THE BOOKS

The Vedas / The Upanishads/ The Brahmasutras / The Bhagavadgita /

The Itihasas / The Puranas / The Agamas / Others

THE SRUTIS
The Veda is the original seed from which the huge banyan tree of Hinduism has
evolved. Hence it is the primary scripture of Hinduism. Vedas are also called Sruti
or the Revealed Word. It means Vedas were not created by a human being. It was
revealed to the Rishis.
Originally these Vedas were not written down but memorized and transmitted orally
from teacher to disciple. It was the sage Krishna-Dwaipayana (Vedavyasa) who
collected the mantras, grouped them into four, and taught his four disciples. These
mantras came to be known as the four Vedas - Rgveda, Yajurveda, Samaveda and
Atharvaveda. Each Veda is again divided into four sections:
Samhita (collection on mantras),
Brahmana (liturgical instruction, generally in prose)
Aranyaka (symbolical contemplation of vedic rituals)
Upanishad (metaphysical reflections).
Rgveda
If Vedanta is the pinnacle of all the Hindu philosophical systems, the Rgveda is its
mother-foot. Almost all the ideas found later, in the Upanishads and allied
scriptures, are already there in the Rgveda in a seed form, though not in one place.
Philosophy of the Rgveda:

God alone existed before creation and that He is the creator, protector and ruler
of this world.

The aim of life is to attain God.

What keeps the human beings away from God is sin, evil ways of living. Hence
one should pray to Him for forgiveness, for being freed from sins and be guided
on the path of righteousness.
Yajurveda
The Yajurveda Samhita is in two major forms: the Krishna (Black) and the Sukla
(White). Its main use is in the performance of the Vedic sacrificed.
Samaveda
It comprises mostly of the Rgvedic mantras set to the Saptasvara system (the
seven basic notes of Indian music), to be sung at appropriate places in a sacrifice
(Yajna). Hence is said it is the origin of Indian classical music. Another specialty of
this Veda is the high kind of Bhakti sentiments and prayers.
Atharvaveda
It deals more with the things here and now, than the hereafter. A major part of this
Veda deals with diseases and their cure, rites for prolonging life, rites for fulfilling

ones desires, building construction, trade, commerce, statecraft, penances, and

also black magic.
THE UPANISHADS
The Upanishad is the section of the Vedas which is accepted as the highest
authority. Since, it is accepted as Sruti, it cannot be questioned, altered or rejected.
The truths revealed in the Upanishads are universal, eternal and are not subject to
change in time or place.
Every religious movement in India was directly or indirectly influenced by the
Upanishad. Sankara (A.D.788-820) is the earliest to write commentaries on the ten
cardinal Upanishads.
There are over 200 upanishads in print. However, only ten to fifteen Upanishad
(especially those commented by Sankara) had gained popularity and are accepted
as authoritative. The list is given according to the Veda to which the Upanishad
belongs:

Aitareya Upanishad
Rg Veda
Kausitaki Upanishad
Brhadaranyaka
Upanishad
Sukla Yajurveda
Isavasya Upanishad
Mahanarayana
Upanishad

Yajur Veda

Katha Upanishad
Taittiriya Upanishad
Krishna Yajurveda
Svetasvatara
Upanishad
Kaivalya Upanishad
Chandogya
Upanishad
Vajrasucika Upanishad
Sama Veda
Kena Upanishad
Prasna Upanishad
Mundaka Upanishad
Atharva Veda
Mandukya Upanishad
Jabala Upanishad

A Bird's Eye-View of the Vedas

http://www.rkmathbangalore.org/rkm/Books/Vedanta%20Kesari/%281988,%20No
vember-December%29.pdf
Samaveda - An Introductory Note
http://www.rkmathbangalore.org/rkm/Books/Vedanta%20Kesari/%282007,%20Se
ptember%29.pdf
Atharva Veda - A Brief Study
http://www.rkmathbangalore.org/rkm/Books/Prabuddha%20Bharata/%281998%2
0%20May%29.pdf
http://www.rkmathbangalore.org/rkm/Books/Prabuddha%20Bharata/%282002%2
0%20Mar%29.pdf
Chandogya Upanisad - A Brief Outline
http://www.rkmathbangalore.org/rkm/Books/Vedanta%20Kesari/%281992,%20Ja
nuary%29.pdf
Frequently Asked Questions About Upanisads
http://www.rkmathbangalore.org/rkm/Books/Vedanta%20Kesari/%282007,%20De
cember%29.pdf
http://www.rkmathbangalore.org/rkm/Books/Vedanta%20Kesari/%282008,%20De
cember%29.pdf
The Charm And Power Of The Upanishad
http://www.rkmathbangalore.org/rkm/Discourses2/TheCharmAndPowerOfTheUpani
shad.html
The Message of The Upanishad
http://www.rkmathbangalore.org/rkm/Discourses2/TheMessageofTheUpanishad.ht
ml
The Message of the Katha Upanishad
http://www.rkmathbangalore.org/rkm/Discourses2/TheMessageOfTheKathaUpanish
ad.html
Lecturers of Swami Dayatmananda
http://www.vedantauk.com/Lectures.aspx

