Vaishnava Upanishads

Last updated September 17, 2024

The Vaishnava Upanishads are minor Upanishads of Hinduism, related to Vishnu theology (Vaishnavism). There are 14 Vaishnava Upanishads in the Muktika anthology of 108 Upanishads.^[1] They, along with other minor Upanishads, are generally classified separate from the thirteen major Principal Upanishads considered to be more ancient and from the Vedic tradition.^[2]

The Vaishnava Upanishads also contrast from other groups of minor Upanishads, such as the Samanya Upanishads, which are of a generic nature, the Sannyasa Upanishads, which focus on the Hindu renunciation and monastic practice, the Yoga Upanishads related to Yoga, the Shaiva Upanishads, which highlight aspects of Shaivism, and the Shakta Upanishads, which highlight Shaktism.^[3]^[4]

These Upanishads propound Vishnu, Narayana, Rama, or one of his avatars as the supreme metaphysical reality called Brahman in Hinduism. They discuss a diverse range of topics, from ethics, to the methods of worship.^[5]

Some of the Vaishnava Upanishads exist in more than one version, each version attached to a different Veda depending on the region their manuscript has been discovered.^[6]^[7] Furthermore, scholars disagree on which minor Upanishads are Vaishnava; for example, Deussen classifies Maha Upanishad as a Vaishnava Upanishad,^[8] but Tinoco lists it as a Samanya Upanishad.^[7]

Date

The composition date of each Vaishnava Upanishad is unclear, and estimates on when they were composed vary with scholar. According to Mahony, the minor Upanishads are approximately dated to be from about 100 BCE to 1100 CE.^[9]

According to Ramdas Lamb, associate professor of religion at the University of Hawaii, the sectarian Upanishads which are the post-Vedic scriptures are not easily datable due to their very nature of the "multiple layers of material". Of these Upanishads the Purva Nrisimha Tapaniya and Uttara Tapaniya Upanishads, which are part of the Nrisimha Tapaniya Upanishadas, are the earliest dated to before the seventh century CE.^[10]

Patrick Olivelle states that sectarian Upanishads attached to Atharvaveda – which include some Vaishnava Upanishads – were likely composed in the second millennium, until about the 16th century.^[11]

List

The fourteen Vaishnava Upanishads are:

List of the Vaishnava Upanishads according to Muktikā anthology
Title	Muktika serial #	Attached Veda	Period of creation
Narayana Upanishad	18	Krishna Yajurveda	1st Century AD
Nrisimha Tapaniya Upanishad	27	Atharvaveda	Unknown
Mahanarayana Upanishad	52	Atharvaveda	300-100 BCE
Rama Rahasya Upanishad	54	Atharvaveda	1st Century AD
Rama Tapaniya Upanishad	55	Atharvaveda	7th Century AD
Vasudeva Upanishad	56	Sama Veda	Unknown
Avyakta Upanishad	68	Sama Veda	7th Century AD
Tarasara Upanishad	91	Shukla Yajurveda	12th Century AD
Gopala Tapani Upanishad	95	Atharvaveda	8th Century BCE
Krishna Upanishad	96	Atharvaveda	Unknown
Hayagriva Upanishad	100	Atharvaveda	Unknown
Dattatreya Upanishad	101	Atharvaveda	Unknown
Garuda Upanishad	102	Atharvaveda	Unknown
Sri Upanishad	103	Krishna Yajurveda	1st Century AD ^[12]

Related Research Articles

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Muktikā refers to the Sanskrit-language anthology of a canon of 108 Upaniṣhads. The date of composition of each is unknown, with the oldest probably from about 800 BCE. The Principal Upanishads were composed in the 1st millennium BCE, most Yoga Upanishads composed probably from the 100 BCE to 300 CE period, and seven of the Sannyasa Upanishads composed before the 3rd century CE.

Uddalaka Aruni, also referred to as Uddalaka or Aruni or Uddalaka Varuni, is a revered Vedic sage of Hinduism. He is mentioned in many Vedic era Sanskrit texts, and his philosophical teachings are among the center piece in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad and Chandogya Upanishad, two of the oldest Upanishadic scriptures. A famed Vedic teacher, Aruni lived a few centuries before the Buddha, and attracted students from far regions of the Indian subcontinent; some of his students such as Yajnavalkya are also highly revered in the Hindu traditions. Both Aruni and Yajnavalkya are among the most frequently mentioned Upanishadic teachers in Hinduism.

