What made you think of translating the Isha Upanishad?
The Isha Upanishad is my favourite Upanishad. Gandhiji said, if all the Upanishads and all the other scriptures were reduced to dust and ashes and only the first stanza of the Isha Upanishad survived, Hinduism would live forever. It touches the very core of your being. Its simplicity is its magic, not its religious undertones. In fact, it is not even religious in that sense. It’s the silver lining playbook of your life. Pick it up whenever you are sad or disappointed or feeling lonely. It will help you rediscover the real truths of life, the amazing mysteries.

The Isha Upanishad is in poetic form. Was that one of the reasons why it attracted you?
Of course. Poetry, like music, is the simplest and the ultimate act of creativity. That is why we all turn to poetry in moments of our deepest despair. We find joy in the words of others who have lived through the same experience and found grace, beauty and joy in the midst of sadness. That is how Hindi film music became so popular. Some of the greatest poets of the Urdu language, such as Sahir, Faiz, Kaifi, Makhdoom Mohiuddin, began writing poems that became memorable songs. People identified with the words of these songs. It became their own words of love, hope, anguish and joy.