THE BRAHMASUTRAS
This works deals chiefly with Brahman (God, the Absolute) as described in the
Upanishads, in all its aspects. Brahmasutras also is known by other names as
follows:

The Vedanta Sutras, since the subject matter is that of Vedanta or the
Upanishads

The Sariraka Sutras, since it deals with the Atman living in the sarira (body).


The Uttaramimamsa Sutras, since it does enquiry (mimansa) into the latter
part (uttara) of the Vedas

The Bhikshu Sutras, since it is specially recommended for study by the
bhikshu or the samnyasins
The author of the Brahmasutras is Badarayana. As it is one of the Prasthanatraya,
later scholars have written a commentary on this work. The Vedanta system is
based chiefly on the Brahmasutras.

THE BHAGAVADGITA
Popularly known as Gita. It is a part of the great epic, the Mahabharata.

The Gita contains wonderful ideas of ethics; religion and philosophy rolled into
one integrated unit and can easily be declared as the Book for all the Hindus of
the modern age. A ceremonial reading of the book or even a part thereof, is
believed to confer great religious merit (punya).

Special contribution of the Gita to Hindu Philosophy:

1. The Doctrine of Niskama-karma-yoga
According to Sri Krishna, any act of an individual, involving the sacrifice of
selfishness and done for the public good can also be a yagna (sacrifice). (Gita
4.25-30)
What really binds an individual is not the work itself, but the selfish desire for its
fruits. One who performs his duties for duties sake, and not craving for the
result, or by offering the result to God is said to be yogi.
2. The Doctrine of Avatara
Though the idea of an Avatara appears in the Rgveda (3.53.8; 6.47.19), only in
the Bhagavadgita this idea assumes a more definite and clear concept. Here Sri
Krishna explains the reason or condition for the descent of the Supreme Lord in
a human form.
3. The Doctrine of Integral Yoga
Taking into account the different types of human nature, four types of yoga are
mentioned in the scriptures. It can be grouped as:
Karma Yoga The path of work for the active people
Jnana Yoga the path of knowledge for the philosophical type
Bhakti Yoga the path of devotion for the emotional type.
Raja Yoga the path of psychic control for the psychic.
Sri Krishna teaches Arjuna all the four types of yoga and advises him to follow
that which suits him the most. A combination of all these four aspects of yogas
can be practiced by a person, keeping that yoga which suits ones nature better,
as the main discipline.
The complete Bhagavadgita is available at http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/

Other related reading:

Gita in a Nutshell
http://www.rkmathbangalore.org/rkm/Discourses3/GitaInANutshell.html
Contribution of The Gita to Indian Philosophic Thought
http://www.rkmathbangalore.org/rkm/Books/Vedanta%20Kesari/%281983,%20No
vember-December%29.pdf
Frequently Asked Questions About Gita
http://www.rkmathbangalore.org/rkm/Books/Vedanta%20Kesari/%282008,%20De
cember%29.pdf
The Central Theme of Gita
http://www.rkmathbangalore.org/rkm/Discourses2/TheCentralThemeOfGita.html
Swami Atmajnanananda on Bhagavad Gita
http://vedantaiowa.org/vedanta/index.php/swami-atmajnanananda/bhagavad-gita

THE SMRTIS
The secondary scriptures in Hinduism are the Smrtis. These books derive their
authority from the Srutis (Veda) and are accepted as authorities as far as their
tenets do not go against the spirit of the Vedas. The Smrtis are divided into:

Dharmasastras Scriptures that governs the personal, social and the legal life
of the Hindus. Some Dharmasastras are accepted as authorities by the lawcourt.

