Swami Vivekananda was an ardent lover of Upanishads. He said that he quoted nothing but the Upanishads in his messages. He loved the Upanishads because they contain the essence of Vedas (Vedanta, or the quintessence of Vedas). The Upanishads, the repository of the direct experiences of innumerable Rishis, are about the eternal truth, about God, creation, soul, soul’s bondage and the way to its freedom.

Upanishads declare that the goal of human life is neither the happiness of the senses nor mind, nor seeking money, comforts, name or fame but Absolute Freedom. This freedom makes one fearless which is the direct outcome of experiencing our own spiritual self, the Atman, as infinite Life, infinite Knowledge and infinite Bliss (Sat-Chit-Ananda).

We are ever-free soul, the atman. Since we are ignorant of this central truth of our being, we suffer. Man should strive to experience spiritual truth that he is the eternal and free Atman, the source of infinite bliss, infinite love, infinite knowledge and fearlessness.

Swami Vivekananda’s teachings to the humanity pivots around ‘freeing the soul from its fetters of worldliness and bondage born of ignorance.’ He laced before everyone Atmano Mokshartham Jagat Hitaya Cha, (self-realisation) as the ideal of life. In order to attain self-realisation, one should practice renunciation and serve which ultimately lead one to self-fulfillment.— Ramakrishna Vivekananda Vedanta Society