Hindu Religious Texts

This is not a comprehensive list and is only meant to be indicative in nature. It may not be absolutely accurate.

Shruti (revealed truth) :

The Vedas:

The Vedas c. 2000 BC (?) are the oldest Hindu religious texts. They are believed to be shruti or divinely heard / revealed and are therefore considered to be perfect. They are:

1. Rig Veda: Hymns of Praise
2. Yajur Veda: Formulae for the performance of sacrifices (yajna)
3. Sama Veda: Melodies to be sung during worship and yajna
4. Atharva Veda: Magic formulae largely outside the scope of yajna

Each Veda has four parts:

1. Sanhitas: metrical hymns (mantras)
2. Brahmanas : prose explaining the hymns
3. Aranyakas: 'forest books' / treatises for hermits and saints
4. Upanishads / Vedanta: philosophical treatises

The Aranyakas and Upanishads are sometimes considered appendices of the Brahmanas.


Supplementary literature related to the Vedas:

The six Vedangas (sometimes considered smriti) expound the sciences required to understand and apply the Vedas.

1. Kalp (ritual) Srauta, Grihya, Dharma and Sulba by various sages
2. Siksha (pronunciation / phonetics) of Panini
3. Vyakaran (grammar) of Panini
4. Nirukti (etymology) of Yaska
5. Chandas (metre) of Pingalacharya
6. Jyotishi (astronomy/astrology) of Garga

The four Upavedas (usually considered smriti) deal with the four traditional arts and sciences.

1. Ayurved (medicine)
2. Gandharvaved (music and dance)
3. Dhanurved (warfare)
4. Shilpaved (architecture)

Smriti (realised truth) :

Smriti is secondary and changeable. It is not as old as Shruti and is not entirely religious; it speaks of secular matters as well e.g. folklore etc.. It is authoritative only as far as it conforms to shruti and includes:

• (a) Shastra: law books e.g. Manu Smriti c. 200 BC, Yajnavalkya Smriti c. 300 AD, Narada Smriti c. 400 AD), treatises on administration e.g. Arthashastra by Kautilya etc.
  

(b) Nibandh: commentaries on individual shastras c. 700 to 1700 AD

• Itihas: histories or epics viz. the Mahabharata, Valmiki-Ramayana, Yogavasishtha, Harivamsa

• Agam: mainly theological philosophy dealing with knowledge (jnan), ritual (kriya), concentration (yoga), worship (charya) and is of three kinds:
  (a) Sakta Agamas or Tantras which glorify Devi (Goddess)
  (b) Vaishnava Agamas or Pancharatra Agamas which glorify Lord Vishnu
  (c) Saiva Agamas which glorify Lord ShivaSakta Agamas or Tantras which glorify Devi (Goddess)

• Puran: history, legends and myths about Gods, sages and kings freely mixed. There are eighteen main Puranas and many subsidiary 'Upapuranas'. The main Puranas include Matsya Purana, Padma Purana, Naradiya Purana, Vishnu Purana, Varaha Purana, Vamana Purana, Bhavishya Purana, Brahma Purana, Shiva Purana, Devi Purana, Skanda Purana and Markandeya Purana.

• (a) Sutra: proverbs etc. c. 800 BC to 200 BC e.g. Ashtadhyayi composed by Panini, Naradbhakti Sutra, Sandilyabhakti Sutra
  (b) Vritti: a short explanation of a sutra e.g. is Bodhayana's Vritti on the Brahma Sutra
  (c) Bhashya: an elaborate commentary on a Sutra e.g. Mahabhashya by Patanjali on the Vyakaran (grammar) Sutra of Panini
  (d) Tippani: Less orthodox than Vritti, it explains difficult words and phrases in the original sutra. e.g. are Kaiyata's Tippani on the Mahabhashya of Patanjali
  (e) Varttika: a critical analysis of a Bhashya e.g. Varttika of Katyayana on Panini's Sutra
  
• Darshana constitute the six schools of Hindu philosophical thought.

1. Yoga by Patanjali
2. Nyaya by Gautama
3. Vaiseshika by Kanada
4. Sankhya by Kapila
5. Purva Mimamsa by Jaimini
6. Uttara Mimamsa or Vedanta by Badarayana or Vyasa