Page 48 - SST Class 06
P. 48
6 6 6
Emergence of New Ideas
and Religions
WHAT ARE THE UPANISHADS? The texts are written in a passionate poetic verse
While the Vedas are considered the most sacred describing mystical states and spiritual concepts
and treasured texts of India, it is the Upanishads or in descriptive short stories and dialogues
that transferred the wisdom of the Vedas into between historical figures.
practical and personal teachings. The word The Upanishadas along with other Hindu scrip-
Upanishad literally means “sitting down beside” tures such as the Aranyakas and the Brahmanas,
and the collection of Sanskrit texts known as the were composed during the Later Vedic Period
Upanishads, are thought to be the direct teach- that extended from around 1000 BCE to 600
ings received at the foot of the ancient Indian BCE. All these books are categorised as shrutis or
sages. In these sacred texts, we see an internal- texts that were believed to be told to the author
isation of the sacrifice and worship extolled in the by God.
Vedas and a deeper understanding and explora- Teachings of the Upanishadas
tion of the internal world of mind and spirit.
The Upanishadas highlight the rewards that God
Composed over several centuries and in many bestows on hones, compassionate, generous,
volumes, the Upanishads reflect a strong need to courageous and hard-working people. These
express and communicate the deep mystical books also describe the importance of certain
states and spiritual contemplations that the religious rituals. Given below is a dialogue
ancient yogis experienced. According to tradi- between a teacher and a student who lived
tion, there were over two hundred Upanishads, nearly 2,500 years ago. This dialogue appears in
but there are only eleven “principal” Upanishads, a book called the Taittriya Upanishada. Here is
as commented on by the ancient sage Shankara. an excerpt:
The teacher (Acharya) addresses the students: Treat thy teacher with respect and gratitude.
I exhort you as follows— And fail not in taking upon thyself the burden of
Speak the truth. life.
Walk in the way of thy duty. Student replies :
Neglect not the study higher knowledge. I promise.
The Upanishadic Thinkers was Gargi. She actively participated in debates
The authors of the Upanishada were learned held in royal palaces.
Hindu sages. They were mostly men belonging to Poor people had very few opportunities to take
the prosperous brahmana caste. There were, part in academic debates and discussions. But,
however, a few women thinkers. One of them there were some famous sages who hailed from a
Social Science-6 48
