The Earliest Periods of Hinduism: Vedas and Upanishads - Essay Example

 However, over the years Hinduism has made efforts to eliminate some of the contradictions, confusions, and questions that sometimes arise. The simplest way to break down the distinctions between the Vedas and the Upanishads is to describe the Vedas as the core religious scriptures of Hinduism.

They detail the pantheon of the Gods, the sacred rituals, and the most ancient beginnings of the faith. The Upanishads, which begin essentially where the Vedas end, are the philosophical ideologies of Hinduism. It is pointed out that the Upanishad teachings could be incorporated into many different belief systems without causing religious disrespect to a person’s religious affiliations. (Hare) The Bhagavad Gita is technically not a book of scriptures but a portion of the 6th chapter of the Mahabharata dealing with the philosophical discussions between the warrior Arjuna and the God Krishna.

The information teaches about duty, devotion, meditation, and the soul’s journey. It delivers the message that”…your business is with the deed and not with the result.”(De) The Bhagavad Gita is translated as the “Song of God,” and highlights the idea that Krishna admits that he is but a persona of the creator God, as are all the Gods.