Upanishad Ganga
Season 1
52 episodes
- 1. The Journey: Introduction to UpanishadsA student reaches Benares to learn Sanskrit texts. The teacher says that this is a journey to know oneself, and truth and happiness. His son holds them irrelevant, but directs a Romeo-Juliet play in the style of the ancient poet, Kalidas.CC30minMar 11, 2012
- 2. Think - Who Am I, Ask - Story from MahabharatWe are asked to consider if we know who we are, the purpose of our lives, why do we often rebel and who within ourselves wants to express itself. In a play Sri Krishna extols that the entire cosmos is He, the one Atman; we are all one.CC30minMar 25, 2012
- 3. Knowledge TransformsA discerning mind and true wisdom transform a person. Dacoit Ratnakar accosts sage Narada in a lonely forest. Prodded by Narada, he realizes that his family disapproves of his actions. Reformed, he becomes Valmiki, who wrote the Ramayana.CC30minApr 1, 2012
- 4. Universal WelfareA scripture centered debate between Ashtavakra and Acharya Bandi tells us that violence cannot win over anyone. Incomplete knowledge of our Oneness is why we consider ourselves of this ephemeral world, with its notions of beauty and form.CC30minApr 8, 2012
- 5. Veda-The source of Dharma - 1Mughal Dara Shikoh's intense interest in the Hindu scriptures takes him to Kashi. He learns that the Vedas were not composed by humans. India is a holy land where self inquiry and reflection is ingrained, although many invaders ruled it.CC30minApr 15, 2012
- 6. Veda-The source of Dharma - 2Dara Shikoh learns the meaning and structure of the Vedas and translates them and related scriptures to Farsi. These are then rendered in French and German. All this takes them global, and piques the interest of the scholar, Max Mueller.CC30minApr 22, 2012
- 7. Vedanga - Story of BhaskaracharyaRenowned mathematician and astronomer Bhaskaracharya wrote the treatise, Karan Kutuhal. Unable to get his daughter Lilawati married, he wrote the treatise on Vedic maths, Lilawati. Maths is considered crucial to the study of the Vedas.CC30minApr 22, 2012
- 8. Upaved - Story Of Kach DevyaniThe asuras defeat the devas due to their sanjeevani vidya (lore to trounce death) So, Kaccha goes to Shukracharya, sage of the asuras, to learn this sanjeevani vidya. The four upvedas each are supplementary to the four main vedas.CC30minApr 29, 2012
- 9. The Human Goal: Dharma - Story of Raja HarishchandraRaja Harishchandra lived according to the rules of dharma, with steadfast effort and never reneging on his words. Once, he mistakenly disturbs Sage Vishwamitra's meditation and has to sell his wife, son and himself to pay the sage's fine.CC30minMay 6, 2012
- 10. The Human Goal: Artha - Story of Chanakya & ChandraguptaVishnugupta (Chanakya) taught Chandragupta, the ruler of Magadh, that a king is just like a paid servant. He has vast responsibilities to keep his subjects happy. And, for that, dharmic economic principles of governing should be employed.CC30minMay 13, 2012
- 11. The Human Goal: Kama - Story of Samrat BhartrihariThe Lord of Desire (Kama devta) is key to all beings. Dharma should rule Desire. King Bhartrihari bestowed a fruit blessed with sexual prowess to his wife. After travelling to four persons, it came back through his clueless, other wife.CC30minMay 20, 2012
- 12. The Human Goal: Moksha - Story of KotikarnaAttaining moksha (enlightenment) should be the ultimate aspiration and effort for all. Kotikarna had untold wealth, and was highly egotistic. He sets out to attain moksha, realizing that money cannot buy it. Thief Satyawadi follows him.CC30minMay 27, 2012
- 13. Brahmacharya Ashram: Student Life - Story of SatyakamaLiving in and seeking the truth is enough for a student to be taught by a guru. Young Satyakam, of lower caste, wanted to study. The gurus did not accept him due to his low caste. But, Rishi Gautam agreed because he had spoken the truth.CC30minJun 3, 2012
- 14. Gruhasta Ashram: Married Life - Story of Mahakavi MaghaAfter his education as a Brahmacharya (student), a person becomes a Gruhasta (householder). Here he lives according to dharmic principles, helping others as much as possible and not harming anyone. The story of poet Magha illustrates this.CC30minJun 10, 2012
