Upanishads and Their Application to Everyday Life

Name: Upanishads and Their Application to Everyday Life
Rating: 4.9 (26 reviews)

Knowing who you really are; inspiring others in family, organization, and society; leading them towards oneness with all

Highest Rated

Created byVenkat Krishnan

Last updated 1/2026

English

What you'll learn

Grasp the essence of the Upanishads that can totally transform you.
Understand who you really are, and thereby enrich your life by making it more meaningful and less stressful.
Comprehend that you are not merely a sheep that you were imagining yourself to be, but that you are in reality a lion.
Develop your transformational leadership by seeing the hidden lion in others.
Make your relationships with others more stimulating and transformational.
Enhance your moral reasoning capacity, and become skilled in resolving dilemmas in your life.

Course content

3 sections • 31 lectures • 1h 14m total length

The necessity of religion2:14
Religion shapes human destiny by transcending the senses, reconciling ancestor, spirit, and nature worship, and grounding ethics in the pursuit of the infinite.
(On Reading 1_Necessity.pdf)
Inquiry into Atman: The foundation of leadership2:30
Explore how leadership differs from power, emphasizing the Atman and higher knowledge as prerequisites for authentic transformational leadership. Uncover how the Upanishads illuminate moral leadership and awaken the hidden lion.
(On Reading 2_Inquiry.pdf)
Relevance of the Upanishads2:56
Explore the Upanishads as the Vedanta source of higher knowledge and self-inquiry within the Vedic worldview, distinguishing Shruti from Smriti.
(On Reading 3_Relevance.pdf)
Maya and illusion2:01
Maya presents the facts of existence, highlighting the contradiction between selfish impulses and unselfish guidance. Doing good reduces misery and moves us toward renunciation, the real beginning of religion.
(On Reading 4_Maya.pdf)

God in everything2:04
See God in everything by deifying the world and recognizing the Lord in wealth, desire, and every movement. Transform work and thought by seeing oneness in all.
(On Reading 5_God.pdf)
Preface, Introduction, Isha Upanishad2:21
Explore the Īśā Upanishad’s view of the unity of existence and its four instructions, including the creator pervading creation, duty, knowledge and action, and the harmony echoed in Bhagavad Gita.
(On Reading 6_Pref-Intro-Isha.pdf)
The absolute and manifestation2:19
Explore how the absolute appears as the universe through time, space, and causation, which are like glass, while Advaita teaches non-duality and the eternal subject beyond objectification.
(On Reading 7_Absolute.pdf)
Kena Upanishad2:09
(On Reading 8_Kena.pdf)
Realisation2:07
Realize that the Atman endures beyond the body and that true religion comes from inner realization, not external rites or argument.
(On Reading 9_Realisation.pdf)
Unity in diversity2:02
Turn inward to find reality in the infinite soul, not in the external world. Behind good and evil lies the real self, the unity of the one unit, beyond Maya.
(On Reading 10_Unity.pdf)
Katha Upanishad2:23
The Katha Upanishad follows Yama and Naciketa to explain the good life, the chariot metaphor of atman, and that the self is unborn, undying, revealed by turning inward.
(On Reading 11_Katha.pdf)
The freedom of the soul2:06
Discover how the one eternally blissful principle is immanent in every being, reveals the divinity of man and the pure, free soul through truth.
(On Reading 12_Freedom.pdf)
Practical Vedanta: Part 12:00
Elevate everyday life to the ideal of oneness by meditating on the Atman and teaching truth, guiding authentic transformational leadership that unites diversity.
(On Reading 13_Practical1.pdf)
Practical Vedanta: Part 21:58
See the lord in everything by recognizing true nature beyond appearances and deifying the human soul; worship god in others and help them see god in everyone.
(On Reading 14_Practical2.pdf)
Practical Vedanta: Part 32:15
Apply practical Vedanta by recognizing the one unchanging reality beneath changing forms; envision the universe as readings of the absolute and practice transformational leadership by helping others manifest infinite energy.
(On Reading 15_Practical3.pdf)
Chandogya Upanishad2:27
Explore the Chandogya Upanishad’s dialogue on Brahman and Atman, the divinity of each being as 'that thou art', and the fullness of reality revealed through questioning.
(On Reading 16_Chandogya.pdf)
The cosmos: the macrocosm2:23
Trace the cosmos as a macrocosm, showing cycles of evolution and involution from protoplasm to the God-man, and the projection of the Supreme Lord through matter, thought, and energy.
(On Reading 17_Macrocosm.pdf)
The cosmos: the microcosm2:13
Explore how perception arises from eye, brain, mind, and intellect housed in the subtle body, then trace the soul's immortality, reincarnation, and karmic fate, emphasizing inner strength and self-made destiny.
(On Reading 18_Microcosm.pdf)
Prasna Upanishad2:33
Praśna Upanishad presents six chapters of questions and answers, moving from the outer world to inner life, tracing creation through prāṇa and rayi, and exploring the self and Om.
(On Reading 19_Prasna.pdf)
Immortality2:14
Recognize that the Atman is ever free and indestructible, that birth and death belong to the body, and that the soul is omnipresent as one self in the universe.
(On Reading 20_Immortality.pdf)
Mundaka Upanishad2:18
Divide knowledge into higher and lower, recognizing the Vedas as the lower. Reveal Brahman as the imperishable reality and use two birds on a tree and the bow-and-arrow analogy.
(On Reading 21_Mundaka.pdf)
The Atman2:18
Explore the three Vedanta variations—dualism, qualified non-dualism, and Advaita—and how they frame God, the universe, and the soul from external to oneness.
(On Reading 22_Atman.pdf)
Mandukya Upanishad2:09
Explore the Mandukya Upanishad's twelve verses, analyzing waking, dream, and deep sleep to reveal the Atman as pure consciousness and Brahman behind all duality, with Om as meditation symbol.
(On Reading 23_Mandukya.pdf)
The Atman: Its bondage and freedom2:06
Explore how the Atman, the real perceiver, is bound by maya and can achieve freedom by recognizing its omnipresence, while samskaras shape character.
(On Reading 24_Bondage.pdf)
Taittiriya Upanishad2:26
Explore the Taittiriya Upanishad's prayer to Brahman, symbolized by Om, and its path to supreme bliss through piercing the five sheaths with self-inquiry, truth, and meditation.
(On Reading 25_Taittiriya.pdf)
The real and the apparent man2:11
Realize the unity of soul, mind, and body beyond name and form shaped by maya. Live as living-free, breaking karma, and realize the god within.
(On Reading 26_Apparent.pdf)
Aitareya Upanishad2:26
Reveal how the Aitareya Upanishad frames Brahman as pure consciousness and the Atman, or self, as the conscious center behind waking, dream, and deep sleep.
(On Reading 27_Aitareya.pdf)
Yajnavalkya and Maitreyi2:07
Examine how love centers on the self rather than the object, and how knowing the Atman transforms attachment into eternal, universal love. Everything is a manifestation of the Atman.
(On Reading 28_Yajnavalkya.pdf)
Brihadaranyaka Upanishad2:55
Brihadaranyaka Upanishad reveals the divinity of all beings and introduces Upāsana as a practical method for daily life, guiding meditation and understanding Atman and Brahman.
(On Reading 29_Brihadaranyaka.pdf)