Itihasa epics of Ramayana and Mahabharata

An Itihasa narrates a story that happened in the ancient day.
Generally, an Itihasa must contain topics dealing with all the four purusarthas
(dharma, artha, kama and moksha)

Puranas - mythological lore

Nibandhas

ITIHASAS (History)
MAHABHARATA
RAMAYANA
MAHABHARATA
The Mahabharata is a veritable encyclopaedia of dharma. It has the well-known
definition of Dharma - Dharanat dharmamityahuh Dharmo Dharayate Prajah
They call it dharma since it upholds; it is Dharma that upholds the people.

Performance of ordained duties, however small or mean or repulsive they may

appear to be, is recommended and eulogized through the stories of Dharmavyadha,
Tuladhara and the simple housewife.
The first complete English translation of Mahabharata by Kisari Mohan Ganguly is
found in this link:
http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m01/m01000.htm
Other related reading:
Mahabharata - A Study
http://www.rkmathbangalore.org/rkm/Books/Vedanta%20Kesari/%281990,%20Se
ptember%29.pdf
The Mahabharata by Swami Vivekananda
http://www.advaitaashrama.org/cw/content.php

RAMAYANA
If there is any one Holy book that has profoundly influenced the life, the thought
and the culture of millions of Hindus over the millennia, it is, undoubtedly, the
Ramayana of Valmiki. No aspect of Hindu religion and culture, whether it is
literature, drama, music, art or sculpture, has remained unaffected by it.
It has given us an ideal man who stood for Satya and Dharma come what may. It
has given us an ideal woman, the paragon of feminine grace and virtues. It has
shown us an ideal family system where everyone thought of the welfare of
everyone else first. It has given us the models of ideal brothers, ideal friends and
ideal servants who spared no effort to bring comfort to the loved ones. It has put
before us an ideal State. In other words, it has placed before us enough ideas and
ideals to inspire us, to rise from the human level to divine heights. If this spirit is
imbibed, a study of this scripture will be immensely profitable.1
The Ramayana by Swami Vivekananda
http://www.advaitaashrama.org/cw/content.php

PURANAS
The modern Hindu religious practices are deeply indebted to the puranas. This is
because they have recognized the need for a variety of approaches to God, to suit
different of human temperaments. The puranas has saved the Hindu society from
the incessant attacks from the barbarians, Semitic religions, heretics, atheists, and
materialists. This they have done by making various internal adjustments, keeping
however, the core of the religion intact. They have encompassed all aspects of
human life, whether sacred or secular.

Swami Harshananda

There are eighteen major puranas called Mahapuranas. Education and culture
should go together. Or, rather, that which imparts culture alone is true education.
This is exactly what the puranas did in the olden days when formal education given
in the gurukulas was restricted to the three higher castes.
PADMAPURANAS
Devotion to Lord Vishnu, importance of physical service in a temple, greatness of
Krishna Jayanti festival, significance of ekadashi vrata, the power of Lord Haris
name are some of the themes in this purana.
LINGAPURANA
This purana mainly aims at the propagation of the cult of Siva and His worship
through the linga. A detailed account of the Sivapanchakshari Mantra and
Mrtyunjaya Mantra and its use in meditaion and pilgrimage to Kasi are some of the
topics covered in the purana.
MATSYAPURANA
Lord Vishnu taught this purana in His incarnation as Matsya (fish). Among others,
the purana speaks about the greatness of the holy places Prayaga, Varanasi, and
the river Narmada.
KURMAPURANA
Lord Vishnu taught this purana in His incarnation as Kurma (tortoise), to the sage
Narada. It contains the famous Isvara Gita, and accounts on sraddhas (after-death
rites), prayascittas for sins and pralaya (destruction of the created world).
VISHNU PURANA
This is one of the oldest puranas. The stories of Sri Krishna, Sri Rama, Prahlada,
Dhruva, the description of Kali yuga are some of the topics. Bhkati or devotion has
been propagated as the main sadhana or means of attaining Mukti.
DEVI BHAGAVATA
This is a purana to propagate the Sakti cult. The sage Vyasa taught the
Devibhagavata to King Janamejaya to ward of the sin of killing serpents. It speaks
about the doctrine of Karma, rules of good conduct, personal cleanliness, details of
the rudraksha beads, vratas, ritual repetition of the Gayathri mantra and much
more.
DEVI MAHATMYA
This works speaks on the greatness of Devi (Parvati). It is considered as a part of
the Markandeya Purana. The entire Devi Mahatmya is considered as a mantra,
endowed with mystical powers. That is why a ritual recitation of it is recommended
for the fulfillment of ones desires.
The books contains four hymns:

