The overwhelming majority of Hindu sacred texts are composed in the Sanskrit language. Indeed, much of the morphology and linguistic philosophy inherent in the learning of Sanskrit is sometimes claimed to be inextricably linked to study of the Vedas and relevant Hindu scriptures. Hinduism - Shruti. Main article: Shruti The Vedas (वेद, literally, "Knowledge") are considered as Shruti by the Hindus. They are said to have been revealed by the Brahman to the rishis while the la ...

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Hinduism, Hinduism - Core Concepts, Hinduism - The Eternal Way, Hinduism - Basic beliefs, Hinduism - Practice Yoga Dharma, Hinduism - The four objectives Of Life, Hinduism - The four stages of Life, Hinduism - The four classes of the society, Hinduism - Nature of God, Hinduism - Denominations, Hinduism - Hindu sacred texts, Hinduism - Shruti, Hinduism - Bhagavad Gītā, Hinduism - Smriti, Hinduism - Origins and society, Hinduism - Origins of Hinduism, Hinduism - Etymology, Hinduism - Vedic religion, Hinduism - Hindu nationalism, Hinduism - Temples, Hinduism - Current geographic distribution, Hinduism - Hindu philosophy: the six Vedic schools of thought, Hinduism - Pūrva Mīmāmsā, Hinduism - Yoga, Hinduism - Uttara Mimāmsā: Vedānta and its three main schools, Hinduism - Alternative cultures of worship, Hinduism - The Bhakti schools, Hinduism - Tantra, Hinduism - Important symbolism and themes in Hinduism, Hinduism - Tilaka symbol on forehead or between eyebrows, Hinduism - Ahimsa non-violence vegetarian diet and the cow, Hinduism - Hindu symbolism, Hinduism - Murtis icons, Hinduism - Sanskrit, Hinduism - Mantra, Hinduism - Criticism, Hinduism - Hinduism, Hinduism - Related systems and religions

Read more here: » Hinduism: Encyclopedia II - Hinduism - Hindu sacred texts

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Sarasvati River, Sarasvati River - The Sarasvati River in Hindu texts, Sarasvati River - Rig Veda, Sarasvati River - Other Hindu texts, Sarasvati River - The present-day Sarasvati, Sarasvati River - Helmand river, Sarasvati River - Bibliography

Read more here: » Sarasvati River: Encyclopedia II - Sarasvati River - The Sarasvati River in Hindu texts

The notion of Varna as an endogamous human types system for social harmoney rather than economic class system was first attested in the Rig-Veda. It generally refers to the four principal castes described in Manu's code, viz. Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudras. Caste dharma need to be very strictly followed as you go up in the caste hierarchy. Thus, higher castes like Brahmins were under very high social restrictions and taboos in their conduct and life style, where as lower castes people it was lenient. It does not prevent l ...

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Indian caste system, Indian caste system - Varna system, Indian caste system - Four Varnas, Indian caste system - Division of labor, Indian caste system - Untouchables Dalit, Indian caste system - Jati, Indian caste system - Caste in Hindu texts, Indian caste system - Rig Veda - Purusha Sukta hymn, Indian caste system - Origins of the system, Indian caste system - Aryan invasion, Indian caste system - Transition in Caste, Indian caste system - Modern perceptions of caste, Indian caste system - Quotes about Caste, Indian caste system - Notable people, Indian caste system - Literature

Read more here: » Indian caste system: Encyclopedia II - Indian caste system - Caste in Hindu texts

Sanskrit literature can be classified under six orthodox heads and four secular heads. The six orthodox sections form the authoritative scriptures of the Hindus. The four secular sections embody the later developments in classical Sanskrit literature.

The six scriptures are: Srutis, Smritis, Itihasas, Puranas, Agamas and Darsanas.

The four secular writings are: Subhashitas, Kavyas, Natakas and Alankaras.

Excerpt from All About Hinduism by Sri Swami Sivananda

Read more here: » Hindu Scriptures: A full overview of the Hindu and Vedic Scriptures

A clear understanding of mans relation to God is a matter of momentous importance to students of philosophy and to all aspirants. Philosophers, prophets, saints, sages, thinkers, Acharyas and great religious leaders of the world have tried to explain the relation of man to God and the universe. Various schools of philosophy and different kinds of religious beliefs have come into existence, on account of various explanations given by different philosophers.

Excerpt from All About Hinduism by Sri Swami Sivananda

Read more here: » Hindu Philosophy: Hindu Philosophy and its Various Schools and Systems

Uttara Mimamsa or the Vedanta philosophy of Vyasa or Badarayana is placed as the last of the six orthodox systems, but, really, it ought to stand first.

