Today's story is taken from Maitreya Upanishad. This story is featured in chapter 1 of the Upanishad. This chapter describes the dialogue between the great ascetic king Brihaadratha from the Ikshvaaku dynasty or Solar dynasty and Sage Saakaayana. Please like, share, subscribe and download my podcast “Stories from Upanishads”, available on multiple podcast streaming platforms. Also, visit my website https://www.storiesfromupanishads.com, listen to my earlier podcast episodes, and read some of...

The part 2 of Maandukya Upanishad deals with "AUM". It describes verses 8-12 from the Upanishad. It tells us about "AUM", how do you pronounce it? What happens when you chant "AUM" and many other secrets lying hidden in the syllable "AUM"? How it is connected to Viraat Purush, Hiraanyagarbha, Ishwara and Brahman? Why silence is "Turiya" the fourth quarter of Aatman? How do you perform Aum Kara Dhyaanam? Come with me and dive into a journey full of mysticism and unknowns. This podcast was...

This is the 1st part of the Maandukya Upanishad in which the teacher describes the 4 states of Self. This episode also describes one of the Mahaavaakya from Upanishad -"Ayam Aatma Brahma" which means - "This Self is Brahman". As told in Muktika Upanishad, Maandukya Upanishad is the most important of all the 108 Upanishads. So come on friends, let's embark on a journey to know more about this wonderful ancient text. This podcast is available on almost all podcast platforms such as - Apple...

Dear friends, I am back with the next part of the story - "What are the paths of liberation". The episode will tell you about types of Vaasanaas or desires, what are the fluctuations of the mind and how to control it, what are jivan mukti and Videha mukti. I hope you will love this episode as you have loved the previous part. Please visit the website, https://www.storiesfromupanishads.com, read the blogs, and listen to the earlier episodes. Also, you can shop from ExoticIndia, which houses...

Muktika Upanishad is the last of the 108 Upanishads which is derived from Shukla Yajur Veda. I have extracted this story from this upanishad which presents a dialogue between Lord Shree Ramchandra and Lord Hanuman, where in Hanuman asks Lord Ram about the vedanta, upanishads and paths of salvation. This episode features adhyaya 1 or chapter 1 from the Upanishad. Do you know what are the 108 Upanishads? How they are categorised? What are the different shanti mantras of each category of...

Satyameva Jayate Na-anrtam -  satyena panthaa vitato devayaanah | Yen-aakramanty-rsayo hyaapta-kaamaa -  Yatr tat satyasya paramam nidhaanam || Which means - Truth alone triumphs not untruth. By truth is laid out the divine path, which the seers who are free from desires, reach to the supreme abode of truth”. This is story from Mundaka Upanishad and describes a dialogue between Sage Angiras and his student Shaunaka. What are the two types of knowledge? Which one is the lower and which one...

This episode is in continuation of last week's podcast episode on Prashna Upanishad - Shat Prashna. It is a collection of 6 questions asked by 6 different students to their guru Sage Pipalada. In today's episode, the next 3 set of questions and their responses are retold. The 4th question was asked by Gaargya on what is that thing which sleeps when a man sleeps which awakes when he is awakened, who really sees his dreams? The 5th question was asked by Satyakama Saiba on benefits of chanting...

This is the part 1 of Shat Prashna or 6 questions from Prashna Upanishad. Once 6 hermits named Sukeshaa Bharadwaja, the descendant of Sage Bharadwaja, Saibya Satyakama, the grandson of Surya named Sauryaayani, Gaargya from the line of Garga, Kausalya Aasvalaayana the son of Asvala, Vaidarbhi Bhargava from the line of Bhrigu and Kabandhii Kaatyaana, the great grandson of Kaatya asked the great sage Pippalada 6 various questions. This episode will cover 1st 3 questions which is about Origins of...

This is a story from Chandogya Upanishad. In this story devarishi Narada seeks teachings from his brother and sage Sanatkumara on how to attain infinite happiness or Bhumaiva Sukham. This episode also touches upon an another interesting story about Sanatkumar and Lord Shiva. So dear friends, sit tight for an another interesting episode on Stories from Upanishads. Please subscribe, follow, like, download or put in your review comments. Some of the links of my podcast on the various players...

What are desires? What are dreams? How does the soul transmigrate? Is Self Indeed Brahman? Is Self the light for the man, when there is no sun, moon or fire? All these questions are answered in the episode - Yagnavalkya and King Janaka part 2, which is the concluding part of the question and answer session between the two learned men from ancient India. This podcast was created on Hubhopper studio. If you wish to start your own podcast for free, visit www.hubhopperstudio.com. Hubhopper is...

BU presents most of the stories from the life of the ancient vedic sage Yagnavalkya and many of them also feature King Janaka of Videha. Today's story is part 1 of never ending conversation between the Sage and the King. In this story, the king learns about Speech, Sight, Hearing, Vital Force, Mind and Heart are forms of Supreme Brahman! Hubhopper is India's leading podcast creation platform. Start your podcast with Hubhopper studio & get your voice heard across platforms like Spotify,...

What is immortality? Knowing that “Truth” itself is "Immortality"! Freedom from all fears is "Immortality"! Fear of death, fear of poverty, fear of insecurity, fear of pain and sorrow, fear of losing a near one, fear of unknown, beyond these fears lies "immortality". Why do we love our spouse, parents or children? We love our spouse, parents and our children not because we love them rather because we love ourselves. We love our "Self" or "Aatman"! The “Self” or “Aatman” is everything!...

