The Development of Hindu Iconography c9.45.2

c9.45.2

As this body of literature, or rather the earlier and more authoritative part of it (we should always be careful to exclude the khilas or supplements, for therein we find some materials concerning the later sectarian gods), is closely associated with the sacrifices,—it unfolds before us their meaning (arthavāda),—there is no chance of our ever finding in it any allusion to divine images and their worship. These works set a high value, however, on the performance of ascetic practices as acts of practical piety and religion, salvation being attainable by this austere asceticism. The natural sequel of these speculative efforts and ascetic practices was the age of the early authoritative Upaniṣads where the pursuit of higher knowledge—the true knowledge about the Brahman, Ātman and the Universe—was the chief desideratum. The teaching incorporated in these works was usually regarded as something secret or esoteric. Deussen has correctly shown that the word Upaniṣad means ‘sitting down at the feet of a teacher to receive secret instruction: hence a secret conversation or doctrine’;