The Uttara Mimamsa conforms closely to the doctrines propounded in the Upanishads. The term Vedanta means literally the end or essence of the Veda. It contains the doctrines set forth in the closing chapters of the Vedas. The closing chapters of the Vedas are the Upanishads. The Upanishads really form the essence of the Vedas.

Excerpt from All About Hinduism by Sri Swami Sivananda

Read more here: » Vedanta Philosophy: Hindu Philosophy - Vedanta Philosophy

The word Yoga comes from the root Yuj which means to join. Yoga is restraint of the activities of the mind, and is the union of the individual soul with the Supreme Soul.

Hiranyagarbha is the founder of the Yoga system. The Yoga founded by Patanjali Maharshi is a branch or supplement of the Sankhya. It has its own charm for students of a mystic temperament and of a contemplative type. It claims greater orthodoxy than the Sankhya proper by directly acknowledging the existence of a Supreme Being (Isvara).

Excerpt from All About Hinduism by Sri Swami Sivananda

Read more here: » Yoga: Hindu Philosophy - The Yoga

Shruti Vedas Rig Veda Sama Veda Yajur Veda Atharva Veda Brahmanas Aranyakas Upanishads Smriti Itihāsas Mahābhārata Bhagavad Gītā Ramayana Puranas (List) Tantras Sutras (List) Stotras Ashtavakra Gita ...

Including:

• Hindu scripture - The Vedas
• Hindu scripture - The Upanishads
• Hindu scripture - Post-Vedic Hindu scriptures
• Hindu scripture - The Bhagavad Gita
• Hindu scripture - The Puranas
• Hindu scripture - Other Hindu texts

Read more here: » Hindu scripture: Encyclopedia - Hindu scripture

There are a great variety of Buddhist texts. Buddhists place varying value on them: attitudes range from worship of the text itself, to dismissal of some texts as falsification of the ineffable truth. They therefore cannot be called "scripture" in the sense of other religions. The texts can be categorized in a number of ways, but the most fundamental division is that between canonical and non-canonical texts. The former, also called the Sutras (Sanskrit) or Suttas (Pali), are held to be, literally or metaphoricall ...

Including:

• Buddhist texts - Canonical texts
• Buddhist texts - Non-canonical texts
• Buddhist texts - Texts of the Nikaya Schools
• Buddhist texts - Sutta
• Buddhist texts - Abhidharma
• Buddhist texts - Non-canonical texts
• Buddhist texts - Mahayana texts
• Buddhist texts - Perfection of Wisdom Texts
• Buddhist texts - Saddharma-pundarika
• Buddhist texts - Pure Land Sutras
• Buddhist texts - The Vimalakirti Nirdesha Sutra
• Buddhist texts - Samadhi Sutras
• Buddhist texts - Confession Sutras
• Buddhist texts - The Avatamsaka Sutra
• Buddhist texts - Third Turning Sutras
• Buddhist texts - Tathagatagarbha class sutras
• Buddhist texts - Collected Sutras
• Buddhist texts - Transmigration Sutras
• Buddhist texts - Discipline Sutras
• Buddhist texts - Sutras Devoted to Individual Figures
• Buddhist texts - Proto-Mahayana Sutras
• Buddhist texts - Non-canonical texts
• Buddhist texts - References
• Buddhist texts - Vajrayana Texts
• Buddhist texts - Buddhist tantras
• Buddhist texts - Other products of the Vajrayana literature

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The Alankaras are grand rhetorical texts, treating of the science of perfection and beauty of ornamental language and of effective composition with elegance and force, both in poetry and in prose. These are the fundamentals of Sanskrit Sahitya, even superior to the Kavyas and the Natakas. The best Alankara-Granthas are those of Mammata (Kavyaprakasa) and Jagannatha (Rasagangadhara).

Excerpt from All About Hinduism by Sri Swami Sivananda

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The Saiva Agamas: The Saivas recognise twenty-eight Agamas, of which the chief is Kamika. The Agamas are also the basis of Kashmir Saivism which is called the Pratyabhijna system. The latter works of Pratyabhijna system show a distinct leaning to Advaitism.

Excerpt from All About Hinduism by Sri Swami Sivananda

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A Vyakhyana is a running explanation in an easier language of what is said in the original, with little elucidations here and there. A Vyakhyana, particularly of a Kavya, deals with eight different modes of dissection of the Sloka, like Pada-Chheda, Vigraha, Sandhi, Alankara, Anuvada, etc. This forms an important aspect in the study of Sanskrit Sahitya Sastra. An Anu-Vyakhyana - like the one written by Sri Madhva - is a repetition of what is already written, but in greater detail. An Anuvada is merely a running translation or statement of an abstruse text of the original. Tika is only another name for Vyakhyana. The best Vyakhyanas are of Vachaspati Misra on the Darsanas, especially on Sankaras Brahmasutra-Bhashya.

