Why do we define the Code of Hammurapi as a legal code, while the Rig-Veda and Upanishads are defined as sacred texts

Question

I just dont understand. Ive looked up the Rig-Veda and Upanishads, and they are religious texts, but does that mean what they say isn't historially accurate? I really do not understand this question

Answer 1

Sacred texts sometimes contain commandments for behavior and punishments for violations, but they are generally grounded in or justified as divine commands. A legal code is established by civil authority, though that authority may be grounded in divine preference. Sacred texts are also more likely to set commandments in a larger narrative, while legal codes are enacted as such by people.

I’m not clear what you mean by “historically accurate,” especially in this context. All of the documents mentioned are historical documents, whether religious or civil.