Sunday, June 28, 2009

Vedas.....Puranas.....& Upanishads...........

Vedas-4,Upanishads 108 & puranas 18...A Ready Reference.

Vedas are Four.....................................

1. Rig Veda

2.Yajur Veda

3. Sama Ved

&

4. Atharva Veda.


Main Upanishads are 108......................................


The word 'Upanishad' in Sanskrit language means upa (near), ni (down) and shad (to sit), which can be summed up as 'to sit down near' (and receive instructions). The Guru and disciple or a Guru and devotee stting were not always prevalent in strict sense. In some cases, it was husband answering questions about immortality to his wife or a teenage boy was being taught by Yama (God of Death). The teachers, in some cases were women sages and the seekers of inspiration were kings. Besides dialogues, Upanishads also contain narrations, similes, metaphors, illustrations and symbolism.

According to Historians, Upanishads were composed between year 800-400 B.C. Experts differ on total number of Upanishads, but most agree on 108. From various elaboration found inside Upanishadic verses, it can be said that, sages like Yagnavalkya, Uddalaka, Aitareya, Pippalada, Sanat Kumar, Shwetaketu, Shandilya, Manu and even Maharshi Narada disseminated Upanishadic knowledge and thus, can be said to be their authors.

Upanishad contained in the RIG-VEDA:-

1.Aitareya Upanishad

2.Aksha-Malika Upanishad

3.Atma-Bodha Upanishad

4.Bahvricha Upanishad

5.Kaushitaki-Brahmana Upanishad

6.Mudgala Upanishad

7.Nada-Bindu Upanishad

8.Nirvana Upanishad

9.Saubhagya-Lakshmi Upanishad

10.Tripura Upanishad


Upanishad contained in the SUKLA-YAJUR-VEDA:


11.Adhyatma Upanishad

12.Advaya-Taraka Upanishad

13.Bhikshuka Upanishad

14.Brihadaranyaka Upanishad

15.Hamsa Upanishad

16.Isavasya Upanishad

17.Jabala Upanishad

18.Mandala-Brahmana Upanishad

19.Mantrika Upanishad

20.Muktika Upanishad

21.Niralamba Upanishad

22.Paingala Upanishad

23.Paramahamsa Upanishad

24.Satyayaniya Upanishad

25.Subala Upanishad

26.Tara-Sara Upanishad

27.Trisikhi-Brahmana Upanishad

28.Turiyatita-Avadhuta Upanishad

29.Yajnavalkya Upanishad


Upanishad contained in the KRISHNA-YAJUR -VEDA:


30.Akshi Upanishad

31.Amrita-Bindhu Upanishad

32.Amrita-Nada Upanishad

33.Avadhuta Upanishad

34.Brahma-Vidya Upanishad

35.Brahma Upanishad

36.Dakshinamurti Upanishad

37.Dhyana-Bindu Upanishad

38.Ekakshara Upanishad

39.Garbha Upanishad

40.Kaivalya Upanishad

41.Kalagni-Rudra Upanishad

42.Kali-Santarana Upanishad

43.Katha Upanishad

44.Katharudra Upanishad

45.Kshurika Upanishad

46.Maha-Narayana (or) Yajniki Upanishad

47.Pancha-Brahma Upanishad

48.Pranagnihotra Upanishad

49.Rudra-Hridaya Upanishad

50.Sarasvati-Rahasya Upanishad

51.Sariraka Upanishad

52.Sarva-Sara Upanishad

53.Skanda Upanishad

54.Suka-Rahasya Upanishad

55.Svetasvatara Upanishad

56.Taittiriya Upanishad

57.Tejo-Bindu Upanishad

58.Varaha Upanishad

59.Yoga-Kundalini Upanishad

60.Yoga-Sikha Upanishad

61.Yoga-Tattva Upanishad


Upanishad contained in the SAMA-VEDA:


62.Aruni Upanishad

63.Avyakta Upanishad

64.Chandogya Upanishad

65.Darsana Upanishad

66.Jabali Upanishad

67.Kena Upanishad

68.Kundika Upanishad

69.Maha Upanishad

70.Maitrayani Upanishad

71.Maitreya Upanishad

72.Rudraksha-Jabala Upanishad

73.Sannyasa Upanishad

74.Savitri Upanishad

75.Vajrasuchika Upanishad

76.Vasudeva Upanishad

77.Yoga-Chudamani Upanishad


Upanishad contained in the ATHARVA-VEDA:


