{"id":464,"date":"2018-02-01T12:36:58","date_gmt":"2018-02-01T12:36:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/iskconeducationalservices.org\/HoH\/?page_id=464"},"modified":"2018-11-01T07:55:20","modified_gmt":"2018-11-01T07:55:20","slug":"hindu-sacred-books","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/iskconeducationalservices.org\/HoH\/tradition\/doctrine-and-scripture\/hindu-sacred-books\/","title":{"rendered":"Hindu Sacred Books"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-h38i8-8a6746876ec89315bdf76ada13e58a95\">\n.flex_column.av-h38i8-8a6746876ec89315bdf76ada13e58a95{\nborder-radius:0px 0px 0px 0px;\npadding:0px 0px 0px 0px;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div  class='flex_column av-h38i8-8a6746876ec89315bdf76ada13e58a95 av_one_half  avia-builder-el-1  el_after_av_codeblock  el_before_av_one_half  first flex_column_div av-zero-column-padding  '     ><section  class='av_textblock_section av-jnvx1q8y-59e260457c0f6227029aba8c5d7da0b5 '   itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/CreativeWork\" ><div class='avia_textblock'  itemprop=\"text\" ><h3>Hindu Sacred Books<\/h3>\n<p>The concept of Hinduism being a single monolithic religion is recent, dating back only to the 19th century. Many scholars liken Hinduism to a family of religions, with all affiliated members bearing a family resemblance. Thus any definition of Hinduism is somewhat arbitrary and requires qualification. One such definition is &#8220;the followers of Vaidika Dharma,&#8221; or those who follow the religious teachings outlined in the Vedas and their corollaries.<\/p>\n<p>Hindu religious literature is divided into two main categories:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Shruti \u2013 that which has been heard<\/li>\n<li>Smriti \u2013 that which has been remembered<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-avsiw-b8a24e8cb1389fe1d2c2bbcd6edeecea\">\n.flex_column.av-avsiw-b8a24e8cb1389fe1d2c2bbcd6edeecea{\nborder-width:1px;\nborder-color:#c1c1c1;\nborder-style:solid;\nborder-radius:0px 0px 0px 0px;\npadding:20px 20px 20px 20px;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div  class='flex_column av-avsiw-b8a24e8cb1389fe1d2c2bbcd6edeecea av_one_half  avia-builder-el-3  el_after_av_one_half  el_before_av_textblock  flex_column_div  '     ><section  class='av_textblock_section av-jnvx1q8y-59e260457c0f6227029aba8c5d7da0b5 '   itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/CreativeWork\" ><div class='avia_textblock'  itemprop=\"text\" ><h3>Key Points<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Hinduism has no single scripture but many.<\/li>\n<li>They include the Vedas and their corollaries sometimes called collectively &#8220;the Vedic scriptures.&#8221;<\/li>\n<li>There are two main divisions:\n<ul>\n<li>shruti \u2013 that which is heard (revealed truth)<\/li>\n<li>smriti \u2013 that which is remembered (realised truth)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>Sanskrit is the language of most canonical texts, but many subsidiary texts are written in the vernacular.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n<section  class='av_textblock_section av-bh84o-76aaba53450390cecf5a44ebd9b49a7d '   itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/CreativeWork\" ><div class='avia_textblock'  itemprop=\"text\" ><p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-1794 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/iskconeducationalservices.org\/HoH\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sacredbook1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"250\" height=\"196\" \/><em>Shruti<\/em> is canonical, consisting of revelation and unquestionable truth, and is considered eternal. It refers mainly to the Vedas themselves.<\/p>\n<p><em>Smriti <\/em>is supplementary and may change over time. It is authoritative only to the extent that it conforms to the bedrock of <em>s<\/em><em>hruti<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>There are different opinions about the relative validity and importance of each. Some Hindus stress the foundational importance of<em>shruti<\/em>, whereas others say that in making truths accessible, <em>smriti <\/em>is more important today. Belief in universal truth suggests to some Hindu thinkers that any teaching that corresponds to real knowledge can also be accepted as &#8220;Veda.&#8221; Hence there are numerous writings considered to be &#8220;Vedic,&#8221; including many vernacular works. It is important to note that:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>The divide between Shruti and Smriti is often contested.<\/li>\n<li>The divide is not discrete but can be represented as a continuum, with some texts more canonical than others.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Most key texts are written in classical Sanskrit, considered the sacred language of the gods. The script itself is termed &#8220;devanagari&#8221; \u2013 literally &#8220;from the cities of the gods.&#8221; (For more information on Sanskrit, please see <a href=\"https:\/\/iskconeducationalservices.org\/HoH\/lifestyle\/expressions-of-faith\/sanskrit-and-sanskriti-culture\/\">Sanskrit and Sanskriti<\/a>). Many subsidiary texts, particularly by medieval <em>bhakti<\/em> writers, are in local vernaculars, such as Tamil, Brajbasi, Gujarati, and Bengali.<\/p>\n<p>The content of Vedic scripture is divided into three main sections, though the third one, <em>upasana-kanda<\/em>, is sometimes omitted:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Karma-kanda \u2013 largely dealing with ritual sacrifice aimed at enjoyment (world-accepting)<\/li>\n<li>Jnana-kanda \u2013 philosophical texts aimed at knowledge through renunciation (world-denying)<\/li>\n<li>Upasana kanda \u2013 texts focusing on worship of God and service to him (world-accommodating\/transcending)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>These three largely correspond to the three main paths \u2013 Karma-yoga, Jnana-yoga, and Bhakti-Yoga (see <a href=\"https:\/\/iskconeducationalservices.org\/HoH\/practice\/\">Four Main Paths<\/a>).<\/p>\n<p>The most important books in the <em>shruti<\/em> and <em>smriti <\/em>are listed below. They are here grouped into ten categories to aid memorisation. The main texts within both <em>shruti <\/em>and <em>smriti <\/em>are explored in this section.