Brahmas hymn to Yoganidra

Indradistuti hymns by all the gods expressing their gratefulness after
Mahisasura was killed by Durga


AparajitaStotra Hymns by all the gods in the Himalaya

Narayanistuti Hymns by all the gods after Sumbha and Nisumbha were
killed.
The Central Theme of Srimad Bhagavatham
http://www.rkmathbangalore.org/rkm/Discourses2/TheCentralThemeOfSrimadBhag
avatham.html

THE AGAMAS
Agamas are a special class of Hindu religio-philosophical literature handed down
through a succession of teachers from the most ancient days. It is more closely
connected with rituals and temple culture. There are three kinds of Agamas the
Saiva, the Sakta and the Vaishnava.
The Saivagamas
It is also known as Samhita and Mahatantra. Its philophical tenets are the same as
those of the Pasupata cult. It is divided into two groups: pradhanagamas and
upagamas.
Anyone who wishes to practice the disciplines of the Saivagamas has to undergo
Diksha or initiation.
The Saktagamas
It is popularly known as the Tantras. It is a literature primarily devoted to the Sakti
or Devi cult and it contains religion, philosophy, esoteric and occult rites,
astronomy, astrology, medicine and prognostications. The philosophy of the
Saktagamas seems to be an amalgamation and modification of the principles
propounded by the Sankhya and the Vedanta Darsanas.
The Vaishnavagamas
The Vaishnavagamas has split into two sampradayas (traditions). They are:
The Pancaratra Agamas belongs to the Vaishnava cult. It deals with the
descriptions of mantras, yantras, ritual, temple worships, installation of deities, and
so on. Even today, most of the Vaishnava temples, especially in South India.
The philosophy of the Pancaratra Agamas:
Though yajna (Vedic sacrifices), dana (giving gifts), svadhyaya (study of the
scriptures) and other religious disciplines are useful in spiritual life, it is only Jnana
(knowledge) of the Paratattva (God) that can give Moksha.
The path of moksha or liberation starts with the inspiration by God for the jiva to
search out a great guru. The guru gives the disciple Mantradiksha (initiation with a
holy name or syllable). Regular and steady practice of the Mantrajapa results in
Samadhi or total absorption in God.

The Vaikhanasa Agamas. The sage Vikhanas is the founder. He has written the
Vaikhanasa Kalpasutras and the Daivikasutras.
The philosophy of the Vaikhanasa Agama:
Samaradhana (worshipping Narayana with intense devotion) is the most effective
sadhana. Worship can be in the form of Japa (repetition of Divine Name), homa
(fire sacrifice), Arcana (iconic worship) and dhyana (meditation).

For more reading:

Vaikhanasa Agama - A Brief Outline
http://www.rkmathbangalore.org/rkm/Books/Vedanta%20Kesari/%282006,%20Jul
y%29.pdf
The Pancaratra Agamas- A Brief Study
http://www.rkmathbangalore.org/rkm/excerpts1.html
Saktagamas also called the Tantras

OTHER RELATED LITERATURES

Divya Prabandham
Divyaprabandham or the 4000 divine composition were composed by the twelve
Tamil Alwars.
The Visistadvaita philosophy in this work can be summarized as follows:
The fundamental tattvas or realities are three Isvara (God), cit (the conscious
soul), and acit (nature). Isvara is independent. Cit and acit are dependent upon
Isvara.
The universe is evolved out of the 24 cosmic principles. The jivas are bound in
samsara (transmigratory existence due to karma, both good and bad). Out of His
compassion, Isvara inspires the jiva to try for moksa or liberation. The best means
of liberation are:

Bhakti (devotion)

Prapatti (total surrender to God)

Kainkarya (service to God in various ways)
The Alwars seems to be more partial to the path of prapatti than bhakti.

For more reading:

Commentary on Narada Bhakti Sutras by Swami Harshananda
http://www.rkmathbangalore.org/rkm/Discourses3/NaradaBhaktisutras.html
Discource on Bhakti Yoga by Swami Harshananda
http://www.rkmathbangalore.org/rkm/Discourses3/BhaktiYoga.html