The Upanishads are part of the oldest Hindu scriptures , the shruti
They contain details about Brahman
Hindu beliefs on how the atman achieves moksha
There are 2 views on how the atman achieves moksha
Some say it by a person’s own efforts
Others say it is by grace (a free gift from God), through Brahman or another deity
Beliefs about the atman that lead Hindus to worship
Some Hindu thinkers teach that the atman is always one with Brahman
They believe the aim of life should be to return to the perfect spiritual realm - like a drop of water merging with the ocean
Other Hindu thinkers teach that when the atman reaches liberation and returns to Brahman, it always remains separate - like a green bird entering a leafy green tree
It can never be totally the same as Brahman because Brahman is supreme , beyond human understanding and complete
Both beliefs lead Hindus to worship
The importance of the Story of Gajendra , and how it links to reaching moksha
The story of Gajendra is usually told to show how souls are saved by God’s grace (as Vishnu saved Gajendra)
However, another point of view is that human effort (good conduct, knowledge, detachment and devotion to God) is also the way to reach moksha (shown through Gajendra reciting prayers)
This is why Hindus put a lot of effort into their worship
