, devotion to truth and experience

in spiritual practise.One can have glimpses here of what

life long saadhana can bestow.... Dr.AnantharangaachArya

has done a great service by incorporating RangarAmAnujA's

annotations and explanations while presenting this work

on the principal Upanishads in English. Dr.AnantharangAchArya's

effort is wholesome and holistic and is to be warmly

commended .

 

HH SrImad PoundarIkapuram Andavan's anugraha SrImukham

******************************************************

" DR. N.S. AnantharangAchArya is a disciple of our Aasramam

and therefore , this Aasramam could be justifiably proud

of him...In the galaxy of disciples of this Aasramam,

Dr.N.S.AnantharangAchAr Swamy occupies a central position

and he has proved himself is an ever shining gem of

this Aasramam....His yeoman service to the followers of

Sri Swamy Desikan's sampradhAya by creating spiritual

awareness and knowledge of our philosophy and samprashAya

in them is par excellence and beyond expression..His

inimitable writings touching the hearts of laymen in

other words , Paamara JanangaL and making them understand

the intricate topics of Ubhaya VedAntha...By his latest

publication ,he has added one more feather to his cap.."

 

HH SrI RangapriyA Swamy's anugraha SrImukham

*********************************************

" The present invaluable work of Dr.AnantharangAchAr

is an excellent edition of the principal upanishads

with text, translation and explanatory notes.

 

Among books on Upanishads adorned with translation

in English, those which are in favour of advaithA school

are so numerous that reasers in general are led to belief

that it is the only possible intrepretation and those

which advocate the VisishtAdva school can be counted on

our fingers.This long felt need of the latter school

has bene fulfilled by a very competent person , who is

an erudite scholar , efficient discoursant and a writer

with rich experience , who has dedicated his whole life

to the study and propagation of VisishtAdvaihtic

philosophy.He has continued this mission even in his

ripe old age with a youthful spirit..The matter and

method presented and adopted by the veteran scholar

fulfills exactly the need of the present day.

 

adiyEn will share with you in the next posting

my own delightful anubhavam of going through

this outstanding contribution by the revered

Dr.NSA Swamy for the first time . adiyEn looks

forward to the next two volumes by Dr.NSA Swamy

in this series covering ChAndhOgyam and BruhadhAraNyakam.

 

NaarAyaNa , NaarAyana , NaarAyana

 

Daasan , Oppiliappan Koil VardAchAri SadagOpan