Early Vedic religion mainly emphasized establishing a relationship with the gods and performing rituals. And sacrificial ceremonies to seek their support and protection. There are many direct and indirect references to Yoga in the Upanishads.
In the compilation of 108 Upanishads listed in Muktika Anthology, there are twenty Yoga Upanishads. Upanishad is the Sanskrit word that means to sit near or below, where Upa = near, and Shad = to sit. Hence the phrase guides to sitting near or under the enlightened one to attain refinement.
Yoga is one of the most antique layouts of mystic and human development practices invented in India. The Yoga traditions stem from a long line of complex but powerful written teachings. The Upanishads related to Yoga are the Yoga Upanishads and are twenty in number.
The Upanishads transfer the fundamental knowledge of the Vedas into practical and personal teachings. While- the Vedas are considered India’s most sacred and treasured spiritual texts. Four primary teaching form the framework and basis of Yoga philosophy.
The 20 Most Important Yoga Upanishads
In the 20 Upanishads, Yoga is considered the main subject. These twenty Upanishads are called Yoga Upanishads. All the Upanishads point to liberating insight, but they establish preconceptions of Indian thought that had become founded in early yogic practices.
Here is a list of 20 Yoga Upanishads that discusses various aspects and types of Yoga, including asanas, breathing exercises, dhyana (dhyan), sound (nada), tantra (kundalini anatomy), and others. This list of the apparent Upanishads provides a clear glimpse of the Yoga text. And the summaries of the Upanishads nourish essential guidelines in the study of Yoga in India.
1- Hamsa Upanishad
The Hamsa Upanishad is a Sanskrit text and a minor Upanishad of Hinduism and is- classified as one of the twenty Yoga Upanishads. And is associated with the Shukla Yajurveda. And the divine Sanatkumara, on the knowledge of hamsa-vidya as- theosophy.
2- Amrita Bindu Upanishad
The Amritabindu Upanishad is one of the minor Upanishad of Hinduism and is one of the Five Point Upanishads associated with the Atharvaveda. And one of the twenty Yoga Upanishads in the four Vedas.
The text is notable for denouncing “book learning” and emphasizing practice. As- well as presenting a six-limbed Yoga system that corresponds to the five stages of the eight steps of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras and a unique, distinct sixth step.
3- Nada Bindu Upanishad or Amrita Nada Bindu Upanishad Rigveda or Atharvaveda
The Nadabindu Upanishad is an ancient Sanskrit text and one of the smaller Upanishad of Hinduism. It is one of the twenty Yoga Upanishads in the four Vedas and is also known as Amrita Nada Bindu Upanishad. These manuscripts are associated with the Atharvaveda, or the Rigveda, respectively.
4- Kshurika Upanishad Atharvaveda Krishna Yajurveda
The Kshurika Upanishad is an ancient Sanskrit text and one of the minor Upanishads of Hinduism and is one of the twenty Yoga Upanishads in the four Vedas.
5- Tejo Bindu Upanishad Atharvaveda
The Tejobindu Upanishad is a minor Upanishad in the collection of- Upanishad texts of Hinduism. And is one of the Five Point Upanishads, all associated with the Atharvaveda. And one of the twenty Yoga Upanishads in the four Vedas.
6- Nada Bindu Upanishad Atharvaveda and Rig Veda
The Nadabindu is an ancient Sanskrit text and one of the smaller Upanishads of Hinduism. It is one of the twenty Yoga Upanishads in the four Vedas and is also known as Amrita Nada Bindu Upanishad.
7- Dhyanabindu Upanishad Atharvaveda and Samaveda
The Dhyanabindu is also known as Atharvaveda and Samaveda. An antique Sanskrit text and a minor Upanishad of Hinduism. It is one of the twenty Yoga Upanishad of the four Vedas.
