"Aranyaka" (āraṇyaka) literally means "produced, born, relating to a forest" or rather, "belonging to the … See more

Aranyakas are diverse in their structure. Jan Gonda summarizes:
The structure of the Aranyakas is as little homogenous as their contents. Some portions have the character of a Samhita, others of a … See more

There is also a certain continuity of the Aranyakas from the Brahmanas in the sense that the Aranyakas go into the meanings of the 'secret' rituals not detailed in the Brahmanas. Later tradition sees this as a leap in… See more

• Brihad-Aranyaka Upanishad See more

1. ^ Arthur Berriedale Keith (1925). The Religion and Philosophy of the Veda and Upanishads. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. p. 490.
2. ^ In post-Vedic classifications by text types, the Aranyakas are one of f… See more

• Jan Gonda (1975), A History of Indian Literature: Volume 1, Vedic Literature: Saṃhitās and Brāhmaṇas, Otto Harrassowitz Verlag, ISBN 978-3447016032, "Chapter IX: The Āraṇyakas". See more