Vedas and Upanishads: Key differences between these kids should know

Vedas and Upanishads are often used interchangeably and this gives an impression that these are twin words, which means they might have the same meaning. However, the fact that Vedas and Upanishads have a holistic significance in a person's life, it is essential to understand that these two religious scriptures are different from each other.

It is extremely important to teach these to kids as they are getting introduced to them in schools and homes.

The word 'Veda' comes from a Sanskrit word which means 'knowledge'. Regarded as one the oldest texts, the Vedas hold answers to the essence of the Divine.

It is believed that the Vedas were composed between 1200 to 400 BC.

The Vedas comprise: Samhitas or the collection of mantras, Aranyakas or the collection of rituals, Brahamanas or the collection of commentary on the rituals and the Upanishads or the collection of philosophical narratives.

Upanishad is a Sanskrit word which means "sit down closely". It is one of the four text scriptures that together consitutes the Vedas.

Both Upanishads and Vedas are the sacred scriptures of Hinduism.

There are four Vedas: The Rigveda, The Yajurveda, The Samveda and the Atharvaveda.

The Vedas say God is Omnipresent, Omnipotent and Omniscient and do not support the multiplicity of Gods.

As per reports the earliest known surviving copies of the Rig Veda and Atharva Veda that are currently held in the Bhandarkar Oriental Institute in Pune, Maharashtra, India. The Rig Veda manuscripts was nominated for inscription in UNESCO’s “Memory of the World” Register 2007.

There are more than 180 Upanishads. Some sources claim there are 200 of them.

However, 13 Upanishads are very popular. These were composed before the 2nd century BC. These 13 Upanishads are: Brihadaranyaka, Chandogya, Taittiriya, Aitareya, Kaushitaki, Kena, Katha, Isa, Svetasvatara, Mundaka, Prasna, Mandukya, and Maitri.

While both the texts have immense significance in Hinduism, kids should know the following basic differences between them:

Vedas hold the ritualistic details relevant to Hinduism, while Upanishads emphasize more on spiritualism and philosophy.

Upanishads are a part of the Vedas. Each of the four Vedas have four classifications: Samhitas, Aranyakas, Brahmanas and Upanishads.

There are four Vedas and close to 200 Upanishads of which 13 are well known.

'Stranger Things' fame Noah Schnapp comes out as gay in a viral TikTok video