Consider the following statements: 1. There are no parables in Upanishads. 2. Upanishads were composed…

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?
  1. 1 only
  2. 2 only
  3. Both 1 and 2
  4. Neither 1 nor 2

Solution

Upanishads contain several parables — e.g., the dialogue of Yajnavalkya and Maitreyi, the Satyakama Jabala story, etc. — so Statement 1 is wrong. The Upanishads (c. 800-400 BCE) were composed well before the Puranas (c. 3rd century CE onwards), so Statement 2 is correct.

Asked in: UPSC Prelims 2024

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