Brahmanas are texts that describe the origin and importance of Vedic rituals. They are attached to the Samhita (hymns) portion of the Vedas, and together they are often referred to as karma-kanda. While the Brahmanas are not instruction manuals, they use mythology and legends to describe the significance of sacrifice rituals.
Glossary Item
Aranyakas
Aranyakas (‘Forest Books’) are texts similar to Brahmanas, in their focus on rituals. However, the philosophical inclination of Aranyakas was considered unsuitable for house-holders and more geared towards renunciates dwelling in the forests.The Aranyakas and the Upanishads are referred to as jnana-kanda.
Abhinavagupta
Abhinavaguptā was a brilliant scholar, philosopher, and saint who lived between 950 CE and 1016 CE in Kashmir, India. Born […]
Pancharatra
Pancharatra is said to have originated around a third century BCE saint named Narayana who was considered to be an avatar of Vishnu. The movement was a precursor to modern-day Vaishnavism.
Dharma-sutra
Dharma means the righteous way of living and sutra refers to the key or code. The Dharma-sutras originated from the […]