The sacred texts of Hinduism are pretty ancient and are written in the Sanskrit language. Hinduism has several scriptures and not just a single holy text and the prominent among them are the Vedas. The readers guide them through their everyday life and also help the Hindus to maintain as well as preserve the dimensions of the society.
The Holy texts of Hinduism are something that is very traditional and has been used in religious practices for years now. If you are someone who is interested in these texts, then you are at the right place, as we are going to discuss the same here.
The various Hindu holy books helped the Hindus develop their beliefs and the system of worship.
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Categories Of Hindu Scriptures
The Hindu scriptures are prominent of two categories:
- Shruti: Shruti means that which can be heard and consists of the Upanishad Scriptures and the Vedas.
- Smriti: Smriti means that which can be remembered and includes the traditional texts like Dharma Shastras that encompass ethical and legal texts, the Puranas, and the most significant epics, the Mahabharata and the Ramayana.
The Major Works Of The Hindu Holy Scriptures
All the major holy works of the Hindu scriptures are written in Sanskrit and are the foundation of all the traditional and religious beliefs of the Hindus.
The prominent Holy Texts are:
- The Vedas: The Vedas are the holy scriptures further divided into the Rigveda, Yajur-Veda, Sama-Veda, and the Atharva-Veda. The Vedas are the oldest texts of Hinduism available and cover varied subjects from nature to everyday lives. The four Vedas are the base of almost all other holy texts of Hinduism. And the books are considered so sacred and holy that they are stored in glass cases.
- The Upanishads: The Upanishads consider the nature of the soul as an individual and the Universal soul as well. It consists of the reference to the ancient and earliest reincarnation of the soul into different bodies.
- The Puranas: The Puranas hold the collection of ancient tales regarding the lives of various saints and various incarnations.
- The Smritis: The Smritis consist of the traditions as the Laws Of Manu (BC).
- The Ramayana: The Ramayana is one of the greatest epics that consists of the story of Rama and his beloved wife, Sita. The poem moves on with the kidnapping of Sita by the Demon king Ravana, who Rama later frees along with the help of the Monkey God, Hanuman. Throughout the poem, it is explained that good will always triumph over evil and is considered very sacred in Hindu holy books.
- The Mahabharata: Another great epic of Hinduism is the Mahabharata which is the telling of the story of the war between the two branches of a family, namely- the Pandavas and the Kauravas. The Bhagavad Gita is another part of this great epic, which generally means “The song of God”.
The Hindu religion has numerous Holy texts which are considered very sacred and are even thought of spreading positive vibes around the place if read on special occasions. The Holy texts are the basis of the traditions and beliefs of Hinduism and also guide them in their everyday lives.
