Essence of The Upanishads

INDIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY KHARAGPUR
1. Name of the Academic Unit: Centre of Excellence for Indian Knowledge Systems
2. Subject Name: Essence of the Upanishads
L-T-P: 2-0-2 | Credits: 3
3. Pre-requisites: None
4. Credits: 3 | 2-0-2
Syllabus and Text-Reference Books:
Syllabus:
UNIT 1: Cultural & the religio-philosophical-spiritual heritage of Bhārata: A sketch
• Geographical; Race (and their movements)

• Origin and development of languages and scripts (with an emphasis on the special position of
Sanskrit, Brahmi script)
• Indus valley civilization
• Rṣis; Vedas; Character (Parallel streams of faith and reason; Personal and impersonal
godhead;Significance of yajña.; vāc (creative word); Conception of life (four āṣramas);
eternal values based on dharma
• Dawn of Indian philosophies [darśanas (highlight darśana based on upaniṣads)]
• Hints on pronunciation and spelling of Sanskrit and vernacular words.
UNIT 2: Upaniṣadic period & chronological development of the upaniṣadic literature: A

bird'seye view
• Upaniṣads: Etymology; Period (inc. pre upaniṣadic) & context (meditation vs. ritualism);
Number and character; Classification (major and minor etc); Chronology; Methodology (as
Student qualification, test by gurus; Reason & intuition; Dialogical etc.); Testimony of the
upaniṣads
• Introduction to Ādi Śaṅkarācārya in light of upaniṣad bhāṣya; mukhya upaniṣad (Īśā, Kena;
Kaṭha; Praśna; Muṇḍaka; Māṇḍūkya; Taittirīya; Aitareya, Chāndogya; Bṛhadāraṇyaka); other
upaniṣads (Śvetāśvatara)
UNIT 3: Message and select teachings from the upaniṣads
• Key messages: [Micro and macrocosm; Nature of Reality {Self (ātman); Brāhman);
Harmonization of cosmism and acosmism; Rebirth and reincarnation; karma, saṁsāra , jnāna
and mokṣa; Goal of life and means of attainment {spiritual disciplines (Integration of inner
forces, linkages - psychic and cosmic forces, psychic openings, transcendence of time, space
and personality)}]
• Select teachings from mukhya upaniṣads and Śvetāśvatara upaniṣad [encompassing ethics,
human values, integrity, intellectual tenacity, humility etc.)
UNIT 4: (a) Bhagavadgītā - Essence of the upaniṣads
An introduction and select verses (corroborating to the key messages of the upaniṣads)
(b) Prasthānatrayī
UNIT 5: Some lights
Śakti and Brāhman

Essence of the upaniṣads - Swami Vivekānanda
UNIT 6: Upaniṣadic dhyāna (meditation through ‘Self’ identification)
Upāsanā, bhakti
Dhyāna in everyday life
Purpose and methods
Text Books:
1. Cornelissen, R. M. M., Misra, G., and Varma, S. (Eds.). (2014). Foundations and applications
of Indian psychology. New Delhi: Pearson.
2. Mahadevan, B., and Bhat, V. R. (2022). Introduction to Indian Knowledge System:concepts
and applications.
3. Rao, K. R., Paranjpe, A. C., and Dalal, A. K. (Eds.). (2008). Handbook of Indian psychology.
New Delhi, India: Cambridge University Press.
Reference Books:
1. Bhattacharyya, H. (Ed.). (1953). The Cultural Heritage of India: The philosophies. (Vol. 3).
Ramakrishna Mission, Institute of Culture.
2. Keith, Arthur Berriedale. (1970) The Religion and Philosophy of The Veda and Upanishads.
Motilal Banarsidass. (Originally published in 1925.)
3. Mukundanada, S. (2014). Commentary on Bhagavad Gita -The Song of God. J K Yog
4. Radhakrishnan, S. (1953). The Principal Upanisads. Great Britain, London: George Allen
and;Unwin Ltd.
5. Rao, K. R., and Marwaha, S. B. (Eds.). (2005). Towards a spiritual psychology: Essays in
Indianpsychology. New Delhi: Samvad India Foundation.
6. Sri Aurobindo. (1973) The Upanishads
5. Lecture-wise break-up:
Sl.No. Topic No. of lectures No. of practicum

hours hours /
1. UNIT 1: Cultural & the religio-philosophical- 2 2
spiritual heritage of Bhārata: A sketch
• Geographical; Race (and their

