Upadesa Sahasri: A Thousand Teachings in two Parts, Prose and Poetry of Sri Sankaracharya (Shankaracharya)

Upadeshasahasri written by Sri Sankara, the great Teacher, is translated into English with explanatory footnotes, which will be found useful by readers while going through the book.

References to Upanishats, the Vedanta Aphorisms and the Bhagavad-Gita mostly quoted by the author have been carefully traced and shown at the bottom of the pages, which, it is presumed, will throw much clear light on the Text and solve difficulties.

In his eagerness to do good to people, the great author, while writing the book, has spared no pains in making clear the idea of the distinction between oneself and one's body, mind, etc., which, when rightly comprehended under the benevolent guidance of a Teacher, a man of Knowledge, will perfectly convince one that one is not other than the Unlimited Bliss untouched by hunger and thirst, grief and delusion, old age and death, the only real Existence, the Goal of all human beings to be realized in life.

Ramatirtha's glossary on Sankara's Upadesha-sahasri has been followed in translating the book and appending footnotes.

Certain words, not to be found in the text but necessary for making the meaning clear, have been placed within brackets. Explanatory paragraphs have been added to the translation in a few places. In studying the book one may begin either with the prose part or the metrical. We have adopted the most acceptable readings after consulting the Nirnayasagar, Lotus Liberary and Mysore editions of the book.

An index to the verses appended at the end of the book will, it is hoped, be found useful.