8- Brahmavidya Upanishad Atharvaveda and Krishna Yajurveda
The Brahmavidya Upanishad is also known as Atharvaveda and Krishna Yajurveda. It is a Sanskrit text and one of the minor Upanishads of Hinduism. And is one of the twenty Yoga Upanishad in the four Vedas.
9- Yogatattva Upanishad Atharvaveda
Yogatattva Upanishad, also called Yogatattva Upanishad, is one of the crucial Upanishads of Hinduism. And it is one of the eleven Yoga Upanishads associated with the Atharvaveda and one of the twenty Yoga Upanishad in the four Vedas.
10- Trishikhibrahmana Upanishad Shukla Yajurveda
The Trishikhibrahman Upanishad is also known as the Trishikhibrahmanopanishad. And it is one of the smaller Upanishads of Hinduism and is a Sanskrit text. And it is associated with the Shukla Yajurveda and is classified as one of the 20 Yoga Upanishads.
11- Yogachudamani Samaveda
The Yogachudamani is one of the smaller Upanishads of Hinduism composed in Sanskrit. And it has been called the crown jewel of Yoga. Associated with the Samaveda, it is one of the twenty Yoga Upanishads in the four Vedas.
12- Mandala-brahmana Shukla Yajurveda
The Mandala-Brahman is also known as the MandalaBrahmanopanishad. And it is one of the smaller Upanishads of Hinduism and is a Sanskrit text. It is associated with the Shukla Yajurveda and is- classified as one of the 20 Yoga Upanishads.
13- Advayataraka Shukla Yajurveda
The Advaitarak Upanishad is an ancient Sanskrit text and a minor Upanishad of Hinduism. It is one of the 19 Upanishads associated with Shukla Yajurveda and classified as Yoga Upanishad.
14- Shandilya Atharva Veda
The Shandilya Upanishad is one of the twenty Yoga Upanishads in the four Vedas and is associated with the Atharvaveda. The text primarily focuses on Yoga techniques. And it is one of the most detailed in the Upanishad collection of texts devoted to Yoga.
15- Yogashikha Krishna Yajur Veda
The Yogashikha Upanishad is one of the twenty Yoga Upanishads in the four Vedas. It is a Sanskrit text and one of the minor Upanishads of Hinduism.
16- Pashupatabrahma Atharvaveda
The Pasupatabrahma Upanishad is one of the 31 Upanishads associated with the Atharvaveda. And it is classified as one of the 20 Yoga Upanishads.
17- Yoga-kundalini Krishna Yajurveda
The Yoga-Kundalini Upanishad is a nominal Upanishad of Hinduism. It is a crucial text dealing with the interpretation of Kundalini Yoga. That describes Hatha and Lambika Yoga, and the final chapter is mainly about self-knowledge, atman, Brahman (Advaita Brahman), and the search for living liberation.
18- Yogasutras Darshana Samaveda
The Darshan Upanishad is one of the twenty Yoga Upanishads in the four Vedas and is closely related to the Samaveda. It is one of the smaller Upanishads of Hinduism written in Sanskrit.
19- Mahavakya Atharva
The Mahavakya Upanishad are the “great sayings” of the Atharva Upanishad. As- characteristic of the Advaita school of Vedanta, meaning great and sentence, a sentence.
20- Varaha Krishna Yajurveda
The Varaha Upanishad is- listed as one of the 32 Krishna Yajurveda Upanishad and classified as one of the 20 Yoga Upanishads. It is a minor Upanishad of Hinduism composed between the 13th and 16th centuries CE.
Yoga Upanishads –
Conclusion
These spiritual concepts have retained a profound influence on the development of Yoga, Hindu, and Indian philosophy. These philosophical teachings would continue to be the core belief for all future expansions in many paths and practices of Yoga. Whereas the yogic practices taught in the Upanishads were primarily based on mediation.
All these Upanishads are- based on the Yoga Sutras that present the Vitarka. And it is a broad conception of contemplation, deliberation, logic, and reasoning- as well.
To Learn all the Upanishads. a deep theory class for Indian Philosophy needs to be joined.
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