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		Introduction   Shruti   Smriti   Many Scriptures, many paths

Introduction

Hinduism is based on "the accumulated treasury of spiritual laws discovered by different persons in different times." The scriptures were transmitted orally, in verse form to aid memorization, for many centuries before they were written down.Over many centuries, the teachings of the were refined by other sages, and the canon expanded.The overwhelming majority of the sacred texts are composed in the Sanskrit language. Indeed, much of the morphology and linguistic philosophy inherent in the learning of Sanskrit is sometimes claimed to be inextricably linked to study of the Vedas and relevant Hindu scriptures. Sanskrit continues to be used even today in religious and literary settings.The scripture are collectively referred to as Shāstra and are commonly classified into two classes: Śruti and Smriti.
 

Shruti

The Rig Veda is one of the world's oldest religious texts. Shown here is a Rig Veda manuscript in Devanagari, early 19th century. Śruti ("that which has been heard") refers to the Vedas (वेद, "Knowledge") which form the earliest record of the Hindu scriptures. While they have not been dated with much certainty, even the most conservative estimates date their origin to 1200 B.C. or earlier.

The Vedas are said to be eternal truths that were originally realized through deep meditation by ancient sages called rishis.Hindus do not believe that God or any person created the Vedas; the Vedas are said to be without beginning and without end. "Just as the law of gravitation existed before its discovery and would exist if all humanity forgot it, so is it with the laws that govern the spiritual world." The Vedas have therefore been called apaurusheya ("not man-made").

The Vedas themselves have been classified in various ways. One simple way is to divide the Vedas into two sections according to their subject matter:

• The Karma Kānda ("the action part"), deals with karma, rituals, and secular topics, the purpose of which is to attain material prosperity and happiness on earth, and

• The Jnāna Kānda ("the knowledge part"), is concerned with the spiritual knowledge that brings liberation from ignorance and realization of the Ultimate Truth.

The Upanishads constitute a major portion of the Jnāna Kānda, and contain the bulk of the Vedas' philosophical and mystical teachings. The teachings of the Upanishads emphasize several key points (which are interpreted variously by various schools of thought):

• The deepest source of all reality, called Brahman, is identical with the innermost self of man (ātman).

• As long as one does not realize this relationship, one is subject to a seemingly endless round of rebirths (sansāra).

• A conscious realization of the essential identity of the ātman and Brahman leads to liberation from sansāra.

While the Vedas are not themselves commonly read by a lay Hindu, they are yet revered as the spiritual foundation for the later, more widely-read scriptures (smriti).
 

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Smriti

Hindu texts other than the Shrutis are collectively called the Smṛitis ("memory"). All of them laud the Vedas and the Shruti is generally held to take precedence over them in any apparent dispute.

The most notable of the Smritis are the Itihāsas (epics), such as the Mahābhārata and the Rāmāyana, considered sacred by almost all Hindus. Bhagavad Gītā (भगवद् गीता) (often referred to as simply the Gītā) is an integral part of the epic Mahābhārata and one of the most popular sacred texts of Hinduism. It contains philosophical sermons taught by Kṛiṣhṇa, an incarnation of Viṣhṇu, to Arjuna on the eve of a great war. The Bhagavad Gītā is described as the essence of the Vedas.Also widely known are the eighteen Purāvas ("ancient histories"), which illustrate Vedic ideas through vivid narratives dealing with deities, and their interactions with humans. Prominent Purāṇas include the Srīmad Bhāgavatam, the Devī Mahātmya (an ode to God as the Divine Mother), the Yoga Sūtras (a key meditative yoga text by the sage Patañjali), the Tantras Tirumantiram and Shiva Sūtras. Other important Hindu scriptures include the sectarian Hindu Āgamas that dedicated to rituals and worship associated with Vishnu, Shiva and Devī.

Most Hindu scriptures, especially the epics and Puranic stories, are not typically interpreted literally and most Hindus attach greater importance to the ethics and the metaphorical meanings derived from them. It is widely understood accepted that the Shastras contain a mix of historical fact, myth, and spiritual truths and that their aim is to highlight deeper spiritual meaning through the stories and teachings. Hindu exegesis often leans toward figurative interpretations of scriptures rather than literal ones.
 

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Many scriptures, many paths

In contrast to the scriptural canons in some other religions, the Hindu scriptural canon is not closed even today — Hindus believe that because the spiritual truths of the Vedas are eternal, they may continue to be expressed in new ways in the future. New scriptures may continue to be written to express the truths of the Vedas in ways that will be accessible to the people of different times and places. However there is a special veneration for the shruti scriptures because they have been validated by many sages and thinkers over the course of many millenia.

Many Hindus may even venerate the scriptures of other religions, since it is believed that the One Divinity can reveal itself in innumerable ways. A much-quoted pada (verse) from the Rigveda that emphasizes the diversity of paths to the one goal is:
ekam sat viprā bahudhā vadanti
Truth is one, the wise call it by many names
—Rig Veda 1.164.46c

Thus, Hinduism accepts a large number of scriptures, and remains open to any new revelations. Because the same eternal spiritual truths can be viewed from innumerable perspectives, there is relatively little theological quarrel among Hindu denominations. However, some denominations may be more inclined toward this all-inclusive attitude than others. For instance, although followers of Advaita Vedanta and Smartism often place heavy emphasis on the view that God can be worshipped in any form, many members of the Vaishnava sect believe that spiritual liberation can be attained only through submission to God in the form of Vishnu.It is believed that a sage today can realize the same truths that the ancient rishis realized. For this reason, Hindus may venerate the words of a modern saint — Sri Ramakrishna, Sai Baba, or Sri Ramana Maharshi, for example — as much as those of the ancient teachers.
 

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