The real nature of man2:15
Recognize that the real human is the Atman, infinite and free, while the body and mind are mere limitations, and awaken transformational leadership to help others realize this true nature.
(On Reading 30_Nature.pdf)
Oneness: Explained by Swami Chinmayananda6:31
Explore the vision of oneness through a beautiful body example from Gurudev, as presented by Swami Chinmayananda, and see the clip that conveys this idea.

Requirements

No prior knowledge of the course content is needed.
This is a modified version of an offline course that was taught to full-time MBA students for 15 years.

Description

PROCESS (HOW)

This course consists of 30 sessions. A session includes lecture, reading, and quiz. The reading for each lecture is available as part of the resources for that lecture.

The readings include the most readable translation of the 10 major Upanishads, 18 lectures of Swami Vivekananda providing the best explanation of the Upanishads, and two introductory chapters.

For those interested in some additional resources for further reading after completing this course, some recommended extra readings have been included as part of the resources for the final video-lecture.

CONTENT (WHAT)

This course will help you better understand who you really are. Understanding your real nature will enrich your life by making it multi-faceted, more meaningful, and less stressful. Comprehending that you are not merely a sheep that you were imagining yourself to be, but that you are in reality a lion, will enable you to work wonders in every walk of life. Self-fulfilling prophecy results in the most miraculous outcomes in the domain of human behavior.

The Upanishads are the original texts that explain the Atman, the real essence of each individual. This course provides a wonderful opportunity to understand the Upanishads. These are unparalleled texts. There is nothing else that can be compared with Upanishads. Everyone who studies the Upanishads will be enthralled by them. Upanishads take us to a very high plane of thinking.

Studying the Upanishads makes one unimaginably strong. Swami Vivekananda said: "Strength, strength is what the Upanishads speak to me from every page... Strength, O man, strength, say the Upanishads, stand up and be strong... We want strength, strength, and every time strength. And the Upanishads are the great mine of strength. Therein lies strength enough to invigorate the whole world; the whole world can be vivified, made strong, energised through them... Freedom, physical freedom, mental freedom, and spiritual freedom are the watchwords of the Upanishads" (Complete Works, 3: 237-239).

"Leadership is one of the most observed and least understood phenomena on earth" (Burns, 1978, "Leadership," page 2). The lack of understanding about leadership is possibly because of confusing it with power. This course will help you clearly distinguish between the two, and choose the more effective option of leadership.

"To see the ubiquity and pervasiveness of power and leadership in the relationships of mother and daughter, teacher and schoolchildren, coach and athlete, master and apprentice, minister and congregation, sergeant and rifleman, party chieftain and card-carrying member, propagandist and believer, is to see power wielders, leaders, and followers in continuous interaction in virtually every sphere of human society" (Burns, 1978, "Leadership," pages 52-53).

Leadership is a dynamic and reciprocal relationship between two human beings. The one who initiates the relationship is the leader, and the one who follows that initiative is the follower. Hierarchy in family, organization, and society may not have much to do with leadership. Subordinates may initiate the relationship with their supervisors, and hence become the leaders. Parents may follow the initiatives taken by their children, and hence become their followers.

This course will help you to perfect your relationship with others in your family, organization, and society. You can develop your transformational relationship with others, instead of a mere transactional relationship. You can address their real needs, instead of merely fulfilling their stated wants and appeasing them. You can inspire them to achieve higher ideals and lift themselves into their better selves. "That people can be lifted into their better selves is the secret of transforming leadership" (Burns, 1978, "Leadership," page 462). Studying the Upanishads will provide an experiential learning of transformational leadership.

Who this course is for:

Those who wish to understand the Upanishads, the most uplifting material available.
Those interested in self-development, and in becoming better human beings tomorrow than what they are today.
Those who want to influence others in family, organization, and society, in a positive and enduring manner.
Those aspiring to be true leaders and not mere power-holders.
Those who are keen on becoming transformational leaders, and in lifting others into their higher self.
Those who desire to increase their moral reasoning capabilities.

Upanishads and Their Application to Everyday Life

What you'll learn

Explore related topics

Course content

Introduction4 lectures • 10min

Upanishads25 lectures • 57min

Conclusion2 lectures • 9min

Requirements

Description

Who this course is for: