Shruti
“That which is heard”
The Vedic corpus is revered as revealed knowledge. It includes the Upanishads.
THE LIBRARY / SACRED LITERATURE
Words that carry
a living heritage.
Hymns to hear. Questions to contemplate. Stories to return to. Explore the texts that open different doors into Sanatan Dharma.
Explore the library
01 / FINDING YOUR BEARINGS
Many texts.
Many ways of learning.
These categories offer a starting map. The authority and interpretation of a text also depend on the tradition reading it.
Smriti
“That which is remembered”
A broad category including epics and Puranas, conveying teachings through narrative and reflection.
02 / THE VEDIC FOUNDATION
Four Vedas.
A heritage of sound.
Preserved through oral recitation, Vedic texts are part of a living chanting tradition.
Rig Veda
A collection of sacred hymns.
Sama Veda
Hymns arranged for chanting, drawing extensively on the Rig Veda.
Yajur Veda
Prayers and formulae connected with sacrificial rites.
Atharva Veda
Hymns, incantations and spells across a varied collection.
What is inside the Vedic corpus?
A common introduction distinguishes four kinds of literature: Samhitas (hymns and mantras), Brahmanas (ritual explanations), Aranyakas (forest treatises) and Upanishads (spiritual and philosophical teachings). The Vedas contain more than hymns alone.
03 / EXPLORE THE LIBRARY
Follow your curiosity.
Start with a short introduction. Open a card for context and a place to read further.
SELF / REALITY / LIBERATION
The Upanishads
Questions about the self, ultimate reality and liberation within the Vedic tradition.
Look closer
The Upanishads are part of the Vedic corpus. Their teachings underpin different Vedanta interpretations; a commentary helps reveal which viewpoint you are reading.
Read a Brihadaranyaka dialogue ↗
ACTION / KNOWLEDGE / DEVOTION
The Bhagavad Gita
Krishna’s dialogue with Arjuna on spiritual life amid a difficult decision.
Look closer
The Gita belongs to the Mahabharata. It is often read on its own, with commentaries that offer different understandings of its teachings.
Explore IIT Kanpur’s Gita Supersite ↗
ITIHASA / THE GREAT EPICS
Ramayana & Mahabharata
Epic journeys through devotion, duty, family and conflict.
Look closer
The Ramayana follows Rama’s life and trials. The Mahabharata centres on a conflict between related families and explores difficult questions of dharma. Retellings bring distinct voices: Valmiki’s Ramayana and Tulsidas’s Ramcharitmanas are different works.
Explore the Valmiki Ramayana ↗Explore the Ramcharitmanas ↗
DEITIES / COSMOS / SACRED STORIES
The Puranas
Collections of sacred narratives that express teachings through stories.
Look closer
Tradition commonly names eighteen major Puranas, alongside many other Puranic works. This is a classification, not a count of all Hindu scriptures. Each story identifies the text and version it draws from.
Read Lalita and BhandasuraExplore the eighteen MahapuranasThe Mahapuranas: a substantial reference →
Explore Sarga & Visarga: Puranic creation →
04 / TEXTS & LIVING PRACTICE
Agamas
& Tantras.
These bodies of literature connect philosophy with worship, meditation, mantra, temple building and sacred imagery. Their teachings and authority are understood within particular lineages.
Shaiva, Vaishnava and Shakta traditions have their own textual heritages. These names cover diverse works rather than a single book or one uniform teaching.
Explore a traditional introduction ↗05 / YOUR FIRST STEP
What draws you in?
You do not need to read everything in order. Choose one doorway and give it time.
I HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT LIFE
Begin with the Gita
Read a short passage with a named translation and commentary.
↗I WANT A STORYEnter the epics
Meet the characters and follow one narrative at a time.
↗I WANT TO THINK MORE DEEPLYExplore the Upanishads
Take one dialogue slowly, with its philosophical context.
↗CONTINUE THE JOURNEY
From sacred texts
to the stories they hold.
Meet the divine forms, compare philosophical foundations or follow a narrative.