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

The Smritis : Next in importance to the Sruti are the Smritis or secondary scriptures. These are the ancient sacred law-codes of the Hindus dealing with the Sanatana-Varnasrama-Dharma. They supplement and explain the ritualistic injunctions called Vidhis in the Vedas. The Smriti Sastra is founded on the Sruti. The Smritis are based on the teachings of the Vedas. The Smriti stands next in authority to the Sruti. It explains and develops Dharma. It lays down the laws which regulate Hindu national, social, family and individual obligations.

Excerpt from All About Hinduism by Sri Swami Sivananda

Read more here: » Smritis: The Smritis in the Hindu Scriptures

In a meeting of the Sanatana Dharma Sabha, Lokamanya Tilak said: - A Hindu is he who believes that the Vedas contain self-evident and axiomatic truths. -

The Hindu Maha Sabha has given another definition: - A Hindu is one who believes in a religion which has originated in India. -

Excerpt from All About Hinduism by Sri Swami Sivananda

Read more here: » Hinduism: Who Is A Hindu

The foundation of Sanatana Dharma is Sruti; Smritis are the walls; the Itihasas and Purnas are the buttresses or supports. In ancient times, the Srutis were learnt by heart. The teacher sang them to his pupils and the pupils sang them after him. They were not written in book form. All the sects, all the philosophical systems, appeal to the Sruti as the final authority. The Smriti stands next in authority to the Sruti.

Excerpt from All About Hinduism by Sri Swami Sivananda

Read more here: » Dharma: Sanatana Dharma

What is Dharma? Dharma is so called, because it holds; Dharma alone holds the people, etc. The word Dharma is derived from the root Dhr - to hold - and its etymological meaning is - that which holds - this world, or the people of the world, or the whole creation from the microcosm to the macrocosm.

Dharma is generally defined as - righteousness - or - duty. - Dharma is the principle of righteousness. It is the principle of holiness. It is also the principle of unity.

Excerpt from All About Hinduism by Sri Swami Sivananda

Read more here: » Dharma: Dharma in Hinduism - The Hindu Dharma

The Celebrated Hindu Law-Givers

From time to time, a great law-giver would take his birth. He would codify the existing laws and remove those which had become obsolete. He would make some alterations, adaptations, readjustments, additions and subtractions, to suit the needs of the time and see that the way of living of the people would be in accordance with the teachings of the Veda. Of such law-givers, Manu, Yajnavalkya and Parasara are the most celebrated persons. Hindu society is founded on, and governed by, the laws made by these three great sages.

Excerpt from All About Hinduism by Sri Swami Sivananda

Read more here: » Hindu Law-Givers: The Hindu Law-Givers in the Hindu Scriptures

The Inner Voice of Dharma: He who is endowed with a pure heart through protracted Tapas, Japa, Kirtana, meditation and service of Guru and who has a very clear conscience, can be guided by the inner voice in matters of Dharma or duty or moral action.

Excerpt from All About Hinduism by Sri Swami Sivananda

Read more here: » Inner Voice of Dharma: Inner Voice of Dharma in the Hindu Scriptures

The Friendly Treatises and the Commanding Treatises : There are four books under this heading: The Valmiki-Ramayana, the Yogavasishtha, The Mahabharata and the Harivamsa. These embody all that is in the Vedas, but only in a simpler manner. These are called the Suhrit-Samhitas or the Friendly Treatises, while the Vedas are called the Prabhu-Samhitas or the Commanding Treatises with great authority. These works explain the great universal truths in the form of historical narratives, stories and dialogues

Excerpt from All About Hinduism by Sri Swami Sivananda

Read more here: » Itihasas: The Itihasas in the Hindu Scriptures

Hinduism lays great emphasis on ethical discipline. Yama (self-restraint) and Niyama (religious observances or canons) are the foundations of Yoga and Vedanta.

Excerpt from All About Hinduism by Sri Swami Sivananda

Read more here: » Hindu Ethics: Ethical Codes In Hinduism

The Sruti and the Smriti are the two authoritative sources of Hinduism. Sruti literally means what is heard, and Smriti means what is remembered. Sruti is revelation and Smriti is tradition. Upanishad is a Sruti. Bhagavad-Gita is a Smriti.