- 15. Vanprasth Ashram: Retired Life - Story Of Bheem, Dhritarashtra & Bimbisar, AjatshatruAs you grow old, vanaprashta ashram (retired life) should follow gruhasta ashram (householder life). Sorrow results if it is postponed or ignored. Old Dhritrastra and King Bimbisara clung to their lives of worldly desire, and suffered.CC30minJun 17, 2012
- 16. Sanyasa Ashram: Renunciation: 1 - Story of VidyaranyaIn the last phase of sanyasa (renunciation), detachment is practiced and moksha (enlightenment) is sought. Having lost his family, Vidyaranya became a monk at the Shringeri Sharda Peetam and lead a revolt against the anti-Hindu Mughals.CC30minJun 24, 2012
- 17. Renunciation 2 - Yajnavalkya & MaitreyiUnable to answer a question in a contest, Vidagdha commits suicide. Acharya Yajnavalkya realizes that the real victory is to know oneself. Renunciation means no desire for people, things and ourselves. The soul is essentially joyous.CC30minJul 1, 2012
- 18. Varna - The Universal CharacterisationMagadh's brahmins opposed appointing low caste Chandragupta as their ruler. Chanakya (Vishnugupta) argued that caste is not based on birth. It is based on occupation, effort and present karma. He cited many well known examples in defense.CC30minJul 8, 2012
- 19. Shodasha Samskara - The 16 Milestones of Life - 1There are 16 milestones (Shodasha Samskaras) in a life's journey from the womb till death. Surdas explains the first 8 of these. These are garbhadana, pumsavana, seemantonayana, jatakarma, namakarna, nishkarma, annaprashana and chudakarma.CC30minJul 15, 2012
- 20. Shodasha Samskara - The 16 Milestones of Life - 2Blind Surdas recounts that, as a child, he was neglected. Even a group of travelling singers left him behind. Vallabhacharya stops by to hear young Surdas sing. Emperor Akbar and Tansen visit him. He explains the upnayana step to Kanhai.CC30minJul 22, 2012
- 21. Shodasha Samskara - The 16 Milestones of Life -3Vallabhacharya initiates Surdas to vedic knowledge. Surdas explains the remaining milestones to Kanhai. Emperor Akbar is beset by fakes when he decides to compile Surdas' songs and get them translated to Farsi. Birbal solves this problem.CC30minJul 29, 2012
- 22. Theory Of Karma & Rebirth: ChitraketuChitraketu experiences the joy and tragedy of a new born son. The son's soul has seen countless rebirths, with countless parents. Unfulfilled desires cause rebirth. Past karma rules our present and present karma dictates our rebirths.CC30minAug 5, 2012
- 23. Glory of Human Birth - TulsidasOrphan Tulsidas sang stories of Lord Rama to earn a living. His wife rebuked him for not loving Rama enough. So, he left home, plunged into the lore of Rama and re-wrote the original Sanskrit language Ramayana of Valmiki in Awadhi.CC30minAug 12, 2012
- 24. Adhikari - The Seeker of KnowledgeNachiketa, son of Vajashravas, meets Lord Yama, the God of Death. Granted 3 boons by Yama, Nachiketa desires to know what is Death, what comes after and what is not impermanent. Yama replies that only the soul (Atman) is indestructible.CC30minAug 19, 2012
- 25. Guru - Avadhuta DattatreyaCourtesan Pingala is distraught when a patron does not come. She and Sthulibhadra realize the futility of things impermanent. Yadu, alienated from his princely life, meets Avadhut in his wanderings. Avadhut describes his 24 gurus to Yadu.CC30minAug 26, 2012
- 26. Guru Upasadan - Seeking the Guru - Indra & VirochanaThe Asuras and the Gods constantly fought. They send one person each to Acharya Prajapati to learn about the secret of existence. Prajapati taught that the Atman is non-material, eternal and in every being. So, we should share everything.CC30minSep 2, 2012
- 27. The Quest - Yaksha PrashnaThe five thirsty Pandavas cannot drink water until the Yaksha's questions are answered. The four younger brothers refuse to answer, drink water and die. Yudhisthira first answers these eternal questions. All questions lead to knowledge.CC30minSep 16, 2012
- 28. Anatman - Not The Self - Abhimanyu & SavitriWhen Abhimanyu is slain in war, Krishna explains that the soul never dies. Savitri pursues her dead husband being taken away by Yamaraja. He grants her many boons but she wants 100 sons. Yamaraja is forced to give her dead husband back.CC30minSep 23, 2012