78.Annapurna Upanishad

79.Atharvasikha Upanishad

80.Atharvasiras Upanishad

81.Atma Upanishad

82.Bhasma-Jabala Upanishad

83.Bhavana Upanishad

84.Brihad-Jabala Upanishad

85.Dattatreya Upanishad

86.Devi Upanishad

87.Ganapati Upanishad

88.Garuda Upanishad

89.Gopala-Tapaniya Upanishad

90.Hayagriva Upanishad

91.Krishna Upanishad

92.Maha-Vakya Upanishad

93.Mandukya Upanishad

94.Mundaka Upanishad

95.Narada-Parivrajaka Upanishad

96.Nrisimha-Tapaniya Upanishad

97.Para-Brahma Upanishad

98.Paramahamsa-Parivrajaka Upanishad

99.Pasupata-Brahmana Upanishad

100.Prasna Upanishad

101.Rama-Rahasya Upanishad

102.Rama-Tapaniya Upanishad

103.Sandilya Upanishad

104.Sarabha Upanishad

105.Sita Upanishad

106.Surya Upanishad

107.Tripadvibhuti-Mahanarayana Upanishad

108.Tripura-Tapini Upanishad


Puranas are 18.........................................

The following is a list of the 18 maha-puranas along with the important subjects contained in each purana.

Puranas with Lord Vishnu as the Predominating Deity (Sattva Guna):

1) Vishnu Purana - 23,000 verses.

Stories of various devotees; a description of varnasrama; the six angas of the Veda; a description of the age of Kali; description of Sveta-Varaha Kalpa, Vishnu dharmotara.

2) Naradiya Purana - 25,000 verses.

This Purana contains a synopsis of everything; it describes Jagannatha Puri, Dwaraka, Badrinatha, etc.

3) Padma Purana - 55,000 verses.

Contains the glory of Srimad-Bhagavatam; the stories of Rama, Jagannatha, Matsya, Ekadasi, Bhrgu, etc.

4) Garuda Purana - 19,000 verses.

Subject of Bhagavad-gita; reincarnation; visnu-sahasra-nama; description of Tarsya Kalpa.

5) Varaha Purana - 24,000 verses.

Describes different vratas; Lord Vishnu's glories.

6) Bhagavata Purana - 18,000 verses. (included by some in the mode of goodness).

Puranas with Lord Brahma as the Predominating Deity (Rajo Guna):

7) Brahmanda Purana - 12,000 verses.

Describes the vedangas; describes the Adi Kalpa.

8) Brahmavaivarta Purana - 18,000 verses.

Contains the glories and pastimes of Radha and Krishna.

9) Markandeya Purana - 9,000 verses.

Stories of Rama and Krishna.

10) Bhavisya Purana - 14,500 verses.

Contains the glories of devotional service; prediction of Lord Chaitanya.

11) Vamana Purana - 10,000 verses.

Contains the story of Lord Trivikrama.

12) Brahma Purana - 10,000 verses.


Puranas with Lord Shiva as the Predominating Deity (Tamo Guna):


13) Matsya Purana - 14,000 verses.

Temple construction; describes Vamana and Varaha Kalpas.

14) Kurma Purana - 17,000 verses.

Contains the conversation between Krishna and the Sun-god (mentioned in Bhagavad-gita); Danvantari; Describes the Lakshmi Kalpa.

15) Linga Purana - 10,000 verses.

Contains the glory of Lord Nrismhadeva; Janardhana; the story of Ambarisa; the glories of Gayatri.

16) Shiva Purana - 24,000 verses.

17) Skanda Purana - 81,000 verses.

18) Agni Purana - 15,400 verses.

Contains the description of Salagrama; Describes the Isana Kalpa.

All these Puranas describe five subjects. The Amarkhosa describes the Puranas as follows:

"sargas ca pratisarga ca
vamsa manvantarani ca
vamsanu caritam capi
puranam panca laksanam"

A Purana describes five subjects:


1) sarga (creation)

2) pratisarga (recreation)

3) vamsa (history of the sages)

4) manvantara (periods of Manu)

5) vamsanucarita (geneology of kings)

Hope this will be of use to my beloved readers.

Compiled & presented by

J.K

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