Muktikā

Muktikā (Sanskrit: मुक्तिका) refers to the Sanskrit-language anthology of a canon of 108 Upaniṣhads. The date of composition of each is unknown, with the oldest probably from about 800 BCE. The Principal Upanishads were composed in the 1st millennium BCE, most Yoga Upanishads composed probably from the 100 BCE to 300 CE period, and seven of the Sannyasa Upanishads composed before the 3rd century CE.

The canon is part of a dialogue between Rama and Hanuman dealing with the inquiry into in the Muktikā Upanishad (108 in the list). The other collections of Upanishads include ''Oupanekhat'', a Persian language anthology of 50 Upanishads; the Colebrooke Collection of 52 Upanishads, and the 52 Upanishad Collection of Nārāyana.

The canon

The canon is part of a dialogue between Rama and Hanuman. Rama proposes to teach Vedanta, saying "Even by reading one verse of them ny Upanishadwith devotion, one gets the status of union with me, which is hard to get even by sages." Hanuman inquires about the different kinds of "liberation" (or ''mukti'', hence the name of the Upanishad), to which Rama answers, "The only real type f liberationis Kaivalya."

The list of 108 Upanishads is introduced in verses 26-29:

Most scholars list ten upanishads as principal, or the Mukhya Upanishads, while some consider eleven, twelve or thirteen as principal, or the most important Upanishads (highlighted).Stephen Phillips (2009), Yoga, Karma, and Rebirth: A Brief History and Philosophy, Columbia University Press, , pages 28-29Peter Heehs (2002), Indian Religions, New York University Press, , pages 60-88

The list of 108 names is given in verses 30–39. They are as follows:

# Isha Upanishad
# Kena Upanishad
#Katha Upanishad
# Prashna Upanishad
#Mundaka Upanishad
#Mandukya Upanishad
#Taittiriya Upanishad
# Aitareya Upanishad
#Chandogya Upanishad
#Brihadaranyaka Upanishad
# Brahma Upanishad
# Kaivalya Upanishad
#Jabala Upanishad
#Shvetashvatara Upanishad
# Hamsopanishad
# Aruneya Upanishad
# Garbhopanishad
# Narayanopanishad
# Paramahamsopanishad
# Amritabindu Upanishad
# Amritanada Upanishad
# Atharvashiras Upanishad
# Atharvashikha Upanishad
#Maitrayaniya Upanishad
# Kaushitaki Upanishad
# Brihajjabala Upanishad
# Nrisimha Tapaniya Upanishad
# Kalagni Rudra Upanishad
# Maitreya Upanishad
# Subala Upanishad
# Kshurika Upanishad
# Mantrika Upanishad
# Sarvasara Upanishad
# Niralamba Upanishad
# Shukarahasya Upanishad
# Vajrasuchi Upanishad
# Tejobindu Upanishad
# Nada Bindu Upanishad
# Dhyanabindu Upanishad
# Brahmavidya Upanishad
# Yogatattva Upanishad
# Atmabodha Upanishad
# Naradaparivrajaka Upanishad
#Trishikhibrahmana Upanishad
#Sita Upanishad
# Yogachudamani Upanishad
#Nirvana Upanishad
# Mandala-brahmana Upanishad
# Dakshinamurti Upanishad
# Sharabha Upanishad
# Skanda Upanishad
# Mahanarayana Upanishad
# Advayataraka Upanishad
# Rama Rahasya Upanishad
# Rama tapaniya Upanishad
# Vasudeva Upanishad
# Mudgala Upanishad
#Shandilya Upanishad
# Paingala Upanishad
# Bhikshuka Upanishad
# Maha Upanishad
# Sariraka Upanishad
# Yogashikha Upanishad
#Turiyatitavadhuta Upanishad
# Brihat-Sannyasa Upanishad
# Paramahamsa Parivrajaka Upanishad
# Malika Upanishad
# Avyakta Upanishad
# Ekakshara Upanishad
# Annapurna Upanishad
# Surya Upanishad
# Akshi Upanishad
# Adhyatma Upanishad
# Kundika Upanishad
# Savitri Upanishad
# Atma Upanishad
# Pashupatabrahma Upanishad
# Parabrahma Upanishad
# Avadhuta Upanishad
# Tripuratapini Upanishad
# Devi Upanishad
# Tripura Upanishad
# Kathashruti Upanishad
# Bhavana Upanishad
# Rudrahridaya Upanishad
# Yoga-Kundalini Upanishad
# Bhasma Upanishad
# Rudraksha Upanishad
# Ganapati Upanishad
# Darshana Upanishad
# Tarasara Upanishad
# Mahavakya Upanishad
# Pancabrahma Upanishad
# Pranagnihotra Upanishad
#Gopala Tapani Upanishad
# Krishna Upanishad
# Yajnavalkya Upanishad
# Varaha Upanishad
# Shatyayaniya Upanishad
# Hayagriva Upanishad
# Dattatreya Upanishad
# Garuda Upanishad
# Kali-Santarana Upanishad
# Jabali Upanishad
# Saubhagyalakshmi Upanishad
# Sarasvati-rahasya Upanishad
# Bahvricha Upanishad
# Muktikā Upanishad (this text)

Transmission

Almost all printed editions of ancient Vedas and Upanishads depend on the late manuscripts that are hardly older than 500 years, not on the still-extant and superior oral tradition.Quotation of "... almost all printed editions depend on the late manuscripts that are hardly older than 500 years, not on the still extant and superior oral tradition" is from: Witzel, M., "Vedas and ", in: . Michael Witzel explains this oral tradition as follows:

Categories

In this canon,
*10 ''upaniṣads'' are associated with the ''Rigveda'' and have the ''śānti'' beginning '.
*16 ''upaniṣads'' are associated with the ''Samaveda'' and have the ''śānti'' beginning '.
*19 ''upaniṣads'' are associated with the ''Shukla Yajurveda'' and have the ''śānti'' beginning '.
*32 ''upaniṣads'' are associated with the '' Krishna Yajurveda'' and have the ''śānti'' beginning '.
*31 ''upaniṣads'' are associated with the ''Atharvaveda'' and have the ''śānti'' beginning '.

The first 13 are grouped as ''mukhya'' ("principal"), and 21 are grouped as '' Sāmānya Vedānta'' ("common Vedanta"). The remainder are associated with five different schools or sects within Hinduism, 20 with '' Sannyāsa'' (asceticism), 8 with ''Shaktism'', 14 with ''Vaishnavism'', 12 with ''Shaivism'' and 20 with Yoga.

References

*Muktika Upanishad, Translated by Dr. A. G. Krishna Warrier, Published by The Theosophical Publishing House, Chennai,
*

External links

Muktika Upanishad - Translated by: Dr. A. G. Krishna Warrier
The Theosophical Publishing House, Chennai
108 ''Upanishads'' of the ''Muktika''

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Books about the Upanishads