Upanishads

Upanishad literally means sitting close. When a disciple sits close to the Master with a willingness to learn and listen, he triggers the flow of knowledge from the Master. This intimate conversation is the Upanishad. Upanishads are also called as Vedanta - the end of knowledge, or the essence of all learning.

At a scholarly level, Vedas are divided into four parts. Samhita (Mantras), Brahmana (rituals), Aranyaka (sadhana for the forest dweller) and the Upansihads. The first three constitute the ritualistic part of the Vedas (Karma Kanda), which is aimed at bringing prosperity to life (Abhyudaya) while the Upanishads deal with liberation (Gnana Kanda). As long as you live in the world you are involved in action. Compulsive action creates an impression that acts as seed to more actions. This generates a positive or negative merit leading to pleasant or unpleasant experiences. Karma kanda deals with actions that minimise  the impact of past impressions and prescribes processes such as awareness, endurance, charity that bring positive merit or Punya, thereby leading to prosperity. This prescribed code of action is Dharma. Thus Karma kanda deals with Dharma and Karma. Gnana Kanda (Upanishads) deals with the knowledge of the Self.