My dear friends and listeners, it’s been a while I could upload any new episode. The reason being multiple, but here I am with a new story from the Upanishads. Before I begin, my earnest request to you to follow, subscribe, like, share and download my podcast. It will immensely help me to keep going and provide you with these contents. Also please do write to me at my email address [email protected]. I receive emails from my listeners and we discuss lot of things and often goes into a...

Podcast Credits - The Concept, Script, Narration and Audio Design: Arghya Goswami ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Credits, Acknowledgements and Source Contents Source content collected from various books on Upanishads such as “Messages of the Upanishads” by Swami Ranganathanada, “The Brhadaaranyaka Upanishad” by Swami Madhavananda,...

Today I will be telling you a story from Chaandogya Upanishad. It is featured in the 8th Khanda of the book, and it is about 3 young well versed scholars named Pravahana Jivala, Silaka Salavat and Chaikitayana Dalbhya. This is a story which involves a deep curiosity amongst these 3 young men. Our Vedic rishis, sages and scholars always regarded experience or anubhava to be the paramount, next they would regard the scriptures or Shrutis and lastly they would regard the reasoning and logic as...

Today’s episode is named - Proud Balaki! This story is featured in BU Chapter 2, Section 1 and features one of the greatest kings of India - Ajaatashatru. He was also known as Kunika and was son of Bimbisara. He was a contemporary to both Bhagwaan Mahavira and Gautama Buddha. I hope you all must be knowing about Bhagwaan Mahavira and Gautama Buddha!  As a result he is referenced in both Jain and Buddhist literature. Interestingly, name of his mother is different in different literatures. As...

Episode 12 - What the thunder said? Da-Da-Da ================================================================================================================ My dear listeners and friends, today I am going to move away from Yagnavalkya’s adventures and tell a new story from Brihaadaaranyaka Upanishad. The reason why I am doing this is for a purpose! I want to bring in some variety to my storytelling from Upanishads. Yagnavalkya’s debates were high on philosophy and required extreme attention...

Dear listeners, from the last 3 episodes of my podcast, you have been listening to Yagnavalkya’s debates in the King Janaka’s Symposium. You heard the debates of Ashwala, Aartbhaaga with Yagnavalkya in part 1, then followed by debates of Bhujyu, Usasta and Kahola with Yagnavalkya in part 2. Yagnavalkya was almost declared as a winner in the debates when he was challenged by Gargi Vaachaknavi in part 3, however after listening to his philosophies on Brahman, she decided that she must admit...

Hello my dear listeners, hope you all are enjoying Yagnavalkya’s debates in the courtroom of King Janaka. We heard how he defeated Ashwala and Arthabhaaga in part 1, then silenced Bhujyu, Usasta and Kahola in part 2. Part 3 is an important episode as it perhaps describes one of the most celebrated debates in the history of the Upanishads. Brihaadaaranyaka Upanishad has recorded this glorious and engaging debate beautifully. This part celebrates our Ancient India’s one of greatest Rishika, and...

Yagnavalkya in King Janaka's Symposium ================================================================ This is the part 2 from the interesting events and debates which took place during the symposium arranged by King Janaka of Videha. We heard about Yagnavalkya’s decision to take home thousand cows with ten gold coins tied to their horns and how he was stopped and challenged by eminent scholars such as Ashwala and Aartabhaaga. They both got involved in a debate with Yagnavalkya and...

Hello, my friends and listeners, today’s episode is very different from all other episodes. If you remember, I ask a few questions at the end of each episode. The listener with correct answers will be invited to my show, so today is the day where I will have the first ever - Listener’s hub episode. Srila Bhattacharya from California USA answered the questions correctly from the episode of Satyakama. So I interviewed her recently and was enriched to know her thoughts on the messages from...

Yajnavalkya in King Janaka’s Symposium - Part 1 Hello friends and wish you and your loved ones a very happy Deepawali. After a hiatus for about a week or so I am back with a new story from Brihaddaaranyaka Upanishad. Today’s story will mark the beginning of one of the most important chapters mentioned in the largest of the Upanishads. The Madhukhanda portion of the Brihadda-Aranyaka Upanishad presents a series of dialogues and debates between the great Maharishi Yajnavalkya and other eminent...

Today’s story is of Satyakama and Upkosala Kaamalaayana. Friends in episode 2 of this podcast series we heard the tale of Satyakāma the seeker of truth. He was a young pupil then. In today’s story, we will take you on a forward journey where Satyakāma is a great scholar and a teacher of the sacred text.  This story is also featured as part of Chaandogya Upanishad which is a part of Sama Veda. Satyakāama after attaining sacred knowledge became a respected teacher. He tutored many pupils...

Hello Friends, wishing you all a very happy Dusherra and Subho Bijoya Dashami. I welcome you all to another episode of Stories from Upanishads. Today’s interesting story appears in the 3rd Brahmana of the 1st Adhyaya of Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad. In my podcast series, this is the first story from this Upanishad, which is a part of Shukla Yajurveda and believed to be composed between the 9th-6th centuries BCE. It is one of the Dashopnishads to which Adi Shankaracharya provided his Bhasya-...