Excerpt from All About Hinduism by Sri Swami Sivananda

Read more here: » Vyakhyana or Tika : Vyakhyana or Tika in the Hindu Scriptures

The Sakta Agamas: There is another group of scriptures known as the Tantras. They belong to the Sakta cult. They glorify Sakti as the World-Mother. They dwell on the Sakti (energy) aspect of God and prescribe numerous courses of ritualistic worship of the Divine Mother in various forms

Excerpt from All About Hinduism by Sri Swami Sivananda

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The Vedangas: There are six Angas or explanatory limbs, to the Vedas: the Siksha and Vyakarana of Panini, the Chhandas of Pingalacharya, the Nirukta of Yaska, the Jyotisha of Garga, and the Kalpas (Srauta, Grihya, Dharma and Sulba) belonging to the authorship of various Rishis.

Excerpt from All About Hinduism by Sri Swami Sivananda

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The Subhashitas are wise sayings, instructions and stories, either in poetry or in prose. Examples are Bhartriharis three centuries of verses, the Subhashita-Ratna-Bhandagara and Somadeva Bhattas Katha-Sarit-Sagara or Kshemendras Brihat-Katha-Manjari. The Panchatantra and the Hitopadesa also belong to this category.

Excerpt from All About Hinduism by Sri Swami Sivananda

Read more here: » Secular Writings: Secular Writings in the Vedic Scriptures

The Four Vedas and Their Sub Divisions : The Veda is divided into four great books: the Rig-Veda, the Yajur-Veda, the Sama-Veda and the Atharva-Veda. The Yajur-Veda is again divided into two parts, the Sukla and the Krishna. The Krishna or the Taittiriya is the older book and the Sukla or the Vajasaneya is a later revelation to sage Yajnavalkya from the resplendent Sun-God.

Excerpt from All About Hinduism by Sri Swami Sivananda

Read more here: » Four Vedas: The Four Vedas in the Hindu Scriptures

The orthodox systems of philosophy believe in the authority of the Vedas. The heterodox systems of philosophy do not believe in the authority of the Vedas.

Excerpt from All About Hinduism by Sri Swami Sivananda

Read more here: » Orthodox And Heterodox Systems: Vedic Philosophy - The Orthodox And The Heterodox Systems Of Indian Philosophy

The Sarasvati River is an ancient river that is mentioned in Hindu texts. The Nadistuti hymn in the Rig Veda mentions the Sarasvati between the Yamuna in the east and the Sutlej in the west, and later texts like the Mahabharata mention that the Sarasvati dried up in a desert. The largest concentration of Indus Valley sites appears to be east of the Indus, at and near the dried-up Ghaggar-Hakra riverbed. There is also a small present-day Saraswati River that joins the Ghaggar river and appears to be one of the branches of the an ...

Including:

• Sarasvati River - The Sarasvati River in Hindu texts
• Sarasvati River - Rig Veda
• Sarasvati River - Other Hindu texts
• Sarasvati River - The present-day Sarasvati
• Sarasvati River - Helmand river
• Sarasvati River - Bibliography

Read more here: » Sarasvati River: Encyclopedia - Sarasvati River

Kabir, the inspired poet weaver of northern India, declared that there was neither Hindu nor Muslim, but only man as the embodiment of the Divine.

Sufi texts record that after Saint Kabir died, his followers and fans, both Hindus and Muslims, fought for the right to either cremate or bury his remains. As the quarrel started fanning communal passions, an elder requested members of both communities to cover the saint'sbody and to wait till the next morning. Morning dawned and when the sheet was taken off, the warring communities found that in place of the body, two heaps of flowers were kept. The Hindus cremated the Tulsi flowers while the Muslims buried the Jasmine heap and the problem was over.

(See also: Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

Shruti Vedas Rig Veda Sama Veda Yajur Veda Atharva Veda Brahmanas Aranyakas Upanishads Smriti Itihāsas Mahābhārata Bhagavad Gītā Ramayana Puranas (List) Tantras Sutras (List) Stotras Ashtavakra Gita Git ...

Including:

• Rigveda - Text
• Rigveda - Books
• Rigveda - Translations
• Rigveda - Internal evidence
• Rigveda - Hindu tradition
• Rigveda - More recent Indian views
• Rigveda - Editions
• Rigveda - Translations
• Rigveda - Bibliography

Read more here: » Rigveda: Encyclopedia - Rigveda