Excerpt from All About Hinduism by Sri Swami Sivananda

Read more here: » Sruti and Smriti: The Sruti and the Smriti in the Hindu Scriptures

Hells are not imaginary fiction as ordinarily conceived of by the modern rationalistic mind. The empiricist believes only in experience of sense-contact and feels himself unable to rise above the dictates of the intellect. But it does not mean that man has reason to overlook facts beyond his comprehension

This is an excerpt from the book What Becomes Of The Soul After Death by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » Lokas Or Planes: Hell Or Naraka

Dharma depends upon time, circumstances, age, degree of evolution and the community to which one belongs. The Dharma of this century is different from that of the tenth century.

Excerpt from All About Hinduism by Sri Swami Sivananda

Read more here: » Dharma: The Changing Dharma

Sage Yajnavalkya of Mithila (perhaps 1800 BC) advanced a 95-year cycle to synchronize the motions of the sun and the moon. He is also credited with the authorship of the Shatapatha Brahmana, in which the references to the motions of the sun and the moon are found. He is also a major figure in the Upanishads. His deep philosophical teachings in the Brhadaranyaka Upanishad, and the apophatic teaching of 'neti neti' etc. is found to be st ...

Read more here: » Yajnavalkya: Encyclopedia - Yajnavalkya

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

Read more here: » Yajnavalkya Smriti: Encyclopedia - Yajnavalkya Smriti

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

A very similar information on the Kamboja, Saka, Yavana and other Kshatriyas is also contained in the Anusasanaparva of Mahabharata (MBH verse 13.33.21) which also states that due to the wrath of the Brahmanas (resulting from their neglect of sacred Brahmanical codes and regulations), these formerly noble Kshatriya clans of the Shakas, Yavanas, Kambojas etc have sunken to the state of vrishalatvam i.e become degraded Kshariyas or Vratyas. Sanskrit: Brahmana yam prasha.nsanti purushah sa pravardhate | ...

See also:

Kambojas and Manusmriti, Kambojas and Manusmriti - Manu's definition of Vratyas, Kambojas and Manusmriti - Manusmriti on Kambojas Yavanas Shakas etc, Kambojas and Manusmriti - Mahabharata supports Manusmriti, Kambojas and Manusmriti - Consequences of neglecting the Brahmanas, Kambojas and Manusmriti - Medhatithi and Kulluka on Kambojas Shakas etc, Kambojas and Manusmriti - An attempt to accommodate aliens into Hindu fold, Kambojas and Manusmriti - A formal procedure to elevate one’s position, Kambojas and Manusmriti - Some opinions from scholars

Read more here: » Kambojas and Manusmriti: Encyclopedia II - Kambojas and Manusmriti - Mahabharata supports Manusmriti

A formal procedure is detailed in Mahabharata as to how these Vratya Kshatriyas (or the alien hordes) could attain the high status of noble Kshatriyas in the Hindu society. The most important among the recommendations are the performance of paka-yajanas (minor sacrifices) and giving rich gifts to the Brahamin priests at these sacrifices (MBH XII.65.13-22; also see: Comprehensive History of India, Dr K. A. Nilkanta Sastri, Vol II, 1957, p 468) Sanskrit: dakshina sarvayagyana.n dttavya bhutimichchhata | ...

See also:

Kambojas and Manusmriti, Kambojas and Manusmriti - Manu's definition of Vratyas, Kambojas and Manusmriti - Manusmriti on Kambojas Yavanas Shakas etc, Kambojas and Manusmriti - Mahabharata supports Manusmriti, Kambojas and Manusmriti - Consequences of neglecting the Brahmanas, Kambojas and Manusmriti - Medhatithi and Kulluka on Kambojas Shakas etc, Kambojas and Manusmriti - An attempt to accommodate aliens into Hindu fold, Kambojas and Manusmriti - A formal procedure to elevate one’s position, Kambojas and Manusmriti - Some opinions from scholars

