The Chandogya Upanishad

Book Details
Author: Raja Rajendra Lal Mitra
Publisher: Bharatiya Kala Prakashan
Edition: 1st
ISBN: 8186050809
Pages: 232
Cover: Hardcover
Size: 9.00 x 6.00 inches
Weight: 420 gm
Year of Publication: 2001
Country of Origin: India

Author Info:
Raja Rajendra Lal Mitra was a distinguished 19th-century Indian scholar, antiquarian, and historian. Known for his pioneering work in Indology, he was among the first Indian intellectuals to systematically study and publish on ancient Indian texts, particularly in the field of Vedic and philosophical literature.

Preface Summary:
The preface critically examines the influence of biblical chronology on the dating of Indian sacred texts. Mitra challenges the assumption that the Upanishads are a later development than the Vedas. He argues that the Upanishads, especially the ten principal ones, are contemporaneous with or even embedded within the Vedic tradition, rather than emerging after it.

The seeming contradiction between the philosophical depth of the Upanishads and the ritualistic nature-worship of the Vedas dissolves when Vedic hymns are understood as symbolic expressions of esoteric truths. He further asserts that great world religions often exhibit a dual structure—formal rituals for the masses and deeper philosophy for seekers—which supports the idea that both the Vedas and Upanishads could have coexisted.

The term "Veda" signifies knowledge, while "Upanishad" refers both to the ultimate philosophical teachings of Brahman (Advaita) and the discourses held to explore such knowledge. The Upanishads, as the concluding section of the Vedas (Vedanta), are intended for those who transcend ritual and seek deeper truth.