Analysis and Interpretation of Religion: Upanishads Essay

The concept behind Upanishads is the existence of a universal spirit known as Brahman, and an individual soul known as Atman. Brahman is considered to be the ultimate, in both the transcendent and immanent aspect, as well as the absolute infinite existence, the totality of everything that existed before, now, and the coming future. The Upanishads are very mystical in nature, and it also offers intense philosophical bent, which gave birth to three main schools of self-realization or Vedanta. One interpretation of the Upanishads doesn’t give Brahman a God-figure in a monotheistic sense; instead it is something with no limiting characteristics. This is the one of the three main schools of Vedanta, the philosophy of Shankara known as advaita. Another one, the dvaita, was founded by Madvacharya, which holds the idea saying that Brahman is but a personal god, the same as other Hindu gods like Vishnu and Krishna. The third school, known as vishishtadvaita, was founded by Ramanujacharya, which has similar aspects with the other two schools of Vedanta. Upanishad knowledge means Brahma-knowledge, giving not only spiritual vision, but also a philosophical argument (Universe). Upanishads are responsible for the conception of the major Vedic doctrines, including Self-realization, yoga and meditation, karma and reincarnation, which were previously clouded by the symbolisms of its religious roots. We often see some of the older Upanishads very much related or affixed to a certain specific Veda, through a Brahmana or Aranyaka, though most of the recent ones are not. Upanishads also emphasized on the spiritual meanings of the Vedic texts that they also adhere to, emphasizing it at its own right. Upanishads and the Vedas go hand and hand in shaping both the spiritual and philosophical leanings of the people at that time. The concept of religion that comes out in the Upanishad represents a threat and a challenge to religious group developments in India as well as any kind of religion, based solely on theism. It’s because of the focus that they give on their central figure, the Brahman, which is in some cases, taken as a god, while in some, a much more powerful entity. Upanishad’s Brahman does not really focus on a monotheistic god, instead it is a universal entity, something that can be attained or be aligned with ourselves by properly doing the teachings or following the Vedas. Upanishads propose a similar concept of the soul, which is the Atman. The atman is present in all individuals, and that it still needs to be nourished in order for it to reach a certain desired state, the ultimate, universal Brahman. These two are similar in state, formless, inconceivable, though it is up to the people to realize it through discrimination that can be attained by doing and following the right things that it calls for, as stated on the Vedas. Putting these against the earlier and later religious developments, which undeniable focus on a central God character, distinct from the world we can see that Upanishads stand out because their ultimate end is being one with everything in the world. It is the main concept of the religion that then challenges the existence of the various Gods of the other religions. Still, it teaches people to do what is right, to practice things that would enable them to be at one with the ultimate end, the Brahman, but it offers people a chance to be at one with all that is, was, and ever will be, instead of being with a separate entity. Upanishads gives us an alternate view of the world, a religion with a unique take of what is real, and what is at the end for all of us. Much like other religions, it still focus on motivating to do the right things, in order to achieve one final end, though it may be different because it does not have a concrete god-figure, instead it has a universal entity waiting in the end. Work Cited: Universe, Dharma. â€Å"Upanishads†. 2009. March 5 2009. .