Read more here: » Kambojas and Manusmriti: Encyclopedia II - Kambojas and Manusmriti - A formal procedure to elevate one’s position

"The leaders of ancient Indian society were eager to place the foreigners in the social organization of the country; e.g Manu regards the Kambojas as degraded Kshatriyas (X-43-44) while Patanjali in his Mahabhasya (Pa II.4.10) regards the Sakas and Yavanas as anivasita (pure) Shudras. Even the Gautama Dharamasutra (IV.21) regards the Yavanas or Greeks as sprung from the Shudra females + Kshatriya males " (Ref: Journal of Ancient ...

See also:

Kambojas and Manusmriti, Kambojas and Manusmriti - Manu's definition of Vratyas, Kambojas and Manusmriti - Manusmriti on Kambojas Yavanas Shakas etc, Kambojas and Manusmriti - Mahabharata supports Manusmriti, Kambojas and Manusmriti - Consequences of neglecting the Brahmanas, Kambojas and Manusmriti - Medhatithi and Kulluka on Kambojas Shakas etc, Kambojas and Manusmriti - An attempt to accommodate aliens into Hindu fold, Kambojas and Manusmriti - A formal procedure to elevate one’s position, Kambojas and Manusmriti - Some opinions from scholars

Read more here: » Kambojas and Manusmriti: Encyclopedia II - Kambojas and Manusmriti - Some opinions from scholars

The foreign warrior clans of the Sakas, Kambojas, Yavanas, Pahlavas and the others, after their entry into India (2nd/1st c BC), did not immediately switch to the religion and social customs of the Hindu society. Obviously, they must have continued to observe their own culture and religious practices for some time. In their anxiety to prove the antiquity of the sacred Hindu Caste System and also, in great pains to reasonably accommodate these foreign hordes into the social organization of the Hindus, the authors of Manusmriti ( ...

See also:

Kambojas and Manusmriti, Kambojas and Manusmriti - Manu's definition of Vratyas, Kambojas and Manusmriti - Manusmriti on Kambojas Yavanas Shakas etc, Kambojas and Manusmriti - Mahabharata supports Manusmriti, Kambojas and Manusmriti - Consequences of neglecting the Brahmanas, Kambojas and Manusmriti - Medhatithi and Kulluka on Kambojas Shakas etc, Kambojas and Manusmriti - An attempt to accommodate aliens into Hindu fold, Kambojas and Manusmriti - A formal procedure to elevate one’s position, Kambojas and Manusmriti - Some opinions from scholars

Read more here: » Kambojas and Manusmriti: Encyclopedia II - Kambojas and Manusmriti - An attempt to accommodate aliens into Hindu fold

Manusmriti (verse X/43-44) informs us that, in consequence of the omission of sacred Brahmanical rituals/codes and of their not heeding to the advice of Brahmanas, the following noble Kshatriyas have gradually sunk in this world to the state of vrishalatam i.e become degenerate Kshatriyas viz: the Paundrakas, Chodas, Dravidas, Kambojas, Yavanas, Shakas, Paradas, Pahlavas, Chinas, Kiratas, Daradas and Khashas etc. Sanskrit: shanakaistu kriya-lopadimah Kshatriya-jatayah | vrashalatvam ...

See also:

Kambojas and Manusmriti, Kambojas and Manusmriti - Manu's definition of Vratyas, Kambojas and Manusmriti - Manusmriti on Kambojas Yavanas Shakas etc, Kambojas and Manusmriti - Mahabharata supports Manusmriti, Kambojas and Manusmriti - Consequences of neglecting the Brahmanas, Kambojas and Manusmriti - Medhatithi and Kulluka on Kambojas Shakas etc, Kambojas and Manusmriti - An attempt to accommodate aliens into Hindu fold, Kambojas and Manusmriti - A formal procedure to elevate one’s position, Kambojas and Manusmriti - Some opinions from scholars

Read more here: » Kambojas and Manusmriti: Encyclopedia II - Kambojas and Manusmriti - Manusmriti on Kambojas Yavanas Shakas etc