Sri Gopala Tapani Upanishad (English)

Book excerpt: (Sri Gopala Tapani Upanishad) Sri Gopala-tapani Upanisad is the favorite Upanisad among Vaisnavas. Great acharyas such as Sri Visvesvara, Sri Jiva Gosvami, Srila Visvanath Cakravarti Thakura, and Sri Baladeva Vidyabhusana wrote commentaries on the Gopala-Tapani Upanisad. Sri Bhaktivinoda Thakura also wrote a commentary on Gopala-tapani, but unfortunately, it is not available. We are including the commentaries of both Baladeva Vidyabhusana and Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura in this edition. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Prabhupada compared the Vedic literature to the body of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Upanisads are Krsna’s head, the Samhitas are His body, and the Brahmanas and Tapanis are His bodily limbs. The Gopala Tapani is studied by followers of the Pippalada branch of the Atharva Veda. That is why this Tapani is also known as Atharvana Upanisad.