Samanya Upanishads or Samanya Vedanta Upanishads are minor Upanishads of Hinduism that are of a generic nature. They were composed later and are classified separate from the thirteen major Principal Upanishads considered to be more ancient and connected to the Vedic tradition.
The Samanya Upanishad as group contrast with other minor Upanishads grouped as the Yoga Upanishads which are related to Yoga, the Sannyasa Upanishads which are related to Hindu renunciation and monastic practice, the Shaiva Upanishads which are related to Shaivism, the Vaishnava Upanishads which are related to Vaishnavism, and the Shakta Upanishads which are related to Shaktism.
The Samanya Vedanta Upanishads are variously classified, ranging from a list of 21 to 24. The variation in count is based on whether some of the older Principal Upanishads are included as Samanya. Some include three ancient Upanishads as Samanya Upanishads bringing the list to 24: 14. Shvetashvatara Upanishad; 24. Maitrayaniya Upanishad; and 25. Kaushitaki Upanishad. If these three are included as Samanya Upanishads, the list of Principal Upanishads shrinks to ten. Many scholars, however, consider the Principal Upanishads to be thirteen.; Quote: "These are the Isha, Kena, Katha, Prasna, Mundaka, Mandukya, Aitareya, Taittiriya, Brihadaranyaka, Chandogya and Svetasvatara. To this list is usually added the Kaushitaki and Maitrayaniya or Maitri) to make the thirteen principal Upanishads, a canon which has found favor with most scholars of the present day."
Nomenclature The term samanya literally means "generic, universal".
Date The Principal Upanishads are dated to be between eighth and first century BCE, the estimates for the minor Upanishads vary. According to Mahony, the minor Upanishads are approximately dated to be from about 100 BC to 1100 AD.
List of 21 Samanya Upanishads + List of the Samanya Vedanta Upanishads Title Muktika serial # Attached Veda Period of creation Garbha Upanishad 17 Krishna Yajurveda Subala Upanishad 30 Shukla Yajurveda 2nd millennium CE Mantrika Upanishad 32 Shukla Yajurveda 1st millennium BCE Sarvasara Upanishad 33 Atharvaveda also Krishna Yajurveda 1st millennium BCE Niralamba Upanishad 34 Shukla Yajurveda Late medieval text Shukarahasya Upanishad 35 Krishna Yajurveda Vajrasuchi Upanishad 36 Samaveda Likely in the 8th-century Atmabodha Upanishad 42 Rigveda Skanda Upanishad 51 Krishna Yajurveda Mudgala Upanishad 57 Rigveda Post-Vedic Paingala Upanishad 59 Atharvaveda, and Shukla Yajurveda Early medieval era Maha Upanishad 61 Samaveda also in Atharvaveda Sariraka Upanishad 62 Krishna Yajurveda Ekakshara Upanishad 69 Krishna Yajurveda Surya Upanishad 71 Atharvaveda Akshi Upanishad 72 Krishna Yajurveda Adhyatma Upanishad 73 Shukla Yajurveda Savitri Upanishad 75 Samaveda Atma Upanishad 76 Atharvaveda Pranagnihotra Upanishad 94 Atharva Veda Muktika Upanishad 108 All four Vedas
List of 24 Samanya Upanishads The list of Samanya Upanishad varies by the scholar. For example, Brahmayogin's list of 24 included Annapurna Upanishad, Maitri Upanishad and Kaushitaki Upanishad as Samanya Upanishads.
See also Hindu texts Vedas
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