


All Episodes of Upanishad Ganga
Browse all episodes of Upanishad Ganga
Season 1
- N/A/100 votes
The Journey: Introduction to Upanishads
Season 1 Episode 1 - Aired 3/11/2012
A 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.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
- N/A/100 votes
Think - Who Am I, Ask - Story from Mahabharat
Season 1 Episode 2 - Aired 3/25/2012
We 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.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
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Knowledge Transforms
Season 1 Episode 3 - Aired 4/1/2012
A 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.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
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Universal Welfare
Season 1 Episode 4 - Aired 4/8/2012
A 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.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
- N/A/100 votes
Veda-The source of Dharma - 1
Season 1 Episode 5 - Aired 4/15/2012
Mughal 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.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
- N/A/100 votes
Veda-The source of Dharma - 2
Season 1 Episode 6 - Aired 4/22/2012
Dara 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.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
- N/A/100 votes
Vedanga - Story of Bhaskaracharya
Season 1 Episode 7 - Aired 4/22/2012
Renowned 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.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
- N/A/100 votes
Upaved - Story Of Kach Devyani
Season 1 Episode 8 - Aired 4/29/2012
The 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.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
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The Human Goal: Dharma - Story of Raja Harishchandra
Season 1 Episode 9 - Aired 5/6/2012
Raja 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.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
- N/A/100 votes
The Human Goal: Artha - Story of Chanakya & Chandragupta
Season 1 Episode 10 - Aired 5/13/2012
Vishnugupta (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.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
- N/A/100 votes
The Human Goal: Kama - Story of Samrat Bhartrihari
Season 1 Episode 11 - Aired 5/20/2012
The 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.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
- N/A/100 votes
The Human Goal: Moksha - Story of Kotikarna
Season 1 Episode 12 - Aired 5/27/2012
Attaining 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.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
- N/A/100 votes
Brahmacharya Ashram: Student Life - Story of Satyakama
Season 1 Episode 13 - Aired 6/3/2012
Living 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.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
- N/A/100 votes
Gruhasta Ashram: Married Life - Story of Mahakavi Magha
Season 1 Episode 14 - Aired 6/10/2012
After 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.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
- N/A/100 votes
Vanprasth Ashram: Retired Life - Story Of Bheem, Dhritarashtra & Bimbisar, Ajatshatru
Season 1 Episode 15 - Aired 6/17/2012
As 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.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
- N/A/100 votes
Sanyasa Ashram: Renunciation: 1 - Story of Vidyaranya
Season 1 Episode 16 - Aired 6/24/2012
In 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.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
- N/A/100 votes
Renunciation 2 - Yajnavalkya & Maitreyi
Season 1 Episode 17 - Aired 7/1/2012
Unable 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.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
- N/A/100 votes
Varna - The Universal Characterisation
Season 1 Episode 18 - Aired 7/8/2012
Magadh'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.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
- N/A/100 votes
Shodasha Samskara - The 16 Milestones of Life - 1
Season 1 Episode 19 - Aired 7/15/2012
There 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.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
- N/A/100 votes
Shodasha Samskara - The 16 Milestones of Life - 2
Season 1 Episode 20 - Aired 7/22/2012
Blind 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.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
- N/A/100 votes
Shodasha Samskara - The 16 Milestones of Life -3
Season 1 Episode 21 - Aired 7/29/2012
Vallabhacharya 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.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
- N/A/100 votes
Theory Of Karma & Rebirth: Chitraketu
Season 1 Episode 22 - Aired 8/5/2012
Chitraketu 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.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
- N/A/100 votes
Glory of Human Birth - Tulsidas
Season 1 Episode 23 - Aired 8/12/2012
Orphan 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.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
- N/A/100 votes
Adhikari - The Seeker of Knowledge
Season 1 Episode 24 - Aired 8/19/2012
Nachiketa, 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.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
- N/A/100 votes
Guru - Avadhuta Dattatreya
Season 1 Episode 25 - Aired 8/26/2012
Courtesan 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.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
- N/A/100 votes
Guru Upasadan - Seeking the Guru - Indra & Virochana
Season 1 Episode 26 - Aired 9/2/2012
The 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.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
- N/A/100 votes
The Quest - Yaksha Prashna
Season 1 Episode 27 - Aired 9/16/2012
The 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.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
- N/A/100 votes
Anatman - Not The Self - Abhimanyu & Savitri
Season 1 Episode 28 - Aired 9/23/2012
When 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.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
- N/A/100 votes
Atman - The True Self - Arunagirinathar
Season 1 Episode 29 - Aired 9/30/2012
Arunagiri 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.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
- N/A/100 votes
The Existence Principle - Yagyavalkya & Gargi
Season 1 Episode 30 - Aired 10/7/2012
King 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.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
- N/A/100 votes
Consciousness: The Life Principle - Balaki, Ajatshatru & Devs
Season 1 Episode 31 - Aired 10/14/2012
King 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.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
- N/A/100 votes
The Bliss - Happy Man's Shirt
Season 1 Episode 32 - Aired 10/21/2012
A 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.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
- N/A/100 votes
Bondage - Camel's Rope
Season 1 Episode 33 - Aired 10/28/2012
Dulabhagat 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.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
- N/A/100 votes
The Self And The Not Self: Jada Bharat
Season 1 Episode 34 - Aired 11/4/2012
Jada 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.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
- N/A/100 votes
God - The Three Questions
Season 1 Episode 35 - Aired 11/11/2012
An 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.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
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Maya: The Power Of Bhagwan - Narad & Krishna
Season 1 Episode 36 - Aired 11/18/2012
Sage 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.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
- N/A/100 votes
God's Incarnations: Ved Vyas
Season 1 Episode 37 - Aired 11/25/2012
Students 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.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown