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Hindu Scriptures

Sanskrit literature can be classified under six orthodox heads and four secular heads. The six orthodox sections form the authoritative scriptures of the Hindus. The four secular sections embody the later developments in classical Sanskrit literature.

The six scriptures are: (i) Srutis, (ii) Smritis, (iii) Itihasas, (iv) Puranas, (v) Agamas and (vi) Darsanas.

The four secular writings are: (i) Subhashitas, (ii) Kavyas, (iii) Natakas and (iv) Alankaras.

The Scriptures

The Srutis are called the Vedas, or the Amnaya. The Hindus have received their religion through revelation, the Vedas. These are direct intuitional revelations and are held to be Apaurusheya or entirely superhuman, without any author in particular. The Veda is the glorious pride of the Hindus, nay, of the whole world!
The term Veda comes from the root Vid, to know. The word Veda means knowledge. When it is applied to scripture, it signifies a book of knowledge. The Vedas are the foundational scriptures of the Hindus. The Veda is the source of the other five sets of scriptures, why, even of the secular and the materialistic. The Veda is the storehouse of Indian wisdom and is a memorable glory which man can never forget till eternity.

Revealed Truths Without Beginning or End

The Vedas are the eternal truths revealed by God to the great ancient Rishis of India. The word Rishi means a seer from dris, to see. He is the Mantra-Drashta, a seer of Mantra or thought. The thought was not his own. The Rishis saw the truths or heard them. Therefore, the Vedas are what are heard (Sruti). The Rishi did not write. He did not create it out of his mind. He was the seer of thought which existed already. He was only the spiritual discoverer of the thought. He is not the inventor of the Veda.
The Vedas represent the spiritual experiences of the Rishis of yore. The Rishi is only a medium or an agent to transmit to people the intuitional experiences which he received. The truths of the Vedas are revelations. All the other religions of the world claim their authority as being delivered by special messengers of God to certain persons, but the Vedas do not owe their authority to any one. They are themselves the authority as they are eternal, as they are the Knowledge of the Lord.
Lord Brahma, the Creator, imparted the divine knowledge to the Rishis or seers. The Rishis disseminated the knowledge. The Vedic Rishis were great realised persons who had direct intuitive perception of Brahman or the Truth. They were inspired writers. They built a simple, grand and perfect system of religion and philosophy from which the founders and teachers of all other religions have drawn their inspiration.

The Four Vedas and Their Sub Divisions

The Vedas are a collection of ancient sacred texts that form the foundation of Hindu religious and philosophical thought. There are four primary Vedas, each with its own subdivisions and associated literature. These Vedas are written in Sanskrit and are considered some of the oldest texts in the world. Here’s an overview of the four Vedas and their sub-divisions:

  1. Rigveda (Rig Veda):

    • Samhitas: The main part of the Rigveda consists of the Samhitas, which are collections of hymns and praises dedicated to various deities. The Rigveda Samhita is the oldest of the four Vedas.
    • Brahmanas: These texts provide explanations and instructions for the rituals and ceremonies mentioned in the Samhitas.
    • Aranyakas: The Aranyakas are considered the “forest treatises” and contain further explanations of rituals, as well as philosophical teachings.
    • Upanishads: These are the most philosophical and esoteric texts, often considered the culmination of Vedic thought. The Upanishads explore metaphysical and spiritual concepts.

  2. Yajurveda (Yajur Veda):

    • Shukla Yajurveda: It is primarily in prose and deals with the rituals and ceremonies.
    • Krishna Yajurveda: This Veda is in both prose and verse and also deals with rituals. It is further divided into the Taittiriya and Katha Shakhas.

  3. Samaveda (Sama Veda):

    • Samhitas: The Samaveda consists of chants and melodies derived from the Rigveda and is used during religious rituals.
    • Ganas: These are like musical notations that help in the proper recitation and singing of the Samavedic hymns.

  4. Atharvaveda (Atharva Veda):

    • Samhitas: The Atharvaveda contains hymns and spells for everyday life, addressing a wide range of topics including healing, magic, and rituals.
    • Brahmanas: These texts provide explanations for the rituals and ceremonies.
    • Aranyakas: Like in other Vedas, these texts contain further explanations and philosophical teachings.
    • Upanishads: The Atharvaveda also has its own set of Upanishads, which delve into philosophical and metaphysical matters.

