Upanishad
‘The *Upanishads* are part of the Hindu *Shruti* scriptures which primarily discuss meditation and philosophy and are seen as religious instructions by most schools of Hinduism.
They also contain transcripts of various spiritual debates or discussions, and of the 123 books considered to be part of the *Upanishads*, 12 are accepted by all Hindus as primary.
The term *Upanishad* derives from the Sanskrit words upa (near), ni (down) and s(h)ad (to sit) i.e., sitting down near; implying the act of listening to a spiritual teacher. The *Upanishads* are commentaries on the *Vedas*, their putative end and essence, and thus known as *Vedanta* (“*End of the Veda*”).