The Vedic Scriptures

The following important Vedic scriptures will be presented here in brief:

The Upaniṣads

The Upaniṣads contain philosophical knowledge about the Absolute Truth. The term Upaniṣad means: “to destroy ignorance by revealing the knowledge of the Supreme Spirit and cutting off the bonds of worldly existence”. There are 108 Upaniṣads, of which eleven are considered the most important: Iśa-, Kena-, Katha-, Praśna-, Mundaka-, Mandukya-, Taittiriya-, Aitareya-, Chandogya-, Bṛhad-aranyaka- and Śvetasvatara-Upaniṣad.

Of the 108 Upanishads, 10 belong to the Rig Veda, 16 to the Sama Veda, 50 to the Yajur Veda and 32 to the Atharva Veda. For example: Mundaka-, Mandukya- and Gopala-tapany-Upaniṣad belong to the Atharva-Veda; Katha-, Taittiriya-, Bṛhad-aranyaka- and Ishavasya-Upanishad belong to Yajur-Veda; Aitareya-Upanisad belongs to Rig-Veda and Kena- and Chandogya-Upaniṣad belong to Sama-Veda.

The 108 Upanishads are: (1) Īśopaniṣad, (2) Kenopaniṣad, (3) Kathopaniṣad, (4) Prasnopaniṣad, (5) Mundakopaniṣad, (6) Mandukyopaniṣad, (7) Taittiriyopaniṣad, (8) Aitareyopaniṣad, (9) Chandogyopaniṣad, (10) Bṛhad-aranyakopaniṣad, (11) Brahmopaniṣad, (12) Kaivalyopaniṣad, (13) Jabalopaniṣad, (14) Svetasvataropaniṣad, (15) Hamsopaniṣad, (16) Aruneyopaniṣad, (17) Garbhopaniṣad, (18) Narayanopaniṣad, (19) Paramahamsopaniṣad, (20) Amṛta-bindupaniṣad, (21) Nada-bindupaniṣad, (22) Siropaniṣad, (23) Atharva-sikhopaniṣad, (24) Maitrayany-upaniṣad, (25) Kausitaky-upaniṣad, (26) Bṛhaj-jabalopaniṣad, (27) Nṛsimha-tapaniyopaniṣad, (28) Kalagni-rudropaniṣad, (29) Maitreyy-upaniṣad, (30) Subalopaniṣad, (31) Ksurikopaniṣad, (32) Mantrikopaniṣad, (33) Sarva-saropaniṣad, (34) Niralambopaniṣad, (35) Śuka-rahasyopaniṣad, (36) Vajra-sucikopaniṣad, (37) Tejo-bindupaniṣad, (38) Nada-bindupaniṣad, (39) Dhyana-bindupaniṣad, (40) Brahma-vidyopaniṣad, (41) Yoga-tattvopaniṣad, (42), Atma-bodhopaniṣad, (43) Narada-parivrajakopaniṣad, (44) Trisikhy-upaniṣad, (45) Sitopaniṣad, (46) Yoga-cudamany-upaniṣad, (47) Nirvanopaniṣad, (48) Mandala-brahmanopaniṣad, (49) Daksina-murty-upaniṣad, (50) Sarabhopaniṣad, (51) Skandopaniṣad, (52) Mahānarayanopaniṣad, (53) Advaya-tarakopaniṣad, (54) Rama-rahasyopaniṣad, (55) Rama-tapany-upaniṣad, (56) Vasudevopaniṣad, (57) Mudgalopaniṣad, (58) Sandilyopaniṣad, (59) Paingalopaniṣad, (60) Bhiksupaniṣad, (61) Mahad-upaniṣad, (62) Sarirakopaniṣad, (63) Yoga-sikhopaniṣad, (64) Turiyatitopaniṣad, (65) Sannyasopaniṣad, (66) Paramahamsa-parivrajakopaniṣad, (67) Malikopaniṣad, (68) Avyaktopaniṣad, (69) Ekaksaropaniṣad, (70) Purnopaniṣad, (71) Suryopaniṣad, (72) Aksy-upaniṣad, (73) Adhyatmopaniṣad, (74) Kundikopaniṣad, (75) Savitry-upaniṣad, (76) Atmopaniṣad, (77) Pasupatopaniṣad, (78) Param-brahmopaniṣad, (79) Avadhutopaniṣad, (80) Tripuratapanopaniṣad, (81) Devy-upaniṣad, (82) Tripuropaniṣad, (83) Katha-rudropaniṣad, (84) Bhavanopaniṣad, (85) Hṛdayopaniṣad, (86) Yoga-kundaliny-upaniṣad, (87) Bhasmopaniṣad, (88) Rudraksopaniṣad, (89) Ganopaniṣad, (90) Darsanopaniṣad, (91) Tara-saropaniṣad, (92) Mahā-vakyopaniṣad, (93) Panca-brahmopaniṣad, (94) Pranagni-hotropaniṣad, (95) Gopala-tapany-upaniṣad, (96) Kṛṣṇopaniṣad, (97) Yajnavalkyopaniṣad, (98) Varahopaniṣad, (99) Satyayany-upaniṣad, (100) Hayagrivopaniṣad, (101) Dattatreyopaniṣad, (102) Garudopaniṣad, (103) Kaly-upaniṣad, (104) Jabaly-upaniṣad, (105) Saubhagyopaniṣad, (106) Sarasvati-rahasyopaniṣad, (107) Bahvricopaniṣad and (108) Muktikopaniṣad.