UPSC Prelims 2024 Q58: Art & Culture – Philosophy & Religion
Consider the following statements:
1. There are no parables in Upanishads.
2. Upanishads were composed earlier than the Puranas. Which of the statements given above
is/are correct?
- (a) 1 only
- (b) 2 only
- (c) Both 1 and 2
- (d) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer: (b) 2 only
Explanation
Upanishads - Key Characteristics
Statement-by-Statement Breakdown:
| Statement | Claim | Verdict | Analysis |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | There are no parables in Upanishads | FALSE | The Upanishads do contain parables. Famous examples: the parable of Nachiketa and Yama (Kathopanishad), the parable of Uddalaka and Shvetaketu (Chandogya Upanishad - 'Tat tvam asi'), the story of Satyakama Jabala (Chandogya). Parables are central teaching devices in Upanishadic literature. |
| 2 | Upanishads were composed earlier than the Puranas | TRUE | Upanishads (c. 800-200 BCE) belong to the Vedic period. Puranas (c. 300-1200 CE) were composed during the Gupta and post-Gupta periods. Upanishads are older by approximately 1000+ years. |
Timeline of major Hindu texts:
| Text | Period | Category |
|---|---|---|
| Vedas (Rigveda etc.) | c. 1500-1200 BCE | Shruti |
| Upanishads | c. 800-200 BCE | Shruti (Vedanta) |
| Mahabharata / Ramayana | c. 400 BCE-400 CE | Smriti |
| Puranas | c. 300-1200 CE | Smriti |
Answer: (b) 2 only.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. Statement 1 is false - Upanishads contain many famous parables. The Nachiketa-Yama story (Katha Upanishad) and Uddalaka-Shvetaketu dialogue (Chandogya) are well-known examples.
- (b) CORRECT. Only Statement 2 is correct. Upanishads (c. 800-200 BCE) were composed centuries to millennia before the Puranas (c. 300-1200 CE).
- (c) Incorrect. Statement 1 is false - parables are a core teaching method in Upanishadic literature, not absent from it.
- (d) Incorrect. Statement 2 is definitively correct - Upanishads predate the Puranas by at least 500-1000 years.
Key point
Upanishads DO contain parables (Nachiketa-Yama, Uddalaka-Shvetaketu). Upanishads (800-200 BCE) are older than Puranas (300-1200 CE) by 1000+ years.
Remember
Upanishads contain parables (Nachiketa story in Katha Upanishad is a classic example) and were composed long before the Puranas.
Common mistakes
- Thinking Upanishads have no parables - they extensively use narrative parables to explain philosophical concepts like Brahman, Atman, and moksha.
- Confusing Upanishads with Sutras or Aranyakas - Upanishads are the concluding portions of the Vedas (Vedanta) and use stories, dialogues, and parables as teaching tools.
- Not knowing the chronological sequence: Vedas > Upanishads > Epics (Mahabharata/Ramayana) > Puranas.
Exam tip
Upanishads = Vedanta = end of Vedas = philosophical texts. They use parables to explain Brahman-Atman unity. Puranas = much later devotional texts. Remember: UP (Upanishads) came UP first, Puranas came after.
Sources
- NCERT Class 6 History - Chapter 7: New Questions and Ideas
- NCERT Class 12 History - Themes in Indian History Part I (Religious Developments)