Hinduism is arguably the oldest religion, with its roots and traditions that date back to more than 4,000 years. Although the formulations of primary religious texts, treatises, and philosophical elaborations date back at least to 2,500 years, it is only subsequent to the advent of the Upanishads and the Mahabharata, of which Bhagavad Gita is a part, that led to the progress of deeper and inner spirituality, as opposed to a ritualistic praxis of the earlier times.