In Hinduism we have two basic type of spiritual texts or Shaastras namely the Shrutis (that which is heard) and Smritis (that which is remembered). The texts that hold authority by tradition are known as agama.
Shruti means received by a direct revelation and inspiration (from the Divine or the One ultimate Reality). These are the four Vedas mainly that have originated from the Creator Brahma himself. The Rishis (number of them, both men and women) received them as mantras during their meditation. They were preserved through the tradition of priests and bards who memorised and sang the mantras. The mantras themselves were of different categories with different purposes.
These texts are also called as Apaurysheya or without personal effort. The Vedas are four in number, Rig (oldest mantras dealing with Knowledge), Yajur (dealing with Works as a sacrifice), Sama (hymns of adoration, seed of bhakti) and Atharva (youngest of the books and deals with occult forces and hidden aspects of nature powers). The word Veda comes from the root Vid, meaning to know.
The first mantra of the Rig Veda is an invocation of Agni (the Fire symbol of the Divine Will and the human aspiration) to lead the journey. The last mantra is a call for unity, harmony, togetherness in aspiration and knowledge.
Embedded within the Vedic texts are the ritualistic texts, the Brahmanas and the Aranyaka. Together they are known as karmakand or rituals. The Aranyaka form a bridge between rituals and their deeper sense, while the Upanishads (culled out from the Vedas) are termed as Vedanta, end of knowledge. They are known as gyanakand or books of knowledge. The word Upanishad means the inner knowledge.
Then there are the dharmashastras that teach us about way of living life, for example the smritis (Manu smriti, Parashar smriti etc) which are quite a few in number. They lay down rules and regulations of life based on the Vedic texts. But these rules are subject to change and only the Vedas are regarded as the supreme authorities. Dharma has a very special meaning in the context of Hinduism. It is neither religion nor rules of fixed conduct. But that is a different subject.
The Ramayana and the Mahabharatas are regarded as Itihasa (history that repeats itself) that mirror human nature and the transitions of Society and the evolution of values.
The Gita is unique. It is regarded as equal to the Vedic lore except for the fact that while the Vedic mantras were revealed by the Rishis in meditation, the Gita is revealed to man by the Divine himself during his advent as the Avatara (a concept unique to Hinduism). If you ask one text that summarises it all it is the Gita and one book that says it all, it is the Mahabharata.
Then there are the Puranas (several of them) centered around personal deities. They reveal the Vedic truths through beautiful stories and narratives in sublime poetry. Sri Aurobindo regarded the Vishnu Purana and the Srimad Bhagawat Purana as profound ocuult scriptures. They are my favourites too and I intended writing the deeper sense of the stories from Bhagawatam (Sri Krishna’s life).
Finally there are the texts of the Tantras written by tantra yogis centered around the Divine Mother and Her various powers and aspects. These contain mantra, yantra (sacred symbols) and Pooja (worship). They are mainly of three kinds, Shaiva (centered around the power of Shiva), Vaishnava (centered around powers of Vishnu) and Shakta (centered around the different feminine powers of the Divine Mother herself).
These are the main texts of Sanatan Dharma.
Apart from these main texts there are many othes given by various saints, sages and seers but the above are regarded as the standard scriptures. Sri Aurobindo’s Essays on the Gita, Secret of the Vedas, The Isha and Kena Upanishads has it all. And Savitri contains all the essence of it and more that is only hinted but not developed.
Affectionately,
Alok Da