The Celebrated Hindu Law-Givers

From time to time, a great law-giver would take his birth. He would codify the existing laws and remove those which had become obsolete. He would make some alterations, adaptations, readjustments, additions and subtractions, to suit the needs of the time and see that the way of living of the people would be in accordance with the teachings of the Veda. Of such law-givers, Manu, Yajnavalkya and Parasara are the most celebrated persons. Hindu society is founded on, and governed by, the laws made by these three great sages. The Smritis are named after them. We have Manu Smriti or Manava Dharma-Sastra (the Laws of Manu or the Institutes of Manu), Yajnavalkya Smriti and Parasara Smriti. Manu is the greatest law-giver of the race. He is the oldest law-giver as well. The Yajnavalkya Smriti follows the same general lines as the Manu Smriti and is next in importance to it. Manu Smriti and Yajnavalkya Smriti are universally accepted at the present time as authoritative works all over India. Yajnavalkya Smriti is chiefly consulted in all matters of Hindu Law. Even the Government of India are applying some of these laws.
There are eighteen main Smritis or Dharma Sastras. The most important are those of Manu, Yajnavalkya and Parasara. The other fifteen are those of Vishnu, Daksha, Samvarta, Vyasa, Harita, Satatapa, Vasishtha, Yama, Apastamba, Gautama, Devala, Sankha-Likhita, Usana, Atri and Saunaka.
The laws of Manu are intended for the Satya Yuga, those of Yajnavalkya are for the Treta Yuga; those of Sankha and Likhita are for the Dvapara Yuga; and those of Parasara are for the Kali Yuga.

The Friendly Treatises and the Commanding Treatises

There are four books under this heading: The Valmiki-Ramayana, the Yogavasishtha, The Mahabharata and the Harivamsa. These embody all that is in the Vedas, but only in a simpler manner. These are called the Suhrit-Samhitas or the Friendly Treatises, while the Vedas are called the Prabhu-Samhitas or the Commanding Treatises with great authority. These works explain the great universal truths in the form of historical narratives, stories and dialogues. These are very interesting volumes and are liked by all, from the inquisitive child to the intellectual scholar.
The Itihasas give us beautiful stories of absorbing interest and importance, through which all the fundamental teachings of Hinduism are indelibly impressed on one’s mind. The laws of Smritis and the principles of the Vedas are stamped firmly on the minds of the Hindus through the noble and marvellous deeds of their great national heroes. We get a clear idea of Hinduism from these sublime stories.
The common man cannot comprehend the high abstract philosophy of the Upanishads and the Brahma Sutras. Hence, the compassionate sages Valmiki and Vyasa wrote the Itihasas for the benefit of common people. The same philosophy is presented with analogies and parables in a tasteful form to the common run of mankind.
The two well-known Itihasas (histories) are the epics (Mahakavyas), Ramayana and Mahabharata. They are two very popular and useful Sastras of the Hindus. The Ramayana was written by the sage Valmiki, and the Mahabharata by Vyasa.

The Ramayana

The Ramayana, the Adi-Kavya or the first epic poem, relates the story of Sri Rama, the ideal man. It is the history of the family of the solar race descended from Ikshvaku, in which was born Sri Ramachandra, the Avatara of Lord Vishnu, and his three brothers. The ideal characters like Rama, Sita, Lakshmana, Bharata and Sri Hanuman that we find in Ramayana firmly establish Hindu Dharma in our minds. The story of the birth of Rama and his brothers, their education and marriages, the exile of Sri Rama, the carrying off and recovery of Sita, his wife, the destruction of Ravana, the Rakshasa King of Lanka, and the reign of Sri Rama, are described in detail in Ramayana. How a man should behave towards his superiors, equals and inferiors, how a king ought to rule his kingdom, how a man should lead his life in this world, how he can obtain his release, freedom and perfection, may be learnt from this excellent epic. The Ramayana gives a vivid picture of Indian life. Even today our domestic, social and national ideals are copied from the noble characters in the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. The great national heroes stand even today as beacon-lights to guide and inspire the people of the whole world. The lives of Rama, Bharata and Lakshmana provide a model of fraternal affection and mutual service. Sri Hanuman stands as an ideal unique Karma Yogin. The life of Sita is regarded as the most perfect example of womanly fidelity, chastity and sweetness. The Ramayana is written in twenty-four thousand verses by Sri Valmiki.

  1. Bala Kanda (The Book of Youth): This section introduces Lord Rama’s birth, childhood, and early life. It also describes his marriage to Sita and the events leading up to his exile.

  2. Ayodhya Kanda (The Book of Ayodhya): This book narrates the events in the city of Ayodhya, including the exile of Rama, the grief of his family, and the scheming of Kaikeyi.

  3. Aranya Kanda (The Book of the Forest): Rama, Sita, and his brother Lakshmana live in exile in the forest. This section details their encounters with various demons, including Surpanakha, Shurpanakha, and Ravana.

  4. Kishkindha Kanda (The Book of Kishkindha): This book tells the story of Rama’s alliance with the monkey king Sugriva, the killing of Vali, and the search for Sita.

  5. Sundara Kanda (The Book of Beauty): This section mainly focuses on Hanuman’s heroic journey to Lanka to locate Sita and deliver Rama’s message to her. Hanuman’s exploits are highlighted here.

  6. Yuddha Kanda (The Book of War): The Yuddha Kanda describes the epic battle between Rama and Ravana, the demon king of Lanka. Rama’s victory and the rescue of Sita are major events in this book.

  7. Uttara Kanda (The Book of Concluding): This final book deals with Rama’s return to Ayodhya, his coronation as king, and the events following his return, including the banishment of Sita and the birth of Rama’s sons, Lava and Kusha.