The Hindu scriptures- Awareness of these scriptures are essential - Part I

Since the subject is very elaborate, I shall present it in parts and will try my best to condense to the shortest possible way.

Hinduism is not based on a single book nor the words of any single teacher,on the contrary it is based on Eternal Truth.There are literally numerous scriptures and books for guidance for the beginners as well scholars, verily a cornucopia of spiritual literature.Let's now understand some of them.

Sruits:-

The first set of books , which are the primary authority or very soul of Hinduism, are known as 'Srutis', means which has been heard or revealed. These srutis are in fact known as 'Vedas'.

The word Veda is derived from the word of 'vid' means, to know ,and the Vedas are holy or spiritual knowledge of the Eternal truth. The word 'Rishi' is derived from the word'dris' means to see, .The Rishis were the seers or sages to whom the Vedas were revealed by divine intervention and in whose hearts and minds they were heard. The Vedas are of divine origin and are unchangeable and Eternal.They teach the highest truths ever known to man , and are valid for all time and all ages. It exists in subtle form in God from where each time is created a new universe and at the end of the last age, there was a great deluge which destroyed the universe.

Bahama the creator, is believed to have meditated at the dawn of this age, called the 'swehtavaraha kalpa. When the God appeared in the form of the sound 'AUM' known as pranava,AUM being the symbol of the absolute is therefore the most sacred symbol of Hindus.

Brahama then prayed to Him for knowledge to create a new universe . From the vibrations of the sound 'AUM', the lord conceived the Rig Veda, The Yajur Veda,the Sama Veda and the Athervana Veda. The God then taught these four Vedas to Brahma who created our present and existing universe with this supreme knowledge received by him. In other words the Vedas existed even before the creation of universe.

Sage Veda Vyasa codified the four vedas and taught to his disciples and the disciples in turn to their pupils. This is how the Vedas have come to us thousands of years back. Therefore they are known as 'amnaya'-that which has come to us by tradition.

Rig Veda:-
consists mostly of hymns in praise of the divine.
Yajur Veda:
Mainly consists of hymns used in religious rituals and rites.
Sama Veda:-
Consists of the verses from Rig Veda, set to music.
Atharvana Veda:-
Guides man in his material and daily living.

The Vedas have divisions like:-
mantra(hymns)
brahmana(explanatory treatises for using hymns in rituals),
Aranyaka(mystical interpretations of the hymns and rituals)
Upanishads, and of these Upanishads are the most important part of the Vedas, as it is believed that knowledge of Upanishads brings about the destruction of ignorance, one of the greatest failings of mankind.

There are 108 Upanishads and the following 12 are the most important.
1.Isa Upanishad.
2.Kena Upanishad.
3.Katha Upanishad.
4.Prasna Upanishad.
5.Mundaka Upanishad.
6.Mandukya Upanishad.
7.Aitreya Upanishad.
8.Taittreya Upanishad.
9.Chandogya Uopanishad.
10.Brihadranyka Upanishad.
11.Kaushitkai Upanishad.
12.Svetasvatara Upanishad.

Upanishads reveal some of the greatest truths ever known to mankind.They contain the essence of of the philosophy of the Vedas and profound spiritual truths contained in them guides man in his search for spiritual upliftment and enlightenment.

To be continued................