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This portion of a Veda guides people in the performance of Vedic Karmas or sacrificial rituals; they are the prose explanations of the method of using the mantras in the Yajnas and other rituals. Brahmana is suitable for the गृहस्थ-s || Grihasthas (the householders), those belonging to the second stage in life.

This portion of a Veda guides people in the performance of Vedic Karmas or sacrificial rituals; they are the prose explanations of the method of using the mantras in the Yajnas and other rituals. Brahmana is suitable for the गृहस्थ-s || Grihasthas (the householders), those belonging to the second stage in life.

=== अरण्यकानि || Aranyakas ===

=== अरण्यकानि || Aranyakas ===

Aranyakas, "wilderness texts" or "forest treatisies" अरण्येऽधीयूरान् meaning texts to be studied in forests as mentioned in Taittiriya Aranyaka, were composed by people who meditated in the woods as recluses and are the third part of the Vedas. The texts contain discussions and interpretations of ceremonies, from ritualisitic to symbolic meta-ritualistic points of view<ref name=":2">Malladi, Sri. Suryanarayana Sastry (1982) ''Samskruta Vangmaya Charitra, Volume 1 Vaidika Vangmayam'' Hyderabad : Andhra Sarasvata Parishad</ref>.

अरण्यक-s || Aranyakas, "wilderness texts" or "forest treatisies" : <blockquote>अरण्येऽधीयूरान् || araṇye'dhīyūrān ||</blockquote>Meaning: Texts to be studied in forests

This text is unavailable (as for Atharvana veda) or found as the last part of the Brahmanas, or are completely separated from the Brahmanas. For example, the last kanda of Shatapata Brahmana is Aranyaka for Shukla Yajurveda, whereas in Krishna Yajurveda, the Taittiriya Brahmana and Aranyaka are completely separate.<ref name=":2" />

As mentioned in तैत्तिरीय-अरण्यकम् ॥ Taittiriya Aranyaka, they were composed by people who meditated in the woods as recluses and are the third part of the Vedas. The texts contain discussions and interpretations of ceremonies, from ritualisitic to symbolic meta-ritualistic points of view<ref name=":2">Malladi, Sri. Suryanarayana Sastry (1982) ''Samskruta Vangmaya Charitra, Volume 1 Vaidika Vangmayam'' Hyderabad : Andhra Sarasvata Parishad</ref>.

Aranyakas, however, neither are homogeneous in content nor in structure. They are a combination of instructions and ideas, and some include chapters of Upanishads within them. Two theories have been proposed on the origin of the word Aranyakas. One theory holds that these texts were meant to be studied in a forest, while the other holds that the name came from these being the manuals of allegorical interpretation of sacrifices, for those in वानप्रस्थ || Vanaprastha (retired, forest-dwelling) stage of their life, according to the historic age-based Ashrama system of human life.  

This text is unavailable (as for अथर्वणवेदः ॥ Atharvanaveda) or found as the last part of the ब्रामणानि ॥ Brahmanas, or are completely separated from the ब्राह्मणानि ॥ Brahmanas. For example, the last काण्ड ॥ kanda of शतपथ-ब्राह्मणम् ॥ Shatapata Brahmana is अरण्यकम् ॥ Aranyaka for शुक्लयजुर्वेदः ॥ Shukla Yajurveda, whereas in कृष्णयजुर्वेदः ॥ Krishna Yajurveda, the तैत्तिरीय-ब्राह्मणम् ॥ Taittiriya Brahmana and अरण्यकम् ॥ Aranyaka are completely separate.<ref name=":2" />

The Aranyaka portion is addressed to the people of that category offering a substitute for rituals. They teach methods of meditation based upon symbolical interpretations of sacrificial rites. It is a process of performing Yajnas and sacrifices at the mental level. For example Brihadaranyaka Upanishad starts with such analytical mental performance of Aswamedha Yajna. The Aranyakas are intended for the Vanaprasthas or people who prepare themselves for the last stage in life i.e. Sanyasa. Aranyakas form the transition link between the ritual of the Brahmanas and the philosophy of the Upanishads.  

