Upanishad : The Central Idea

The philosophical thought in Hinduism revolves round the Vedas and they are considered the primary source of all doctrines in Hinduism. When the religious rituals and religious practices became expensive, common people found it difficult to practise them. This resulted in laying down of new ideas in the form of Upanishads, Jainism and Buddhism.

The word 'Upanishad' means to sit near to get knowledge. The Upanishads are commentaries on the Vedas and to tell their real meaning. They are considered the latter part of the Vedic literature. They deal with all aspects of life. Different rishis (sages) have written them. There are over 200 Upanishads, but eleven of them are considered the most important; these are : Isa, Kathak, Kena, Prasana, Mundaka, Mandukya, Taittiriya, Aitareya, Chhandogya, Brhadaranyaka and Svetasvatara. They explain different concepts in the form of simple dialogues.

 Central Ideas in the Upanishads

There are four central ideas enunciated in the Upanishads :

*·         The Atman (soul) takes birth as a result of the cycle of birth-rebirth.

*·         Our Karma (actions) have consequences; good Karma have good results and bad Karma have bad results.

··         Dharma means duty and right behaviour; for example, a Brahmin has the duty to study and teach; and a Kshatriya has a duty to fight battle to protect his people and cattle.

    · The ultimate goal of life is Moksha (realization), that is, the Atman has to free itself from the cycle of birth-rebirth and get blended with Brahman (God or Supreme Being). Brahman is the ultimate reality or Absolute Being. The Atman originates from Brahman and ends in Him. The Atman thinks itself as distinct from Brahman because of Maya (illusion or ignorance).