Home > Indian History > Indian Philosophy > Date of Upanishads
Date of Upanishads
The exact time and date of the Upanishad is still shrouded in mystery.

Share this Article:

Date of Upanishads, Indian PhilosophyThere are a number of 108 Upanishads recognized in the Indian Philosophy, available from the ancient time and the famous saint; Samkara has made his comments on about ten of them that are considered as the chief Upanishads. Though, no exact date can be assigned to the Upanishads, these are undoubtedly the oldest and the most authoritative in the Indian philosophy. The earliest of the Upanishads date back to the pre-Buddhistic era and there a few Upanishads that were written after Buddha. The most possible time for the composition of those Upanishads is in between the completion of the Vedic hymns and the rise of Buddhism, in the sixth century B.C. There are also some dates available for the earliest Upanishads and the accepted dates for these Upanishads are 1000 B.C to 300 B.C. The popular religious teacher, Samkara did make his comments on about ten of the Upanishads that were composed at a later period, during the pre-Buddhistic period of about 400 or 300 B.C.

The Upanishads that are in prose are considered as the oldest ones and all of them are non-sectarian. To name some of the early Upanishads, the likes of the Aiterya, the Kausitaki, the Taittiriya, the Chandogya, the Brhadaranyaka, and parts of the Kena, can be mentioned. The verses 1-13 of the Kena, and iv, 8-21 of the Brhadaranyaka are considered to form the transition to the metrical Upanishads and they also can be put down as later additions. However, the Kathopanishad is considered as the later one and the elements of the Samkhya and the Yoga systems can be found here. The Kathopanishad also have frequent quotes from the other Upanishads and also from the Bhagavad-Gita. The Mandukya Upanishad is the latest one among the pre-sectarian Upanishads and it contains the elements of both the Samkhya and the Yoga systems. Apart from this, the Atharva-Veda Upanishads are also considered to grow at a later period. Among the other Upanishads, the Svetasvatara is known to be composed at such a period, when a number of philosophical theories were fermenting in India.


Share this Article:

Related Articles

More Articles in Indian Philosophy


Classical Indian Philosophy
Classical Indian Philosophy contains many analyses, rational principles and explanations. The Vedas have been considered as the first and the oldest scriptural texts of the Classical Indian Philosophy.
Ajivika Philosophy
Ajivika philosophy is different from the mainstream religion
Gunas - Hindu Philosophy
Guna in Hindu Philosophy in its philosophical sense refers to the constituent quality. The whole universe is guided by the three gunas, which are basically attitudes, qualities found in human being.
Bodhisattvas - Hindu Philosophy
Bodhisattva is a concept in Hindu philosophy and the Buddhist philosophy and refers to someone who is committed to attain Enlightenment.
Religion and Philosophy in Later Vedic Period
Religion and Philosophy in later Vedic period did see minute growth. However, rituals and traditions were religiously followed.
Theory of inference in Nyaya philosophy
Nyaya theory of inference is divided into five steps.
Theory for God in Nyaya philosophy
The Naiyayikas tried to establish the existence of God through logic.
Religious Influence on Indian Philosophy
Religious influence on Indian philosophy has been almost enigmatic, making it complimentary in perspective.
Morality and Ethics in Jain philosophy
Jains follow a fivefold path of morality and ethical purity, by which one can reach moksha.
Indian Philosophy In The Vedic Period
Indian Philosophy in the Vedic Period was primarily based on the concepts of nature worship.
Metaphysics in Jain philosophy
Metaphysics in Jain philosophy revolves heavily around the soul and its governing path and final emancipation.
Nether World in Jain Philosophy
Nether World according to Jain Cosmology consists of seven subterranean regions. Of the seven regions the above two regions serve as the abode of heavenly gods and in the rest torture of the souls is undertaken for any kind of misdeed.
Achintya Bheda Abheda Philosophy
Achintya-Bheda-Abheda is a School of Vedanta that represents the philosophy of unimaginable one-ness and difference in relation to the power creation and creator.