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Upanishads (Samskrit : उपनिषद) are the concluding segments, available as a part of Aranyakas.<ref name=":42222" /><ref name=":4">Upadhyaya, Baldev. (1958) ''[https://archive.org/stream/VaidikSahityaBaldevUpadhyaya1958/Vaidik%20Sahitya%20Baldev%20Upadhyaya%201958#page/n263/mode/2up Vaidik Sahitya]''.</ref> Since they expound the various spiritual and dharmika siddhantas and tattvas that leads a sadhaka to the highest purpose of Moksha and because they are present at the end of the Vedas, they are also referred to as the ''Vedanta''. They do not forbid the rituals or rites prescribed in the Karmakanda but expound that only through Jnana one can attain moksha.<ref name=":42222">Gopal Reddy, Mudiganti and Sujata Reddy, Mudiganti (1997) ''[https://archive.org/stream/SAMSKRUTAKAVIJEEVITAMULUByMALLADISURYANARAYANASASTRIGARU/SAMSKRUTA%20SAHITYA%20CHARITRA%20BY%20MUDUGANTI%20GOPALA%20REDDI%26SUJATA%20REDDI%20#page/n33/mode/2up Sanskrita Saahitya Charitra] (Vaidika Vangmayam - Loukika Vangamayam, A critical approach)'' Hyderabad : P. S. Telugu University</ref>  

Upanishads (Samskrit : उपनिषद्) are the concluding segments, available as a part of Aranyakas.<ref name=":42222" /><ref name=":4">Upadhyaya, Baldev. (1958) ''[https://archive.org/stream/VaidikSahityaBaldevUpadhyaya1958/Vaidik%20Sahitya%20Baldev%20Upadhyaya%201958#page/n263/mode/2up Vaidik Sahitya]''.</ref> Since they expound the various spiritual and dharmika siddhantas and tattvas that leads a sadhaka to the highest purpose of Moksha and because they are present at the end of the Vedas, they are also referred to as the ''Vedanta''. They do not forbid the rituals or rites prescribed in the Karmakanda but expound that only through Jnana one can attain moksha.<ref name=":42222">Gopal Reddy, Mudiganti and Sujata Reddy, Mudiganti (1997) ''[https://archive.org/stream/SAMSKRUTAKAVIJEEVITAMULUByMALLADISURYANARAYANASASTRIGARU/SAMSKRUTA%20SAHITYA%20CHARITRA%20BY%20MUDUGANTI%20GOPALA%20REDDI%26SUJATA%20REDDI%20#page/n33/mode/2up Sanskrita Saahitya Charitra] (Vaidika Vangmayam - Loukika Vangamayam, A critical approach)'' Hyderabad : P. S. Telugu University</ref>  

The word ''Vedanta'' is a compound word made up of two Sanskrit words: ‘''Veda’'' and  ‘''Anta’''. The word ‘''anta’'' means an end. ''The Vedanta'' essentially refers to the philosophy pronounced in the Upanishads, the final parts of the Vedas.

The word ''Vedanta'' is a compound word made up of two Sanskrit words: ‘''Veda’'' and  ‘''Anta’''. The word ‘''anta’'' means an end. ''The Vedanta'' essentially refers to the philosophy pronounced in the Upanishads, the final parts of the Vedas.

== Etymology ==

== Etymology ==

There are different versions about the meaning of Upanishad as given by many scholars. The term ''Upaniṣad'' term consists of उप (upa) and नि (ni) उपसर्ग-s (Upasargas or Prefixes) and सद् धातुः (Sad dhatu) used in the sense of विशरणगत्यवसादनेषु । Shri Adi Shankaracharya explains in his commentary on Taittriyopanishad about the meanings of Sad dhatu thus <ref name=":4" /><ref name=":1">Sharma, Ram Murthy. (1987 2nd edition) ''[https://archive.org/details/VaidikSahityaKaItihasRamMurthySharma/page/n143 Vaidik Sahitya ka Itihas]'' Delhi : Eastern Book Linkers</ref>  

There are different versions about the meaning of Upanishad as given by many scholars. The term ''Upaniṣad'' term consists of उप (upa) and नि (ni) उपसर्ग-s (Upasargas or Prefixes) and सद् धातुः (Sad dhatu) used in the sense of विशरणगत्यवसादनेषु । Shri Adi Shankaracharya explains in his commentary on Taittriyopanishad about the meanings of Sad dhatu thus <ref name=":42222" /><ref name=":4" /><ref name=":1">Sharma, Ram Murthy. (1987 2nd edition) ''[https://archive.org/details/VaidikSahityaKaItihasRamMurthySharma/page/n143 Vaidik Sahitya ka Itihas]'' Delhi : Eastern Book Linkers</ref>  

* विशरण (नाशनम्) to destroy : They destroy the seeds of Avidya causing samsara in a Mumukshu (a sadhaka who wants to attain Moksha), hence this Vidya is called Upanishads  

* विशरण (नाशनम्) to destroy : They destroy the seeds of Avidya causing samsara in a Mumukshu (a sadhaka who wants to attain Moksha), hence this Vidya is called Upanishads  

<blockquote>अविद्यादेः संसारबीजस्य विशरणाद् विनाशनादित्यनेन अर्थयोगेन विद्या उपनिषदुच्यते ।</blockquote>

<blockquote>अविद्यादेः संसारबीजस्य विशरणाद् विनाशनादित्यनेन अर्थयोगेन विद्या उपनिषदुच्यते ।</blockquote>

<blockquote>गर्भवासजन्मजराद्युपद्रववृन्दस्य लोकान्तरेपौनपुन्येन प्रवृत्तस्य अवसादपितृत्वेन उपनिषदित्युच्यते ।</blockquote>  

<blockquote>गर्भवासजन्मजराद्युपद्रववृन्दस्य लोकान्तरेपौनपुन्येन प्रवृत्तस्य अवसादपितृत्वेन उपनिषदित्युच्यते ।</blockquote>  

the Kaṭha and Brihadaranyaka Upanishad that the word means ''Ātmavidyā'', that is, "knowledge of the Self", or ''Brahmavidyā'' "knowledge of Brahma". The word appears in the verses of many Upanishads, such as the fourth verse of the 13th volume in first chapter of the Chandogya Upanishad.  

