- •Isopanisad
- •His divine grace a.C.Bhaktivedanta swami prabhupada
- •Purpose
- •Section I
- •Introduction & summary of isopanisad
- •1. Meaning of Isopanishad:
- •2. Isopanisad is part of the Vedas:
- •3. Isopanisad and the other Upanishads:
- •4. Other Upanishads and Isopanisad indicate that God is full in six opulences:
- •5. In each and every Upanisad the Supreme Brahman is first viewed as impersonal, at the end the personal form of the Supreme Lord is accepted:
- •6. The purpose of the Upanisads, Vedanta-sutra and Srimad-Bhagavatam is one and the same:
- •7. Relationship of Isopanisad with Bhagavad-Gita:
- •8. Authorship of Isopanishad:
- •9. Isopanisad should be understood according to its original statements:
- •10. The method of translation and commentary of Isopanisad by Srila Prabhupada makes the book authentic and scholarly and makes the meaning self evident:
- •11. The basic philosophy of Isopanisad:
- •12. Main directions of Isopanisad summarized:
- •Lord is the proprietor of the entire Cosmic creation:
- •One should live by the direction of the Lord:
- •God is present everywhere:
- •Hence one should respect all things as parts and parcels of His Supreme Body
- •One can enjoy a fragment of this material creation under the control of the Lord, but not self-sufficiently.
- •Vidya and avida are very nicely explained in Isopanisad:
- •The Lord is apapa-viddham and suddham:
- •Liberating work is described in the pages of Sri Isopanisad:
- •Killer of the soul to suffer perpetually:
- •God is a person even if we cannot see Him with our eyes:
- •Arca-vigraha descends at the requests of the acaryas:
- •Lord rewards everyone’s desires:
- •Not to make one-sided attempts to win the struggle for existence:
- •Worship Krsna, not demogods:
- •Destination of pseudo religionists:
- •Sri Isopanisad advises us to pour water on the root
- •To know God in full one needs to penetrate His effulgence:
- •Bhakti Yogi is highest:
- •Section II – lectures on isopanisad verses
- •Iti çuçruma dhéräëäà
- •Iti çuçruma dhéräëäà
- •Section III – references to verses of isopanisad by srila prabhupada in his preaching
- •Introduction
- •Invocation Mantra
- •Mantra 1
- •Vairagyam phalgu kathyate
- •Mantra 2
- •In the words of Çré Éçopaniñad (3),
- •Mantra 5
- •Mantra 7
- •Mantra 11
- •Vidyäà cävidyäà ca yas
- •Vidyayämåtam açnute
- •Väsudevaù sarvam iti
- •Mantra 12
- •Mantra 14
- •Mantra 15
- •Section IV – srila prabhupada’s desires and instructions on isopanisad to his disciples
- •Instructions regarding Printing and distribution of Sri Isopanisad:
- •100 © 2009 International Society for Krishna Consciousness, Inc., New York
Isopanisad
STUDY GUIDE
COMPILED FROM THE VANI OF
His divine grace a.C.Bhaktivedanta swami prabhupada
TRANSLATOR AND COMENTATOR OF
SRI ISOPANISAD AND
THE FOUNDER & ACHARYA OF THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS
Purpose
Please see that the program for studying our literatures is also undertaken very seriously by all the devotees there. Every one of us must become thoroughly acquainted with our philosophy, so that our preaching work may be carried out. (Srila Prabhupada in a letter on 27th February, 1970)
In the Caitanya-Caritamrta it is said that nobody should be neglectful of the siddhanta because by siddhantic conclusion one becomes firm in Krishna Consciousness. So these siddhantic conclusions are being mentioned in all of my books, and the boys and girls in our Krishna Society should now give more attention for studying the books very attentively. (Srila Prabhupada in a letter on 17th February, 1970)
All questions will be clarified if you simply read our books very thoroughly and follow the simple process of devotional service as we have given it to chant regularly and rigidly observe the rules and regulations. (Srila Prabhupada in a letter on 25th July, 1970)
So, please study my books intensely and do not fail to chant sixteen rounds daily following the four regulative principles strictly. This will make everything perfect. (Srila Prabhupada in a letter on 4th January 1975)
By reading my books carefully, you will become enthused to distribute them more and more in greater quantities. (Srila Prabhupada in a letter on 22nd May 1975)
Be sure that all of the devotees there are very carefully following all of the regulative principles and chanting sixteen rounds daily and let them study the books deeply. (Srila Prabhupada in a letter of 5th June 1975)
Here in India many persons also criticize our sannyasis and brahmanas as being unqualified due to insufficient understanding of the philosophy. This should not be a point of criticism nor a reason for fall down, since Srila Prabhupada has mercifully made the most essential scriptures available to us in his books. The problem is that not all the devotees are carefully studying these books, the result being they fall down at the least unsteadiness.
His Divine Grace therefore wishes to institute examinations to be given to all prospective sanyasis and brahmanas. In addition he wishes that all present sannyasis and brahmana also pass the examination. Awarding the titles will be based upon the following books: Bhakti-Sastri: Bhagavad Gita, The Nectar of Devotion, The Nectar of Instruction, Isopanisad, Easy Journey to Other Planets, and all other small paperbacks as well as Arcana-paddhati.
(Letter by Secretary of Srila Prabhupada to all GBC, and approved by Srila Prabhupada on 6th January 1976)
The brahmanas must practice cleanliness, internally by chanting the Lord’s glories and externally by bathing regularly. In addition the brahmanas should study carefully, especially Bhagavad Gita, Isopanisad, The Nectar od Devotion and The Nectar of Instruction as well as all the paperbacks. Soon we will have yearly examinations for brahmanas based on these books and those who pass will be awarded Bhakti-Sastri titles. (Srila Prabhupada in a letter on 10th January 1976)
In pursuance of these instructions of Srila Prabhupada, we are presenting this study guide to assist devotees in deeply studying Sri Isopanisad. This study guide is entirely a compilation of various ways in which Srila Prabhupada has himself further explained Isopanisad and its verses in his books, lectures, conversations and letters.
The test on Sri Isopanisad, part of receiving Bhakti Sastri degree from ISKCON, Inc., will have questions based mostly on this study guide. This is so as we as disciples of His Divine Grace, consider it adequate and feel pleasure in at least understanding and quoting Sri Isopanisad in the way Srila Prabhupada himself used it.
Acknowledgement goes to Gaurangasundar Dasa ,Bhakta Abhimanyu, Bhakta Avinash and Bhakta Rajesh for helping in the research and compilation of this Study Guide.
Nimai Pandit Das
ISKCON, Inc. NY
April 25, 2009
Note: Next Book - Nectar of Devotion
“How one can execute God-centered activities is elaborately explained in the Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, by Srila Rupa Gosvami. We have rendered this book into English as The Nectar of Devotion. We recommend this valuable book to all who are interested in performing their activities in the spirit of Sri Isopanisad.”
CONTENT:
SECTION I – INTRODUCTION & SUMMARY OF ISOPANISAD…………………………………………………………… 6
SECTION II – LECTURES ON ISOPANISAD VERSES………………………………………………………………17
SECTION III – REFERENCES TO VERSES OF ISOPANISAD BY
SRILA PRABHUPADA IN HIS PREACHING…………………………………………………………54
SECTION IV – SRILA PRABHUPADA’S DESIRES AND INSTRUCTIONS
ON ISOPANISAD TO HIS DISCIPLES …………………………………………………………………………87