Important Trivia on Upanishads

Important Trivia on Upanishads
Four Mahavakyas
The four Mahavakyas or great statements are from Upanishads They are as follows:
Prajnanam Brahma
This means consciousness is Brahman It comes from Aitareya Upanishad of Rig-Veda This Mahavakya implies that the consciousness is subtlest texture of the cosmos and is present and active everywhere
Ayam Atma Brahma
This means self or Atman is Brahman It comes from the Mandukya Upanishad of the Atharva Veda
Tat Tvam Asi
This means “Thou art That” It comes from the Chandogya Upanishad of the Samveda It’s too much mystical statement and has been interpreted by different schools differently In its simplest meaning, it says that self in its pure form is identical with the original reality
Aham Brahmasmi
This means “I am Brahman” This statement comes from the Brhadaranyaka Upanishad of the Yajurveda
Asato Ma Sadgamaya
This Upanishada belongs to the Shatpath Brahman and contains the famous shlokaas“ato ma sadgamaya tamaso ma jyotirgamaya mrtyorma amrtam gamaya” This shloka means “lead us from the unreal to the real, lead us from darkness to light, lead us from death to immortality“
Kathopnishad
It was translated by Max Müller in 1879 It was rendered in verse by Edwin Arnold as “The Secret of Death” The central story is immortality and covers thestory of encounter of Nachiketa, son of sage Vajasravasa, with Yama, God of death