The Upanishads, by the way, are later religious texts that began as commentaries on the Vedas but later became sacred writings in their own right. This is a really great way to organize a social order from top to bottom. Everyone has a role, and because their role has a religious dimension, society stays in balance. But as a religion, Hinduism has a problem, at least if you want to start an empire. Everyone's path to salvation is individual. The original Brahmins tried to set themselves up as political leaders, but Hinduism doesn't really place a premium on worshippers obeying their leaders. And if you are a leader trying to make your subjects listen to you, that's kind of a bummer.