Brhadaranyka Upanisad

The longest, oldest, and one of the most often quoted Upanishad, Brhadaranyaka unfolds the knowledge of the self through a wide variety of dialogues. It contains the doctrine netineti (neither this, nor that). It also offers methods of worship and upasanas (meditations) that prepare the mind to receive the knowledge. Its three sections address the identity of the jiva, the identity of the Atman, and conversations between sage Yajnavalkya and his wife, Maitreyi. Considered one of the more intellectually challenging of the Upanishads, Brhadaranyaka generally is not studied first. But whe it is taken up, the beauty of its elaborate analysis of Vedanta can be fully appreciated. Some consider Shankarabhasya on the Brhadaranyaka to be his greatest work. This is said to be the first of the Upanishads Shankara studied.