Facts for Prelims (FFP)
Source: IE
Context: Prime Minister Narendra Modi gifted US President Joe Biden a first edition print of the book “The Ten Principal Upanishads” (1937) during his visit to the White House.
About the Book:
The book was translated from Sanskrit by Shri Purohit Swami, a scholar of Hindu scripture, and Irish poet WB Yeats. Yeats had a lifelong fascination with Indian philosophy and literature, and his interest in the Upanishads led to the co-translation. The book is considered one of the best translations, aiming to retain the original text’s essence while being accessible to the general reader.
About Hindu Scriptures
| There are broadly two categories of Hindu sacred texts: | |
| Shruti (revealed) | Considered authoritative; Includes the four Vedas (Rig, Yajur, Sama, and Atharva) and accompanying texts; Contains Brahmanas (ritual texts), Aranyakas (“forest” or “wilderness” texts), and Upanishads (philosophical texts) |
| Smriti (to be remembered) | Less authoritative than shruti; Derived from shruti; Includes epics like Ramayana and Mahabharata, Dharmashastras, Puranas, and post-Vedic scriptures |
| What are Upanishads? | The Upanishads (also known as the Vedanta) are important Hindu religious texts that speculate on the connection between the atman, or the distinct, unchanging self of an individual, and the brahman, the ultimate reality in the universe. |
| Ten principals of Upanishads | Esha, Kena, Katha, Prashna, Mundaka, Mandukya, Taittiriya, Aitareya, Chandogya, Brihadaranyaka |
About Yeats
William Butler Yeats (1865-1939) was an Irish poet, dramatist, writer and politician. One of the foremost figures of 20th-century literature, he was a driving force behind the Irish Literary Revival. WB Yeats’ connection to India can be seen through his friendship with Rabindranath Tagore and his earlier poems inspired by India.
Yeats wrote three poems (published in 1889) that referred to India:
- ‘The Indian to His Love’
- ‘The Indian upon God’
- ‘Anushuya and Vijaya’.