 

The Aranyaka portion is addressed to the people of that category offering a substitute for rituals. They teach methods of meditation based upon symbolical interpretations of sacrificial rites. It is a process of performing यज्ञ-s || Yajnas and sacrifices at the mental level. For example: बृहदारण्यक-उपनिषद् ॥ Brhadaranyaka Upanishad starts with such analytical mental performance of अश्वमेधयज्ञः ॥ Ashwamedha Yajna. The Aranyakas are intended for the Vanaprasthas or people who prepare themselves for the last stage in life i.e. सन्यासः ॥ Sanyasa. Aranyakas form the transition link between the ritual of the Brahmanas and the philosophy of the Upanishads.  

=== उपनिषदः || Upanishads ===

=== उपनिषदः || Upanishads ===

The number of works that go by the name Upanishad and available today in print exceeds 200. The Muktikopanishad gives a list of 108 Upanishads. However, the principal Upanishads are accepted to be those which Sri Adi Sankaracharya chose to comment upon.  

The number of works that go by the name Upanishad and available today in print exceeds 200. The मुक्तिकोपनिषद् ॥ Muktikopanishad gives a list of 108 Upanishads. However, the principal Upanishads are accepted to be those which श्रीआदिशङ्कराचार्यः ॥ Sri Adi Shankaracharya chose to comment upon.  

Sri Sankaracharya was the earliest commentator on the Upanishads. He chose only 10 Upanishads for his commentaries<ref name=":2" />. According to some scholars he commented upon 11 Upanishads. He refers to 4 more Upanishads in his commentary on Brahma Sutra namely Svetasvatara  Upanishad, Kousitaki Upanishad, Jaabaala Upanishad, Mahanarayana Upanishad, and Paingala Upanishad.

श्रीशङ्कराचार्यः ॥ Sri Shankaracharya was the earliest commentator on the Upanishads. He chose only 10 Upanishads for his commentaries<ref name=":2" />. According to some scholars, he commented upon 11 Upanishads. He refers to 4 more Upanishads in his commentary on ब्रह्मसूत्रम् ॥ Brahmasutra namely श्वेताश्वतर-उपनिषद् ॥ Shvetashvatara  Upanishad, कौषीतकी उपनिषद् ॥ Kousitaki Upanishad, जाबाल-उपनिषद् ॥ Jabala Upanishad, महानारायण-उपनिषद् ॥ Mahanarayana Upanishad, and पैङ्गल-उपनिषद् ॥ Paingala Upanishad.

Considering the ones chosen by him for commenting and as reference material as the most ancient and authentic, they are termed as major or principal Upanishads. We may list them as follows:

Considering the ones chosen by him for commenting as reference material and as the most ancient and authentic, they are termed as major or principal Upanishads. We may list them as follows:

'''TEN MAJOR UPANISHADS (Based on Sri Adi Shankaracharya's Commentaries)'''

'''TEN MAJOR UPANISHADS (Based on Sri Adi Shankaracharya's Commentaries)'''

