Later Hinduism (Upanishads)
-Concepts of: Brahman, Source/Creator
Karma, the effect of all action
Samsara, the wheel of rebirth
-Emphasis is placed on meditation/mystical knowledge
-Later Hinduism is defined by the rise of the Harappan civilization which reached its zenith around 2500 B.C.

-The path of renunciation is a revered phase of one's life in Hindu culture.
-Yogas (spiritual disciplines or to unite) serve as a path to Moksha(liberation from samsara)
-There are four approaches to this path depending on ones temperament.
1.Jnana(Nyana)Yoga-For those whose nature it is to seek knowledge/study/meditation
-This approach stresses the mystical knowledge of the Brahman in which the prime belief is that everything is one (emphasis on the Upanishads).
2.Karma Yoga- This is the path of work. The importance in karma yoga is to do ones work with a sense of detachment from the outcome and as a service to God.
- Hot karma = bad cool karma = good
3.Bhakti Yoga- places importance on utter devotion to God through every means. This path tends to stress God as a personality who looks over his children. This path is most associated with the Harre Krishna movement.
4.Raja Yoga- This path is generally that of the aesthetic. It is centered around psychophysical exercises-meditation, Hatha/Asthanga Yoga and pranayam (breathing techniques)
-The goal,ultimately, is to shrink the ego and realize the true self (Brahman,Atman).
The End