Upanishads: East to West Explained - Current Affairs

Q1: What book did Prime Minister Narendra Modi gift to US President Joe Biden during his visit to the White House?

A1: Prime Minister Narendra Modi gifted US President Joe Biden a first edition print of the book "The Ten Principal Upanishads."

Q2: Who co-authored the English translation of the Upanishads gifted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi? A2: The English translation of the Upanishads was co-authored by Shri Purohit Swami.

Q3: When was the book "The Ten Principal Upanishads" published? A3: The book was published by Yeats in 1937.

Q4: What are the Upanishads? A4: The Upanishads are ancient Hindu sacred texts that explore the fundamental principles of religion and teach how the individual self (atman) finds the ultimate reality (brahman) through an inner spiritual journey.

Q5: How many principal Upanishads are there? A5: There are ten principal Upanishads: Isha, Kena, Katha, Prashan, Mundaka, Mandukya, Tattiriya, Aitareya, Chhandogya, and Brihadaranyaka.

Q6: What is the significance of the Upanishads? A6: The Upanishads are considered the most sacred late Vedic and post-Vedic Sanskrit texts. They are believed to contain the ultimate truth and knowledge that leads to spiritual emancipation.

Q7: Who was WB Yeats? A7: William Butler Yeats was an Irish poet, dramatist, writer, and politician who had a lifelong fascination with Indian philosophy and literature.

Q8: How did WB Yeats contribute to the understanding of the Upanishads? A8: WB Yeats co-authored the English translation of the Upanishads and wrote the introduction to Swami Purohit's book "The Holy Mountain." He also wrote poems that referred to India and was inspired by the teachings of Hindu monk Shri Purohit Swami.

Q9: How did the Upanishads reach the West? A9: Dara Shikoh, the son of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, translated the Bhagavad Gita and 52 Upanishads from Sanskrit to Persian. Later, the French traveler Anquetil Duperron discovered Dara's translation and German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer became greatly impressed by the Upanishads. American poets Ralph W Emerson, Walt Whitman, and Henry David Thoreau also contributed to popularizing the Upanishads in the US.

Q10: Who played a significant role in popularizing the Upanishads in the US? A10: Famous American poets Ralph W Emerson, Walt Whitman, and Henry David Thoreau have been credited for popularizing the Upanishads in the US.