Re: How much of the Upanishads should you read each time?
Pranams to all!
As it has been previously stated Upanishads are the essence of Vedas, Puranas are essence of Upanishads and Gita is essence of Puranas, i.e. Gita is essence of Vedas. The transference of knowledge (Vedas to Gita) corresponds with the progression of yugas.
Vedas - Satyug
Upanishads - Tretayug
Puranas - Dvaparayug
Gita - Kaliyug
(It is also declared that Tantras are the essence of Vedas in Kaliyug)
Personally I have been taught that Gita is the ONLY text prescribed for non-initiate practitioners of Yoga and Sanatana Dharma. Without diksha (initiation) into the path and guidance from Sadguru one should not attempt knowledge beyond Gita, which in itself is a liberating base of knowledge and renders further study redundant.
Guru initiation is often misunderstood in the western world. Its not simply the taking on of a teacher. Guru Diksha is the transmission of higher energy flow from Guru to Shishya and the removal of passed sanskars (impressions) from the subtle consciousness of the Shishya. So long as the sanskars remain in the individual being, passed karmas and other impressions influence the mind of the sadhaka and render one incapable of true comprehension. Gita is specifically designed to enhance knowledge despite the presence of sanskars. Gita in particular is a holy ignorance destroying weapon. Its like this, if your intention is to dig a hole you can use your hands, you can use a shovel. You can dig a hole with your hands... but it will take far longer than using the shovel. Gita is like the shovel to your simple stength of will. If Gita is a shovel then Upanishads is like a backhoe! However, a backhoe is useless if you don't know how to operate it, and Guru is the instruction manual.
I'm not saying that the average person shouldn't go read the Upanishads
or the Vedas for that matter. I do believe however that the best means to achieve anything is the simplest and most effective means, effectivity is determined by the tools at ones disposal. The mental faculties (manas/buddhi) is steeped in delusion because it is a product of maya (tattva). Only chitta is beyond maya and one comes to experience the chitta quality inherent in all, via the culmination of Gyana, Bhakti and Karma yogas that is expressed in the Guru Shishya bond.
So I'm not saying you should not study the Upanishads. It's my opinion that your personal experience may simply be more productive if you're armed with a more fitting tool, like Sri Bhagavad Gita.
In seva,
Ganesh Jaishankar
OM
BHUR BHUVA SVAHA
TAT SAVITUR VARENYAM
BHARGO DEVASYA DHEEMAHI
DHI YO YONAH PRACHODAYAT
OM
Bookmarks