Āranyaka Skt., lit. “belonging to the woods”; the Āranyakas are supplementary texts to the Brāhmanas, which in turn are appended to the Vedic Samhitās; thus each belongs to a specific Veda. Meant as reading matter for forest hermits, they contain mystic reflections as wep as descriptions of important rites, and represent the point of departure for the Upanishads.
The rites and cultic observances described in the Āranyakas were held to be particularly sacred; anyone who performed them prematurely, without proper authorization, ran the risk of forfeiting life and limb. Students were therefore given such instruction not openly in the village, but in the solitude of the forest.
Source: The Encyclopedia of Eastern Philosophy and Religion: Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism, Zen. Shambhala Publications, Inc.
External Link: Āranyaka