The Vedanta system of Hinduism is based on which texts?

• A. Vedas
• B. Puranas
• C. Upanishads
• D. Ramayana

Answer: (C)

Vedanta’s authority rests on the Upanishads, the philosophical portions of the Vedas that probe the nature of ultimate reality (Brahman) and the self (Atman). The Upanishads lay out the core metaphysical ideas that Vedanta develops, such as the unity of Atman and Brahman and the nature of illusion (Maya). The term Vedanta itself means “end of the Vedas,” signaling that this school bases its teachings on these concluding, contemplative portions rather than on ritual sections of the Vedas or on later narratives. While the Brahma Sutras and the Bhagavad Gita are important companions within Vedanta and help systematize and elaborate those ideas, the Upanishads provide the foundational texts. The other options are outside this focus: the full Vedas include ritual material, and the Puranas and Ramayana are mainly narrative/mythological rather than the philosophical sources Vedanta centers on.