Changes

According to Dr. K. S. Narayanacharya, these are four different modes of expressing the same truths, each as a cross check against others so that misrepresentations are avoided, a method used and valid even today.<ref name=":2222">Insights Into the Taittiriya Upanishad, Dr. K. S. Narayanacharya, Published by Kautilya Institute of National Studies, Mysore, Page 75 (Glossary)</ref>

According to Dr. K. S. Narayanacharya, these are four different modes of expressing the same truths, each as a cross check against others so that misrepresentations are avoided, a method used and valid even today.<ref name=":2222">Insights Into the Taittiriya Upanishad, Dr. K. S. Narayanacharya, Published by Kautilya Institute of National Studies, Mysore, Page 75 (Glossary)</ref>

Most of the Upanishads are in forms of dialogues between a master and a disciple. In Upanishads, a seeker raises a topic and the enlightened guru satisfies the query aptly and convincingly<ref><nowiki>http://indianscriptures.50webs.com/partveda.htm</nowiki>, 6th Paragraph</ref>. The central concepts found in the Upanishads involve the following aspects of Sanatana Dharma<ref>Mahadevan, T. M. P (1956), Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, ed., History of Philosophy Eastern and Western, George Allen & Unwin Ltd</ref>

Most of the Upanishads are in forms of dialogues between a master and a disciple. In Upanishads, a seeker raises a topic and the enlightened guru satisfies the query aptly and convincingly<ref><nowiki>http://indianscriptures.50webs.com/partveda.htm</nowiki>, 6th Paragraph</ref>. The central concepts found in the Upanishads involve the following aspects of Sanatana Dharma<ref name=":0">Mahadevan, T. M. P (1956), Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, ed., History of Philosophy Eastern and Western, George Allen & Unwin Ltd</ref>

* Brahman (Supreme Being, Ultimate Reality)   

* Brahman (Supreme Being, Ultimate Reality)   

* Ātman (Self)   

* Ātman (Self)   

=== Basis for Classification ===

=== Basis for Classification ===

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

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

* the presence or absence of Shankaracharya's bhasyas (Ten for which bhashyas are available are Dasopanishads and the rest describing devatas. Vaishnava, Shaiva, Shakta, Saurya etc)<ref name=":4" />   

# the presence or absence of Shankaracharya's bhasyas (Ten for which bhashyas are available are Dasopanishads and the rest describing devatas. Vaishnava, Shaiva, Shakta, Saurya etc)<ref name=":4" />   

* the shanti patha given in each of the Upanishads<ref name=":22" />   

# the shanti patha given in each of the Upanishads<ref name=":22" />   

* the ancientness and modernness of the Upanishads having prose or metrical compositions (mostly given by Western Indologists)<ref name=":42222" />   

# the ancientness and modernness of the Upanishads having prose or metrical compositions (mostly given by Western Indologists like Dr. Daison)<ref name=":42222" />   

* the association of Upanishad with Aranyakas (  

# the ancientness of Upanishad based on association with Aranyakas and Brahmanas<ref name=":42222" />  

=== Dasopanishads ===

=== दशोपनिषदाः ॥ Dasopanishads ===

Muktikopanishad list the following ten as principal Upanishads which have received attention from Shri Adi Shankaracharya in form of his bhasyas.<ref name=":4" /><blockquote>ईश-केन-कठ-प्रश्न-मुण्ड-माण्डूक्य-तित्तिरः । एेतरेयं च छान्दोग्यं बृहदारण्यकं तथा ॥ ''īśa-kēna-kaṭha-praśna-muṇḍa-māṇḍūkya-tittiraḥ । ēētarēyaṁ ca chāndōgyaṁ br̥hadāraṇyakaṁ tathā ॥''</blockquote>The 10 Mukhya Upanishad on which Adi Shankaracharya commented are:

Muktikopanishad lists the following ten as principal Upanishads which have received attention from Shri Adi Shankaracharya in form of his bhasyas.<ref name=":4" /><blockquote>ईश-केन-कठ-प्रश्न-मुण्ड-माण्डूक्य-तित्तिरः । एेतरेयं च छान्दोग्यं बृहदारण्यकं तथा ॥ ''īśa-kēna-kaṭha-praśna-muṇḍa-māṇḍūkya-tittiraḥ । ēētarēyaṁ ca chāndōgyaṁ br̥hadāraṇyakaṁ tathā ॥''</blockquote>The 10 Mukhya Upanishad on which Adi Shankaracharya commented are:

# ईशावाश्योपनिषद् ॥ Isha Upanishad (Yajur Veda)

# ईशावाश्योपनिषद् ॥ Isha Upanishad (Yajur Veda)

# केनोपनिषद् ॥ Kena Upanishad (Saama Veda)

# केनोपनिषद् ॥ Kena Upanishad (Saama Veda)

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.   

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.   

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

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

 

 

 

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== '''Development''' ==

== '''Development''' ==

=== '''Authorship''' ===

=== '''Authorship''' ===

The authorship of most Upanishads is uncertain and unknown. The various philosophical theories in the early Upanishads have been attributed to famous seers such as Yajnavalkya, Uddalaka Aruni, Shvetaketu, Shandilya, Aitareya, Balaki, Pippalada and Sanatkumara.^[10][17] Women, such as Maitreyi and Gargi participated in the dialogues and are also credited in the early Upanishads.^[11]

The authorship of most Upanishads is uncertain and unknown. The various philosophical theories in the early Upanishads have been attributed to famous seers such as Yajnavalkya, Uddalaka Aruni, Shvetaketu, Shandilya, Aitareya, Balaki, Pippalada and Sanatkumara.<ref name=":0" /> Women, such as Maitreyi and Gargi participated in the dialogues and are also credited in the early Upanishads.^[11]

There are exceptions to the anonymous tradition of the Upanishads and

There are exceptions to the anonymous tradition of the Upanishads and other Vedic literature. The Shvetashvatara Upanishad, for example, includes closing credits to ''Shvetashvatara'', and he is considered the author of the Upanishad.^[12] Scholars believe that early Upanishads, were interpolated^[13] and expanded over time, because of the differences within manuscripts of the same Upanishad discovered in different parts of South Asia, differences in non-Sanskrit version of the texts that have survived, and differences within each text in terms of the meter, the style, the grammar and the structure.^[15][16] The texts as they exist now is believed to be the work of many authors.^[17]

other Vedic literature. The Shvetashvatara Upanishad, for example, includes

closing credits to sage ''Shvetashvatara'', and he is considered the author

of the Upanishad.^[12] Scholars believe that early

Upanishads, were interpolated^[13] and expanded over time, because of the differences within manuscripts

of the same Upanishad discovered in different parts of South Asia, differences

in non-Sanskrit version of the texts that have survived, and differences within

each text in terms of the meter,^[14] the style, the grammar and the structure.^[15][16] The texts as they exist now is believed to be the work of many authors.^[17]

=== '''Geography''' ===

=== '''Geography''' ===