Esoteric Teaching Seminars: Sri Isopanisad

Sri Isopanisad is the first (isa) of the Vedic Upanisads. Upa means near and anisad means sit down. So the Upanisads are narrations of disciples sitting down near an enlightened spiritual master, submitting their sincere inquiries about spiritual life and patiently hearing the answers. The Esoteric Teaching is so powerful because it is based on the original Vedic texts, not some third-hand misinterpretation like so many imitation spiritual paths. Sri Isopanisad, as the first of the 108 Upanisads written by Srila Vyasadeva, the original author of the Vedas, is a great place to start your exploration of the authentic Vedic texts.

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Introduction

Introductory remarks on Sri Isopanisad. (MP3 only) Listen

Invocation

Everything we can know, or name, must be defined in relation to some central point. That point is the Absolute, and it is a semantic singularity that must exist for every ontological system and every world view.

Sri Isopanisad Mantra 1

The Vedic wisdom of the Esoteric Teaching is perfect knowledge of everything spiritual. It is spoken by the Lord Himself to Brahma, the first created being, and then handed down through the disciplic succession of self-realized spiritual masters.

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Sri Isopanisad Mantra 2

It is natural to want to live forever, because we are eternal spiritual beings. According to the Vedas this is quite natural.

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Sri Isopanisad Mantra 3

Human consciousness is superior to animal consciousness because it can express the full range of the faculties of the soul, including the highest states of self-realization, spiritual bliss and love of Godhead.

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Sri Isopanisad Mantra 4

The Absolute is intellectually unfathomable. Even the most intelligent philosopher is unable to realize the Supreme Lord as the Absolute Personality of Godhead through mental speculation.

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Sri Isopanisad Mantra 5

The Supreme Lord’s transcendental activities always seem paradoxical when viewed with mundane vision. But even the impossible becomes possible when executed by His inconceivable potencies.

Sri Isopanisad Mantra 6

This mantra of Sri Isopanisad describes the consciousness of a perfectly self-realized soul. One who is truly spiritually advanced sees everything and everyone in relation to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

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Sri Isopanisad Mantra 7

This mantra of Sri Isopanisad introduces us to the point of view of the self-realized soul. In the beginning such clear and certain realization of the Absolute Truth may seem far off, but it is readily attainable through the guidance of the Esoteric Teaching.

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Sri Isopanisad Mantra 8

In this mantra, Sri Isopanisad reveals some of the transcendental qualities of the Personality of Godhead as directly perceived by the self-realized soul. The Supreme Lord is not formless, but His form is transcendental, or made from pure spiritual energy.

Sri Isopanisad Mantra 9

Avidya, ignorance, is dangerous, because an ignorant person has no idea of what they are, or the goal and purpose of human life. But Isopanisad also warns that when vidya or knowledge is based on a wrong platform or used for misguided purposes, it is even more dangerous.

Sri Isopanisad Mantra 10

Cultivation of nescience results in increasing bondage and suffering in material existence. Cultivation of vidya, real knowledge, results in liberation from material existence and suffering.

Sri Isopanisad Mantra 11

We should understand clearly what is knowledge (vidya), what is ignorance and what is nescience (avidya). When material knowledge and work are dedicated to supporting spiritual culture, then vidya and avidya are in balance, and we can attain the highest purposes of human life.

Sri Isopanisad Mantra 12

Philosophers, theologians and even many Vedic rsis, or mystics, attempt to discriminate the Absolute from the relative by their own speculative intellectual power. This inferior process can only reach a negative conception of the Absolute:

Sri Isopanisad Mantra 13

The system of receiving the Esoteric Teaching is to hear from a spiritual Master Teacher who is undisturbed by the actions and reactions of the modes of material nature. We can receive the ontological key to realizing transcendental knowledge only from a sober self-realized peron who is never disturbed by the temporary changes of the material world.

Sri Isopanisad Mantra 14

Modern civilization has made much so-called advancement, including killer satellites and atomic weapons, by increasing material knowledge. But it cannot create freedom from old age, disease, death and rebirth in this world of suffering.

Sri Isopanisad Mantra 15

Realization of the impersonal spiritual effulgence of the Lord is incomplete without realization of His personal form, because His personal aspect is the cause of the impersonal Brahman.

Sri Isopanisad Mantra 16

In this mantra, Sri Isopanisad continues to emphasize the personal form of the Absolute Truth. As the first of the 108 Upanisads written by the author of the Vedas Srila Vyasadeva, Sri Isopanisad sets an important precedent for the interpretation of the subsequent Upanisads.

Sri Isopanisad Mantra 17

The Esoteric Teaching states that when the material body dies, the spiritual living entity continues to exist in the same identity. The living entity is never impersonal or formless; actually, matter is impersonal and formless. The living entity is always personal and individual, with an eternal spiritual form.

Sri Isopanisad Mantra 18

The mantras of Sri Isopanisad describe the impersonal brahmajyoti feature of the Absolute as a dazzling covering over His ultimate aspect as the Personality of Godhead, and pray to Him to reveal His real face.

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Please chant this beautiful mantra (click on Sanskrit to play MP3):