<\/p>\n<p>For popular purposes in the UK, the <em>Ramayana<\/em>, the <em>Mahabharata<\/em>, the <em>Puranas <\/em>and the <em>Bhagavad-gita <\/em>are most commonly used.<\/p>\n<h3><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-1795\" src=\"https:\/\/iskconeducationalservices.org\/HoH\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sacredbook2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"250\" height=\"148\" \/>Ten Principal Texts<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Main shruti texts (3)\n<ul>\n<li>The Four Vedas<\/li>\n<li>The 108 Upanishads<\/li>\n<li>The Vedanta Sutra<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>Main smriti texts (4)\n<ul>\n<li>The Itihasas (histories or epics)<\/li>\n<li>The Bhagavad-gita (philosophy)<\/li>\n<li>The Puranas (stories and histories)<\/li>\n<li>The Dharma Shastra (law books)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>Other texts (4)\n<ul>\n<li>The Vedangas (limbs of the Vedas)<\/li>\n<li>The Upavedas (following the Vedas)<\/li>\n<li>Sectarian texts (e.g. agamas, tantras)<\/li>\n<li>Vernacular literature<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Notes:<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>The Epics are the <em>Ramayana<\/em> and <em>Mahabharata<\/em><\/li>\n<li>The &#8220;other texts&#8221; are usually classified as <em>smriti<\/em>. Some consider the Vedangas to be <em>shruti.<\/em><\/li>\n<li>The sectarian texts mainly deal with ritual procedures, and include the Vaishnava Pancharatra, the Shaiva Agamas and Tantras, and the Shakta Devi Shastra and Tantra<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Sacred texts are sources of:<\/h3>\n<ol>\n<li>Philosophical concepts<\/li>\n<li>Information on personal values<\/li>\n<li>Practical injunctions<\/li>\n<li>Story and myth<\/li>\n<li>Prayers and mantras<\/li>\n<li>Details of worship\/liturgy<\/li>\n<li>Various arts and sciences<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<div>\n<h3>Related Practices<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Sacred texts are treated with respect; they are never placed directly on the floor, nor touched with feet or dirty hands.<\/li>\n<li>Prayers are often recited before using or consulting them.<\/li>\n<li>Texts are often wrapped in silk cloth.<\/li>\n<li>Sometimes they are placed in a shrine and offered worship.<\/li>\n<li>Ancient texts were etched on leaves, such as palm.<\/li>\n<li>Books are used for recitation, personal study, theological training, <em>pravachan<\/em> (see <a href=\"https:\/\/iskconeducationalservices.org\/HoH\/practice\/worship\/other-forms-of-worship\/\">Other Forms of Worship<\/a>) and consultation on matters of spiritual and secular law.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<h3>Related Values and Issues<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>The differences between belief, opinion and truth<\/li>\n<li>The need for authority<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<h3>Personal Reflection<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>In what ways does secular literature fulfill a similar role to scripture e.g. as a means to information?<\/li>\n<li>Are there any parallels in the need to accept the opinion, advice or judgment of others? How should it be accepted?<\/li>\n<li>How important is it for a teacher to make any topic accessible to students (as <em>smriti <\/em>attempts to do)? What are the benefits and possible pitfalls in doing this?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Glossary Terms<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<ul>\n<li>Veda \u2013 knowledge, from the root <em>vit<\/em>, &#8220;to know&#8221;<\/li>\n<li>Vedic \u2013 often refers to the period of compilation of the <em>Rig Veda <\/em>(i.e. the Vedic period). Hindus themselves often use the term to describe anything connected to the Vedas and their corollaries (e.g. Vedic culture).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<h3>Meaning and Purpose<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>How do we determine the meaning and purpose of life?<\/li>\n<li>Does written authority play a role?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/section>\n<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on the_content --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on the_content -->","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on get_the_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on get_the_excerpt --><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":37,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"tags":[18,187,235,233,232,234,223],"class_list":["post-464","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","tag-bhagavad-gita","tag-mahabharata","tag-ramayana","tag-upanisad","tag-upanishad","tag-vedanta-sutra","tag-vedas"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/iskconeducationalservices.org\/HoH\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/464","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/iskconeducationalservices.org\/HoH\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/iskconeducationalservices.org\/HoH\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iskconeducationalservices.org\/HoH\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iskconeducationalservices.org\/HoH\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=464"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/iskconeducationalservices.org\/HoH\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/464\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1803,"href":"https:\/\/iskconeducationalservices.org\/HoH\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/464\/revisions\/1803"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iskconeducationalservices.org\/HoH\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/37"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/iskconeducationalservices.org\/HoH\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=464"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iskconeducationalservices.org\/HoH\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=464"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}