The Çatapatha Brahmana is thus a mine of important data and noteworthy narratives. Internal evidence shows it to belong to a late period of the Brahmana age. Its style, as compared with the earlier works of the same class, displays some progress towards facility and clearness. Its treatment of the sacrificial ceremonial, which is essentially the same in the Brahmana portions of the Black Yajurveda, is throughout more lucid and systematic. On the theosophic side, too, we find the idea of the unity in the universe more fully developed than in any other Brahmana work, while its Upanishad is the finest product of Vedic philosophy. To the Atharva-veda is attached the Gopatha Brahmana, though it has no particular connection with that Samhita. This Brahmana consists of two books, the first containing five chapters, the second six. Both parts are very late, for they were composed after the Vaitana Sutra and practically without any Atharvan tradition. The matter of the former half, while not corresponding or following the order of the sacrifice in any ritual text, is to a considerable extent original, the rest being borrowed from Books XI. and XII. of the Çatapatha Brahmana, besides a few passages from the Aitareya. The main motive of this portion is the glorification of the Atharva-veda and of the fourth or brahman priest. The mention of the god Çiva points to its belonging to the post-Vedic rather than to the Brahmana period. Its presupposing the Atharva-veda in twenty books, and containing grammatical matters of a very advanced type, are other signs of lateness. The latter half bears more the stamp of a regular Brahmana, being a fairly connected account of the ritual in the sacrificial order of the Vaitana Çrauta Sutra; but it is for the most part a compilation. The ordinary historical relation of Brahmana and Sutra is here reversed, the second book of the Gopatha Brahmana being based on the Vaitana Sutra, which stands to it practically in the relation of a Samhita. About two-thirds of its matter have already been shown to be taken from older texts. The Aitareya and Kaushitaki Brahmanas have been chiefly exploited, and to a less extent the Maitrayani and Taittiriya Samhitas. A few passages are derived from the Çatapatha, and even the Panchavimça Brahmana. Though the Upanishads generally form a part of the Brahmanas, being a continuation of their speculative side (jnana-kanda), they really represent a new religion, which is in virtual opposition to the ritual or practical side (karma-kanda). Their aim is no longer the obtainment of earthly happiness and afterwards bliss in the abode of Yama by sacrificing correctly to the gods, but release from mundane existence by the absorption of the individual soul in the world-soul through correct knowledge. Here, therefore, the sacrificial ceremonial has become useless and speculative knowledge all-important.