Upanishads - 3

RAMAYANA AND MAHABHARATA

- Like the Puranas, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata are two very popular and useful Shastras of the Hindus. These are two epics (Mahakavya) produced by the sages Valmiki and Vyasa respectively. They are classed as Itihasas (histories) and they give us interesting stories through which all the essential teachings of Hinduism are stamped on one's mind. These have been translated in many Indian vernaculars. It is through these translations that the bulk of the Hindus get acquainted with their religion.

BHAGAVADGITA

- A portion of the Mahabharata is known as "Gita". The Mahabharata describes the battle of Kurukshetra. The Kauravas and their cousins, the Pandavas, were the contending parties. Of the five Pandava princes, Arjuna was the third and the greatest hero. Bhagavan Sri Krishna chose to be his charioteer. Just on the eve of the great battle Bhagavan Sri Krishna explained the essentials of the Hindu religion to Arjuna. This section of the Mahabharata containing the teachings of Bhagavan Sri Krishna is known as Shrimad-Bhagavad-Gita. Just as the Upanishads contain the cream of the Vedas, so does the Gita contains the cream of the Upanishads. Of all the Hindu Shastras, the Gita has come to be by far the most popular one.

PRASTHANATRAYA

- The Upanishads, the Vedanta Darshana and the Gita are grouped together and called the "Prasthanatraya". These are looked upon as the basic scriptures of the Hindu religion. They are highly authoritative. The founders of the important sects of Hinduism had to base their teachings on the Prasthanatraya. Only they interpreted it in different ways and came to different conclusions, such as Advaita-Vada (Monism), Vishishtadvaita-Vada (Qualified Monism) and Dvaita-Vada (Dualism).

TANTRAS

- There is yet another group of Shastras known as Tantras. These dwell on Shakti (Energy) aspect of God and prescribe numerous courses of ritualistic worship of the Divine Mother in various forms. The texts are usually in the form of dialogues between Shiva and Parvati. In some of these, Shiva, as the teacher answers the questions put by Parvati; in others the Goddess is the teacher answering Shiva's questions. The former texts are known as Agama and the latter as Nigama. Allied to the Tantras are the Pancharatna Samhitas of the Vaishnavas and the Shaiva Agamas. Like the Tantras, these also claim to present easier cults and doctrines more suited to the age (Kali-Yuga) than the Vedas. Unlike the other Shastras, these do not derive their authority from the Vedas, to which, however, they are not openly hostile. Another feature of this group of sacred texts is that they are open to all castes and both the sexes after they are initiated (Dikshita).