The Mahanarayana Upanishad, also BrihannarayanaUpanishad, is an ancient Sanskrit text, and is one of the minor Upanishads of Hinduism. The text is classified as a Vaishnava Upanishad.

Skanda Upanishad or Skandopanishad is one of the 108 Upanishads of Hinduism, written in Sanskrit. It is classified as a Samanya (general) Upanishad and is associated with the Krishna Yajurveda, one of the 32 listed Upanishads under it.

Vasudeva Upanishad (Sanskrit: वासुदेव उपनिषत्, or Vasudevopanishad is one of 108 Upanishadic Hindu texts, written in Sanskrit language. It belongs to the Vaishnava sect, which worships Vishnu and his avatar Krishna, and this late medieval era minor Upanishad is attached to the Samaveda. It is one of the 14 Vaishnava Upanishads dedicated to Vaishnava sacred marks, including the Urdhva Pundra - the Vaishnava tilaka. It is described in a sermon by Krishna to the sage Narada.

The Nrisimha Tapaniya Upanishad is a minor Upanishadic text written in Sanskrit. It is one of the 31 Upanishads attached to the Atharvaveda, and classified as one of the Vaishnava Upanishads. It is presented in two parts, the Purva Tapaniya Upanishad and the Uttara Tapaniya Upanishad, which formed the main scriptures of the Narasimha sect of the Vaishnavas dated prior to the 7th century.

The Nirvana Upanishad is an ancient sutra-style Sanskrit text and a minor Upanishad of Hinduism. The text is attached to the Rig Veda, and is one of the 20 Sannyasa (renunciation) Upanishads. It is a short text and notable for its distilled, aphoristic presentation with metaphors and allegories.

The Shatyayaniya Upanishad is a Sanskrit text, composed about the start of 13th-century, and is one of the minor Upanishads of Hinduism. The text is attached to the Shukla Yajurveda, and is one of the 20 Sannyasa (renunciation) Upanishads.

<i>Maha Upanishad</i> One of the minor Upanishads of Hinduism

The Maha Upanishad is a Sanskrit text and is one of the minor Upanishads of Hinduism. The text is classified as a Samanya Upanishad.

The Bahvricha Upanishad is a medieval era Sanskrit text and one of the minor Upanishads of Hinduism. It is classified as one of the eight Shakta Upanishads and attached to the Rigveda.

Yoga Upanishads are a group of minor Upanishads of Hinduism related to Yoga. There are twenty Yoga Upanishads in the anthology of 108 Upanishads listed in the Muktika anthology. The Yoga Upanishads, along with other minor Upanishads, are generally classified separate from the thirteen major Principal Upanishads considered to be more ancient and from the Vedic tradition.

The Rama Tapaniya Upanishad also called Ramatapaniyopanishad (रामतापिनियोपनिषत्) is a minor Upanishadic text written in Sanskrit. It is one of the 31 Upanishads attached to the Atharvaveda, and is classified as a Vaishnava Upanishad.

The Rama Rahasya Upanishad is a minor Upanishadic text written in Sanskrit. It is one of the 31 Upanishads attached to the Atharvaveda, and classified as one of the 14 Vaishnava Upanishads.

The Tripuratapini Upanishad is a medieval era Sanskrit text and one of the minor Upanishads of Hinduism. It is classified as one of the eight Shakta Upanishads and attached to the Atharvaveda.

The Shukarahasya Upanishad, also called Rahasya Upanishad, is a Sanskrit text and one of the minor Upanishads of Hinduism. It is classified under one of the 21 Samanya Upanishads and attached to the Krishna Yajurveda.

Shakta Upanishads are a group of minor Upanishads of Hinduism related to the Shaktism theology of a Goddess (Devi) as the Supreme Being. There are 8 Shakta Upanishads in the Muktika anthology of 108 Upanishads. They, along with other minor Upanishads, are generally classified separate from the thirteen major Principal Upanishads considered to be from the ancient Vedic tradition.

Samanya Upanishads or Samanya Vedanta Upanishads are minor Upanishads of Hinduism that are of a generic nature. They were composed later and are classified separate from the thirteen major Principal Upanishads considered to be more ancient and connected to the Vedic tradition.

