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Hindu Scriptures
by R. S. Nathan
Arya Samaj of Southeren CA
The Hindu scriptural literature is so vast and comprehensive that
there is no branch of knowledge left un-investigated by the great seers
of India. The Hindu was never satisfied unless every question that he faced,
whether it was material, scientific, religious, physical, metaphysical,
philosophic, or purely spiritual, was thoroughly discussed, in all its
varied aspects, to its irrefutable conclusion. The various books that constitute
the Hindu scriptures give an insight into the progress of Indian thought
through the ages. They also show how the ancient sages of India relentlessly
investigated the facts and truths of life, discovered the laws governing
them, arrived at the ultimate goal of human destiny, organized all this
thought into systematic treatises, and bequeathed them to posterity. To
these sages, Sanatana Dharma meant the eternal values of life and human
endeavor, which they adhered to in all respects. Hinduism was not a closed
book, because in their profound wisdom the ancient seers recognized and
accepted the idea that knowledge has no limits. Seek and you will find!
The more you seek, the more you will find. This is true of all fields of
knowledge and of all faiths. Only seek, and stop not until the goal is
reached.
(The sacred books of the Hindus are tabulated for easy reference
in the accompanying figure. Instead of the figure, S.Vyas has
described this dendretic in words below.) The sacred books are divided
into two broad categories, the Srutis and the Smrutis. The Srutis deal
with eternal principles and hold good for all time, whereas the Smrutis
deal with the practical application of those eternal principles according
to changing times. In fact, there is a Sruti content and a Smruti content
in every religion.
The four Vedas, Rg, Yajur, Sama, and Arharva form the Srutis.
The word Veda comes from the root vid, "to know." The Veda is literally
the book of knowledge - knowledge of the changeless and Supreme Reality.
The principal characteristics of each of the four Vedas are given below.
1. Rg-Veda. The Rg-Veda mainly consists of hymns of praise and
is believed to be the most precious collection of the knowledge of the
Aryans of the day. It is believed to be the oldest book
known to man.
2. Yajur-Veda. The Yojur-Veda deals with the sacrificial rites
and contains special instructions and directions for carrying out rituals
and ceremonies.
3. Sama-Veda. This is the most voluminous of the four Vedas.
It contains the melodies and songs to be chanted at the sacrifices with
their correct modulations and intonations. It is a purely liturgical collection.
4. Athatva-Veda. This Veda deals with magic formulas and with
yantras, tantras, and mantras; yantra being the "machine" in the form of
the human body, mantra the formula, and tantra the technique of applying
the formula to the "machine" for maximum results.
Each of the Vedas consists of three sections:
1. The Samhitas, or the mantra section, consisting of hymns in
praise of the supreme Lord and the presiding deities.
2. The Brahmanas, or the ritualistic section, consisting of the
practical application of the mantras in rituals and directions for the
conduct of rituals.
3. The Aranyakas, or the contemplative section.
The first two form the Karma kanda and the third forms the Gyana
kanda of the Vedas.
The Upanishads generally form the end of the Aranyakas (there
are a few exceptions to this rule, as there are a few Upanishads that occur
even in the Samhita portion of the Vedas). Hence the philosophy contained
in the Upanishads is generally called Vedanta, meaning "the end of the
Vedas." The word Vedanta can be explained in three ways:
1. Vedanta: "the end of the Vedas' which can mean either the
concluding portion of the Vedas or the end or goal pointed out by the Vedas;
2. Vedam-tam, meaning the "essence of the Vedas"; or
3. Vede sidhyati siddhantah iti Vedanta: the philosophical
conclusions arrived at in the Vedas together form Vedanta. We cannot say
that the Upanishads alone contain Vedanta, although it cannot be denied
that they are the ultimate authority for Vedanta. The Upanishads
contain the essence of the Vedic teachings and form the basis for subsequent
philosophies and religions of India. There is no important form of Hindu
thought which is not contained in the Upanishads.
The word Upanishad is composed of three syllables, upa-ni-sad,
which together means “near-below-sit”, This denotes the flow of knowledge
from the higher to the lower, from the guru to his disciples. The
respectful attitude of the disciple who “sits below, near” is implied in
the title.
The Smrutis, or the Dharma Shastras, are the works of individual
sages, laying down the rules of conduct for a dharmic life. The Dharma
Shastras of Manu is the most famous and authoritative, and Manu Smruti
forms the basis of Hindu law. In addition. there are eighteen other Dharma
Shastras written by various sages.
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Hindu Scriptures
(Analysis)
1. Knowledge is of two kinds: Apara (Intellectual), and
Para (Intuitive).
2. Apara knowledge is of two kinds: Nastik (Secular),
and Aastik (Scared).
3. Aastik knowledge is contained in two types of books:
Srutis which deal with eternal principles, and Smrutis which deal with
practical applications of the eternal principles.
4. The four Vedas are called Srutis. Each Veda has three
sections: Samhitas, Brahmanas, and Aranyakas. The first two form
Karma kanda, and Arayankas form Gyana kanda. Samhitas contain mantras,
Brahmanas contain rituals, and Aaranyakas contain contemplative knowledge
and conclude in Upanishads.
5. The following six types of Shastras are called Smrutis:
a. Upa-vedas: Aayurveda (The science of life), Dhanurveda
(the science of warfare), Gandharva veda (the science of arts and music),
and Sthapatya Shastra (mechanics and construction)
b. Vedangas: Siksha (phonetics), Kalpa (religious
rites), Vyakarana (grammar), Nirukti (Vedic glossary), Chandas (porsody),
and Jyotisha (astronomy and astrology)
c. Veda-Upangas or Sad-darshanas: Nyaya by Gautama,
Vaishesika by Kanada, Sankhaya by Kapila, Yoga by Patanjali, Mimamsa by
Jaimini, and Vedanta by Vyasa.
d. Smrutis or Dharma Shastras: 18 Smrutis of which
Manu Smruti is important.
e. Puranas: 18 Puranas, 46 Upa-Puranas
f. Itihasas (histories): Ramayana, and Mahabharata.
Courtesy: Mangalam.
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