The Religion and Philosophy of the Veda and Upanishads v2.c40.s6.17

v2.c40.s6.17

In this Upaniṣad it is of importance that the conception of theism is allied to the name of Rudra: the Vedic gods in the Upaniṣads exist as much as men,¹ but they are nothing more important than men, and need the knowledge of the Brahman as much as men; Indra and Prajāpati himself are, though the keepers of the door of heaven, unable to turn back the man who knows the Brahman. The Vedic gods are in themselves not enough to account for the prominence of the theistic aspect: it is essentially connected with Çiva or later with Viṣṇu, new great gods of the popular side of Brahmanism. The new relation is seen in the use of the term Īçvara, Īça, or synonyms, of the god, and in the use of these terms later of the supreme god in Indian philosophy: these are names obviously in harmony with the chief name of Rudra as the Īçāna, the lord, among the gods and the world in general.