His also defines the primary meaning of Upanishad as ब्रह्मविद्या (Brahmavidya। Knowledge of Brahma) and secondary meaning as ब्रह्मविद्याप्रतिपादकग्रन्थः (Brahmavidya pratipadaka granth । texts which  teach Brahmavidya). Shankaracharya's commentaries of the Kaṭha and Brihadaranyaka Upanishad also support this explanation.

== Dasha Mukhya Upanishads ==

More than 200 Upanishads are known, of which the first dozen or so are the oldest and most important and are referred to as the principal or main (''mukhya'') Upanishads.<blockquote>ईश-केन-कठ-प्रश्न-मुण्ड-माण्डूक्य-तित्तिरः । एेतरेयं च छान्दोग्यं बृहदारण्यकं तथा ॥</blockquote><blockquote>''īśa-kēna-kaṭha-praśna-muṇḍa-māṇḍūkya-tittiraḥ । ēētarēyaṁ ca chāndōgyaṁ br̥hadāraṇyakaṁ tathā ॥''</blockquote>

 

 

In the mukhya upanishads, there are many instances of रहस्यम् meaning secret or hidden knowledge especially in Atharvaveda upanishads. Kaushitaki Upanishad for example, contains detailed siddhantas of मनोज्ञानम् and तत्वज्ञानम्  (Psychology and metaphysics). Apart from them they also contain मृतकज्ञानम् (siddhantas around death, travel of Atman etc), बालमृत्यु निवारणम् (preventing untimely childhood deaths) शत्रुविनाशार्थ रहस्यम् (secrets about the destruction of enemies) etc. Chandogya Upanishads gives the secrets about the origin of worlds, Jiva, Jagat, Om and their hidden meanings.<ref name=":1" />

 

== Classification of Upanishads ==

More than 200 Upanishads are known, of which the first dozen or so are the oldest and most important and are referred to as the principal or main (''mukhya'') Upanishads.  

 

Muktikopanishad list the following ten as principal Upanishads<ref name=":4" /><blockquote>ईश-केन-कठ-प्रश्न-मुण्ड-माण्डूक्य-तित्तिरः । एेतरेयं च छान्दोग्यं बृहदारण्यकं तथा ॥</blockquote><blockquote>''īśa-kēna-kaṭha-praśna-muṇḍa-māṇḍūkya-tittiraḥ । ēētarēyaṁ ca chāndōgyaṁ br̥hadāraṇyakaṁ tathā ॥''</blockquote>

The 10 Mukhya Upanishad on which Adi Sankara commented are:

The 10 Mukhya Upanishad on which Adi Sankara commented are:

# Aitareya Upanishad (Rig Veda)

# ईशावाश्योपनिषद् ॥ Isha Upanishad (Yajur Veda)

# Chhandogya Upanishad (Saama Veda)

# केनोपनिषद् ॥ Kena Upanishad (Saama Veda)

# Kena Upanishad (Saama Veda)

# कठोपनिषद् ॥ Katha Upanishad (Yajur Veda)

# Katha Upanishad (Yajur Veda)

# प्रश्नोपनिषद् ॥ Prashna Upanishad (Atharva Veda)

# Taittiriya Upanishad (Yajur Veda)

# मुण्डकोपनिषद् ॥ Mundaka Upanishad (Atharva Veda)

# Isha Upanishad (Yajur Veda)

# माण्डूक्योपनिषद् ॥ Mandukya Upanishad (Atharva Veda)

# Brhadaranyaka Upansihad (Yajur Veda)

# तैत्तियोपनिषद् ॥ Taittiriya Upanishad (Yajur Veda)

# Parshna Upanishad (Atharva Veda)

# एेतरेयोपनिषद् ॥Aitareya Upanishad (Rig Veda)

# Mundaka Upanishad (Atharva Veda)

# छान्दोग्योपनिषद्॥ Chhandogya Upanishad (Saama Veda)

# Mandukya Upanishad (Atharva Veda)

# बृहदारण्यकोपनिषद् Brhadaranyaka Upansihad (Yajur Veda)

Many Upanishads are the final or exclusive portions of the ''Aranyakas'' or the ''Brahmanas''. For e.g., ''Brihdaranyaka'' Upanishad is considered to be the final chapter of the ''Shat''-''Patha'' ''Brahmana''.

Apart from these ten, कौषीतकि (Kaushitaki) श्वेताश्वतर (Shvetasvatara) and मैत्रायणीय (Maitrayaniya) Upanishads are regarded as ancient since the first two  of these three found a mention by Shankaracharya in his Brahmasutra bhashyas along with dashopanishad bhashyas. However, there are no available commentaries on these given by him.

 

Upanishads for which bhashyas have not been given by ancient seers but describe the particular devatas and hence are called Tantrika. Such Upanishads are described as Vaishnava, Shaiva, Shakta, Saurya etc.<ref name=":4" /> 

 

Many modern and western indology thinkers have put forth their contemplations on the classification of Upanishads based on the 

Some scholars list ten as principal, while most consider twelve or thirteen as principal ''mukhya'' Upanishads.

Many Upanishads are the final or exclusive portions of the ''Aranyakas'' or the ''Brahmanas''.  

== '''Development''' ==

== '''Development''' ==