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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 ===

=== आरण्यकानि || Aranyakas ===

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

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

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>.  

As mentioned in तैत्तिरीय-आरण्यकम् ॥ 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>.  

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" />

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 आरण्यकम् ॥ Aranyaka for शुक्लयजुर्वेदः ॥ Shukla Yajurveda, whereas in कृष्णयजुर्वेदः ॥ Krishna Yajurveda, the तैत्तिरीय-ब्राह्मणम् ॥ Taittiriya Brahmana and आरण्यकम् ॥ Aranyaka are completely separate.<ref name=":2" />

अरण्यक-s || Aranyakas, however, neither are homogeneous in content nor in structure. They are a combination of instructions and ideas, and some include chapters of उपनिषद्-s || Upanishads within them. Two theories have been proposed on the origin of the word अरण्यक ॥ Aranyaka. 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 वानप्रस्थः || Vanaprastha (retired, forest-dwelling) stage of their life, according to the historic age-based आश्रम ॥ Ashrama system of human life.  

आरण्यक-s || Aranyakas, however, neither are homogeneous in content nor in structure. They are a combination of instructions and ideas, and some include chapters of उपनिषद्-s || Upanishads within them. Two theories have been proposed on the origin of the word आरण्यक ॥ Aranyaka. 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 वानप्रस्थः || Vanaprastha (retired, forest-dwelling) stage of their life, according to the historic age-based आश्रम ॥ Ashrama system of human life.  

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.  

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.  

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.

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.

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.

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 आरण्यक-s || Aranyakas and उपनिषद्-s || Upanishads are together referred to as the ज्ञानकाण्ड ॥ jnana-kanda.

== References ==

== References ==

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