- 29. Atman - The True Self - ArunagirinatharArunagiri was a dissolute and became a pauper. His sister berated him and offered herself to him, if he so craved sensual pleasures. Awakened, Arunagiri became a renunciate and seeker. He realized that only the atman is permanent.CC30minSep 30, 2012
- 30. The Existence Principle - Yagyavalkya & GargiKing Janak organized a Brahma Sabha (assembly). Yagyavalkya remained undefeated in its Q and A session. He expounded on the all-pervading Brahma when Gargi had 2 questions. He later composed 3 texts used extensively in historical India.CC30minOct 7, 2012
- 31. Consciousness: The Life Principle - Balaki, Ajatshatru & DevsKing Ajatshatru renounces his throne in favor of Balaki when the latter wants to learn from him. Indra, Agni and Vayu learn that they are not the real victors. The omniscient force, Brahma, is the origin of everything in the universe.CC30minOct 14, 2012
- 32. The Bliss - Happy Man's ShirtA king is chronically unhappy. He is told to wear a happy man's shirt. They locate Bhura, a happy, shirtless bullock cart owner. Bhura says that we are atman, and it is essentially blissful. We are unhappy when we seek happiness outside.CC30minOct 21, 2012
- 33. Bondage - Camel's RopeDulabhagat explains that a camel is habituated to being tethered, even if it is imaginary. We are slaves to our desires. The mind is shackled to the physical world. However, we are truly unchanging and transcend this physical universe.CC30minOct 28, 2012
- 34. The Self And The Not Self: Jada BharatJada Bharata explains that we are not our bodies or our possessions. We are atman which is unchanging and omnipresent. It is the same atman which dwells in all beings and things. So, we are no different from all else in the universe.CC30minNov 4, 2012
- 35. God - The Three QuestionsAn unbelieving prince wants to know what is God, where is He and what is the proof of His existence. A lady explains that God is invisible, like the cream in milk. He is the cause of everything. He permeates, like the light of a candle.CC30minNov 11, 2012
- 36. Maya: The Power Of Bhagwan - Narad & KrishnaSage Narada asks Lord Krishna to explain what is Maya, Illusion. Krishna explains that Maya is inexpressible. Only that which was true earlier, is true today and will be true tomorrow, is not Maya. All else is impermanent and changing.CC30minNov 18, 2012
- 37. God's Incarnations: Ved VyasStudents felt discouraged since studying the Vedas was arduous. Veda Vyasa simplified matters by dividing the Vedas into 4 parts. He divided the Puranas into 18 main (maha) and 18 secondary (upa) Puranas. He also wrote the Mahabharata.CC30minNov 25, 2012
- 38. Devta: The Cosmic DeitiesThe essence of the entire universe is Brahma. Therefore, Brahma, God, is everywhere. Its various functions, like birth, growth, destruction are manifest as devatas, individual divinities.CC30minDec 2, 2012
- 39. OM - The Sacred Symbol - Price of the GemNo synopsis available yet.CC30minDec 9, 2012
- 40. The Creation - Varah MihirNo synopsis available yet.CC30minDec 16, 2012
- 41. God, Me & The World - Prahalada & HiranyakashipuNo synopsis available yet.CC30minDec 23, 2012
- 42. The Three Realities - Janaka & AshtavakraNo synopsis available yet.CC30minJan 6, 2013
- 43. Three Personality Traits - MeerabaiNo synopsis available yet.CC30minJan 13, 2013
- 44. Inborn TraitsNo synopsis available yet.CC30minJan 20, 2013
- 45. Preparatory Spiritual Practices - Bahirang SadhanaNo synopsis available yet.CC30minFeb 3, 2013
- 46. Advanced Spiritual Practices - Antarang SadhanaNo synopsis available yet.CC30minFeb 10, 2013
- 47. The Yoga of Action - Karma YogNo synopsis available yet.CC30minFeb 17, 2013
- 48. The Yoga of Devotion - Bhakti YogNo synopsis available yet.CC30minFeb 24, 2013
- 49. The Yoga of Knowledge - Gyan YogNo synopsis available yet.CC30minMar 3, 2013
- 50. The Ultimate Teaching - MahavakyaNo synopsis available yet.CC30minMar 10, 2013
- 51. Liberation-MuktiNo synopsis available yet.CC30minMar 17, 2013
- 52. GratitudeNo synopsis available yet.CC30minMar 24, 2013
Upanishad Ganga
★ 10.0/1020121 season52 episodesEnded
Short stories exploring today's concepts in ancient Indian contexts.
Maturity rating
Not yet rated.
Where to watch
Not currently listed on any streaming, rental or purchase service.
Details and artwork from TMDB. Availability from JustWatch and can change without notice.