Maisor Prachya Koshagarastha Likhit Sanskrit Granth Suchi

Author(s): M S Basavalingayya, T T Srinivasgopalachar
Publisher: Oriental Library

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Brahmana. The word “Upanişad” means to approach or sit at the feet of the Guru to receive the secret or mysterious knowledge which destroys all sins and brings about final eternal bliss.
As the Brāhmaṇas are concerned with the ritual portion "#4705," the Upanişads constitute the knowledge portion " Ang " of the Vedas. They may be treated as the soil containing the seed of nearly all the well-known systems of later Indian philosophical thought. In fact, they are the fountain-head of all the systems of philosophy, including Buddhism, which had their birth on Indian soil. They contain the quintessence of the Vedas and therefore are highly venerated by all Hindus.
Out of the total number of about one hundred and forty Upanişads existing in the Library, about one hundred and eighteen are assigned to the different Vedas. The most important are the Aitareya and Kausitaki of the Rg Veda, the Taittiriya, Swetāswatara and Kathā of the Black Yajurveda, the Isa and BỊhadăranyaka of the White Yajurveda, the Chandogya of the Sāma Veda and the Māņdūkya, Mundaka, Praśna Upanişads of the Atharva
Veda.
Ekāgnikõnda.—The vedic rites are classed under two heads. Those under the first are mentioned in the Gșhya Sūtra and are performed with the help of only one fire, called Aupāsanāgni or the fire used for domestic worship. Those under the second head are mentioned in the Srauta Sūtras, and are performed with the help of three sacred fires, collectively known as “an." That portion of the Veda which contains the Mantras recited while performing the vedic rites with the help of one fire gala, namely Aupāsanāgni, is called Ekāgnikāņda. Ekāgnikanda is also known as Mantrapraśna since it consists of two Prasnas containing the Mantras used by a dwija in performing his domestic rites. Ekāgnikānda commences with the Mantras used in offering oblations to the Viśwe Devas, and those Mantras are outside the Mantra praśna, as is evident from