The Shaiva Upanishads are minor Upanishads of Hinduism, specific to Shiva theology (Shaivism). There are 14 Shaiva Upanishads in the Muktika anthology of 108 Upanishads. They, along with other minor Upanishads, are generally classified separate from the thirteen ancient Principal Upanishads rooted in the Vedic tradition.

Sannyasa Upanishads are a group of minor Upanishads of Hinduism related to the renunciation, monastic practice and asceticism. There are 19 Sannyasa Upanishads in the Muktika anthology of 108 Upanishads. They, along with other minor Upanishads, are generally classified separately from the thirteen major Principal Upanishads considered to be from the ancient Vedic tradition.

References

↑ Deussen 1997, p. 556.
↑ Mahony 1998, p. 271.
↑ William K. Mahony (1998). The Artful Universe: An Introduction to the Vedic Religious Imagination. State University of New York Press. p. 271. ISBN 978-0-7914-3579-3.
↑ Moriz Winternitz; V. Srinivasa Sarma (1996). A History of Indian Literature. Motilal Banarsidass. pp. 217–224 with footnotes. ISBN 978-81-208-0264-3.
↑ Sen 1937, p. 26.
↑ Deussen 1997, pp. 566–567.
1 2 Tinoco 1996, pp. 87–89.
↑ Paul Deussen (1980). Sixty Upaniṣads of the Veda. Motilal Banarsidass. pp. 799 with footnote 1. ISBN 978-81-208-1467-7.
↑ Mahony 1998, p. 290.
↑ Lamb 2002, p. 191.
↑ Olivelle 2008, p. xxxiii.
↑ Edwin Francis Bryant; Maria Ekstrand (2013). The Hare Krishna Movement: The Postcharismatic Fate of a Religious Transplant. Columbia University Press. p. 42. ISBN 978-0-231-50843-8.

Bibliography

Deussen, Paul (1997). Sixty Upanishads of the Veda. Motilal Banarsidass. ISBN 978-81-208-1467-7.
Lamb, Ramdas (2002). Rapt in the Name: The Ramnamis, Ramnam, and Untouchable Religion in Central India. SUNY Press. ISBN 978-0-7914-5386-5.
Mahony, William K. (1998). The Artful Universe: An Introduction to the Vedic Religious Imagination. State University of New York Press. ISBN 978-0-7914-3579-3.
Olivelle, Patrick (2008). Upanisads. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-954025-9.
Sen, S.C. (1937). The Mystical Philosophy Of The Upanishads. Cosmo Publications. ISBN 978-81-307-0660-3.
Tinoco, Carlos Alberto (1996). Upanishads. IBRASA. ISBN 978-85-348-0040-2.

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[FOOTNOTEDeussen1997556-1] Deussen 1997, p. 556.

[FOOTNOTEMahony1998271-2] Mahony 1998, p. 271.

[Mahony1998p271-3] William K. Mahony (1998). The Artful Universe: An Introduction to the Vedic Religious Imagination. State University of New York Press. p. 271. ISBN 978-0-7914-3579-3.

[WinternitzSarma1996p217-4] Moriz Winternitz; V. Srinivasa Sarma (1996). A History of Indian Literature. Motilal Banarsidass. pp. 217–224 with footnotes. ISBN 978-81-208-0264-3.

[FOOTNOTESen193726-5] Sen 1937, p. 26.

[FOOTNOTEDeussen1997566–567-6] Deussen 1997, pp. 566–567.

[FOOTNOTETinoco199687–89-7] 1 2 Tinoco 1996, pp. 87–89.

[8] Paul Deussen (1980). Sixty Upaniṣads of the Veda. Motilal Banarsidass. pp. 799 with footnote 1. ISBN 978-81-208-1467-7.

[FOOTNOTEMahony1998290-9] Mahony 1998, p. 290.

[FOOTNOTELamb2002191-10] Lamb 2002, p. 191.

[FOOTNOTEOlivelle2008xxxiii-11] Olivelle 2008, p. xxxiii.

[12] Edwin Francis Bryant; Maria Ekstrand (2013). The Hare Krishna Movement: The Postcharismatic Fate of a Religious Transplant. Columbia University Press. p. 42. ISBN 978-0-231-50843-8.

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