The Vedas and Upanishads are two tools used to sharpen the same weapon differently. Both papers reflect certain hidden eternal truths. The difference between the Vedas and the Upanishads is purpose. The Vedas are a more artistic form and present the truths hidden within poetic verses. The Upanishads are more direct; they take the truths hidden in the Vedas and elaborate on them using story format. In the end, the Upanishads use its stories to explain and create structure for the hidden truths found in the Vedas. Some of the truths that are outlined in each paper include: The idea of the Brahman, the value of sacrifice, and the value of dharma.
The first eternal truth is of the Brahman. The Upanishads state the Brahman as the provider of joy which is the infinite; The Brahman is the originator of the universe and is looked at as city in our hearts that never ages. The tree will wither away but the Brahman is eternal and apart from our body. In the Vedas, the Isha talks about the Self being unmoving and all pervasive. It also says that those who live life only in this world are doomed to darkness. This makes an abstract connection with the Upanishads when they say that the Self provides joy. Another example would be in the section were the Isha states that meditation of Brahman is immortality. In the Upanishads it talks about the Brahman being the city that never ages. Both papers provide an analysis of the Brahman and document its power however; the Vedas do it in a more analytical form by bringing up Isha which is more of a symbol then a direct connection. The Upanishads on the other hand, take the analysis and make it more concrete with examples we can relate to such as the tree or the city.
The second eternal truth is sacrifice. The Upanishads talk about almsgiving being a requirement of duty. It also mentions we should sacrifice good desires for illusionary ones. The Upanishads talk about sacrifice in terms of a mental state or in terms of devotion for God and the Self. The Vedas mention sacrifice as being the beginning of creation. Purusha Sukta is the Man with a thousand legs. The Vedas state that all creatures are just a quarter of him. He was sacrificed, and in the fire of his burning the world was created. The Vedas also says that Agni and Soma are the two sources of inspiration that enable Vedic poets to find and understand sacrifice. In the Upanishads this idea is set at a more personal level. The Upanishads state that the Brahman lives strong in those that mediate on the self. When mediation occurs time and energy is sacrificed to build that spark of creation in our heart. The Upanishads create a more applicable view of sacrifice. It takes the idea of Purusha Sukta and applies it by talking about how important sacrifice is in worship and meditation in essence it takes things to a more personal level.
The third eternal truth is caste. The first story in which Satyakama asks his mom about his caste is an example. Since Satyakama doesn't know his caste the boy is given the task of tending a group of cows. He does a very good job of tending the cows and is granted the ability to learn Brahman texts. In essence the Upanishads are saying that if one works hard in his/her caste then he/she will be allowed to move up in the caste system. The Upanishads are like a story that dictates this idea. The Vedas reinforce it by stating in Isha that he who works his work with earnestness but without desires, not yearning for its fruits will be content. In this rare case the Vedas were used for elaboration and the Upanishads made the story.
Overall the Vedas and Upanishads can be looked at as two different side of one coin. They constantly reflect the same ideas reinforcing them and rephrasing them. In the end, the Vedas are used more for documenting the truths in abstract. The Upanishads are used to dictate the truths posed in the Vedas in a comprehensive format to reveal them.