# Isavasya or Isopanishad

# ईशावास्य/ईशोपनिषद् ॥ Ishavasya/Isopanishad

# Kena Upanishad

# केन-उपनिषद् ॥ Kena Upanishad

# Katha Upanishad

# कठ-उपनिषद् ॥ Katha Upanishad

# Prasna Upanishad

# प्रश्न-उपनिषद् ॥ Prashna Upanishad

# Mundaka Upanishad

# मुण्डक-उपनिषद् ॥ Mundaka Upanishad

# Mandukya Upanishad

# माण्डूक्य-उपनिषद् ॥ Mandukya Upanishad

# Taittiriya Upanishad

# तैत्तिरीय-उपनिषद् ॥ Taittiriya Upanishad

# AitareyaUpanishad

# ऐतरेय-उपनिषद् ॥ AitareyaUpanishad

# Chandogya Upanishad

# छान्दोग्य-उपनिषद् ॥ Chandogya Upanishad

# Brhadaranyaka Upanishad

# बृहदारण्यक-उपनिषद् ॥ Brhadaranyaka Upanishad

The Upanishads are the concluding portions of the Vedas which discuss philosophical issues both in prose and metrical forms. They are commonly referred to as वेदान्त || Vedanta, variously interpreted to mean either the "last chapters, parts of the Vedas" or "the object, the highest purpose of the Veda". The concepts of ब्रह्मन || Brahman (Ultimate Reality, Paramatma), आत्मन् || Atman (Soul, Self, Jivatma) and liberation of soul (Mukti Moksha) are central ideas in all the Upanishads and primarily focus on routes for obtaining Brahmavidya which on practice leads one to Mukti. The Upanishads are the foundation of Hindu philosophical thought and its diverse traditions.<ref name=":2" />

The Upanishads are the concluding portions of the Vedas which discuss philosophical issues both in prose and metrical forms. They are commonly referred to as वेदान्तः || Vedanta, variously interpreted to mean either the "last chapters, parts of the Vedas" or "the object, the highest purpose of the Veda". The concepts of ब्रह्मन् || Brahman (Ultimate Reality, परमात्मा ॥ Paramatma), आत्मन् || Atman (Soul, Self, जीवात्मा ॥ Jivatma) and liberation of soul (मुक्तिः ॥ Mukti/ मोक्षः ॥ Moksha) are central ideas in all the Upanishads and primarily focus on routes for obtaining ब्रह्मविद्या ॥ [[Brahmavidya (ब्रह्मविद्या)|Brahmavidya]] which on practice leads one to मुक्तिः ॥ Mukti. The Upanishads are the foundation of Hindu philosophical thought and its diverse traditions.<ref name=":2" />

They are the essence of the Vedas containing their knowledge aspects along with explanation of karmas (as in Upakosala's tending to fires in Chandogya Upanishad). The philosophy of the Upanishads occupies the highest pedestal in the spiritual knowledge. They speak about the identity of the Supreme Eternal Soul, the Brahman, the individual soul, the Atman, their mutual relationship, the Universe (jagat) and man’s place in it. In short they deal with जीवात्मा || Jivatma, परमात्मा || Paramatma, जगत् || Jagat Avidya, Karmaphalam, Punarjanma and जगदीश्वर || Jagadishwara.

They are the essence of the Vedas containing their knowledge aspects along with explanation of कर्म-s || karmas (as in Upakosala's tending to fires in छान्दोग्य-उपनिषद् ॥ Chandogya Upanishad). The philosophy of the Upanishads occupies the highest pedestal in the spiritual knowledge. They speak about the identity of the Supreme Eternal Soul, the ब्रह्मन् ॥ Brahman, the individual soul, the आत्मन् ॥ Atman, their mutual relationship, the Universe (जगत् ॥ jagat) and man’s place in it. In short, they deal with जीवात्मा || Jivatma, परमात्मा || Paramatma, जगत् || Jagat, अविद्या ॥ Avidya, कर्मफलम् ॥ Karmaphalam, पुनर्जन्म ॥ Punarjanma and जगदीश्वरः || Jagadishvara.

Aranyakas are sometimes identified as karma-kanda (ritualistic section), while the Upanishads are identified as jnana-kanda (spirituality section). In an alternate classification, the early part of Vedas are called Samhitas and the commentary are called the Brahmanas which together are identified as the ceremonial karma-kanda, while Aranyakas and Upanishads are together referred to as the jnana-kanda.

आरण्यक-s || Aranyakas are sometimes identified as कर्मकाण्ड ॥ karma-kanda (ritualistic section), while the Upanishads are identified as ज्ञानकाण्ड ॥ jnana-kanda (spirituality section). In an alternate classification, the early part of Vedas are called संहिताः ॥ Samhitas and the commentary are called the ब्राह्मण-s || Brahmanas which together are identified as the ceremonial कर्मकाण्ड ॥ karma-kanda, while अरण्यक-s || Aranyakas and उपनिषद्-s || Upanishads are together referred to as the ज्ञानकाण्ड ॥ jnana-kanda.

== References ==

== References ==

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<references />