movements)
• Origin and development of languages
and scripts (with an emphasis on the
special position of Sanskrit, Brahmi
script)
• Indus valley civilization
• Rṣis; Vedas; Character (Parallel
streamsof faith and reason; Personal
and impersonal godhead; Significance
of yajña.; vāc (creative word);
Conceptionof life (four āṣramas);
eternal values based on dharma
• Dawn of Indian philosophies [darśanas
(highlight darśana based on upaniṣads)]
• Hints on pronunciation and spelling of
Sanskrit and vernacular words.
2. UNIT 2: Upaniṣadic period & chronological 6 6

development of the upaniṣadic literature: A
bird's eye view
• Upaniṣads: Etymology; Period (inc. pre
upaniṣadic) & context (meditation vs.
ritualism); Number and character;
Classification (major and minor etc);
Chronology; Methodology (as Student
qualification, test by gurus; Reason &
intuition; Dialogical etc.); Testimony of
the upaniṣads
• Introduction to Ādi Śaṅkarācārya in
light of upaniṣad bhāṣya; mukhya
upaniṣad (Īśā, Kena; Kaṭha; Praśna;
Muṇḍaka; Māṇḍūkya; Taittirīya;
Aitareya, Chāndogya; Bṛhadāraṇyaka);
other upaniṣad (Śvetāśvatara).
3. UNIT 3: Message and select teachings from 8 8
the upaniṣads
• Key messages: [Micro and macrocosm;

Nature of Reality {Self (ātman);
Brāhman); Harmonization of cosmism
and acosmism; Rebirth and reincarnation;
karma, saṁsāra , jnāna and mokṣa; Goal
of life and means of attainment {spiritual
disciplines (Integration of inner forces,
linkages - psychic and cosmic forces,
psychic openings, transcendence of time,
space and personality)}]
• Select teachings from mukhya upaniṣads
[encompassing ethics, human values,
integrity, intellectual tenacity, humility
etc.)
4. UNIT 4: (a) Bhagavadgītā - Essence of the 2 2

upaniṣads
• An introduction and select verses

(corroborating to the key messages
of the upaniṣads)
(b) Prasthānatrayī
.
5. UNIT 5: Some lights 2 2
• Śakti and Brāhman

• Essence of the upaniṣads - Swami
Vivekānanda
6. UNIT 6: Upaniṣadic dhyāna 2 2

(meditationthrough ‘Self’
identification)
Upāsanā, bhakti
•
Dhyāna in everyday life
•
• Purpose and methods
7 Total number of hours (44 hours; 2-0-2; 03 22 hours 22 hours
credits)
Practicums would encompass:
(a) Stories, allegories, anecdotes from mukhya and other select upaniṣads encompassing for
example, the sikṣavalli 11th anuvāka in Taittiriyopanishad, Muṇḍakopaniṣad 2.2 and 3.1.,
chapter 3 of prasnopanishad, the da-da-da story in Bṛhadāranyaka upaniṣad, the "buddhim to
sarathim viddhi" concept in Katha upaniṣads etc.
(b) Deliberating on the notes taken from various guest lectures [e.g Pravrajika
Divyanandaprana,as part of the course
(c) Journaling one’s ‘experiences’ as part of study tours/ retreats
(d) Reflecting on one's mind before-and-after meditation
(e) Reading / listening/watching select talks and writings [e.g. Swami Vivekananda, Sri
Aurobindo, S Radhakrishnan, upaniṣad Ganga (Chinmaya mission), Swami Sarvapriyananda
(Ramakrishna mission)]

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INDIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY KHARAGPUR

UNIT 1: Cultural & the religio-philosophical-spiritual heritage of Bhārata: A sketch

• Geographical; Race (and their movements)

UNIT 2: Upaniṣadic period & chronological development of the upaniṣadic literature: A

UNIT 3: Message and select teachings from the upaniṣads

UNIT 5: Some lights

Śakti and Brāhman

UNIT 6: Upaniṣadic dhyāna (meditation through ‘Self’ identification)

Sl.No. Topic No. of lectures No. of practicum

• Geographical; Race (and their

2. UNIT 2: Upaniṣadic period & chronological 6 6

• Key messages: [Micro and macrocosm;

4. UNIT 4: (a) Bhagavadgītā - Essence of the 2 2

• An introduction and select verses

• Śakti and Brāhman

6. UNIT 6: Upaniṣadic dhyāna 2 2

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