Overview

This page provides brief introductions to major Hindu scriptures and epics that have shaped philosophy, ritual, and culture.

Vedas

The Vedas are the oldest layer of Sanskrit literature and the foundational scriptures of Vedic religion. They consist of four collections — Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samaveda, and Atharvaveda — containing hymns, ritual instructions, and philosophical hymns that later influenced Upanishadic thought.

Puranas

The Puranas are a genre of important Hindu religious texts composed of mythological narratives, cosmology, genealogies of gods, heroes and sages, and guidelines for devotional practice. They popularize complex philosophical ideas through stories and are central to bhakti traditions.

Upanishads

The Upanishads are philosophical treatises that explore the nature of reality, Brahman (ultimate reality), and Atman (self). They form the basis of Vedanta and focus on inner knowledge, meditation, and liberation (moksha).

Ramayana

The Ramayana is an epic narrative attributed to Valmiki that recounts the life of Rama, his exile, the abduction of Sita, and the eventual triumph of dharma. It serves as a moral and devotional exemplar across South and Southeast Asia.

To read the Ramayana in Sanskrit with translations, a useful resource is the Valmiki Ramayana at IIT Kanpur (valmiki.iitk.ac.in). Hosted by IIT Kanpur, it provides the complete Valmiki text with verse-by-verse and chapter-wise access in multiple languages, making it suitable for both study and devotion.

Other well-known Ramayanas:

• Valmiki Ramayana (Sanskrit; commonly dated c. 5th–2nd century BCE, though the actual composition may be much older) — the earliest and most authoritative version.
• Tulsidas, Ramcharitmanas (Awadhi/Hindi, 16th century CE) — the beloved North Indian retelling in devotional verse.
• Kamban, Kamba Ramayanam (Tamil, 12th century CE) — a classic Tamil epic with a distinct poetic style.
• Adhyatma Ramayana (Sanskrit, 14th–15th century CE) — a shorter, philosophically oriented version that emphasises Rama as the supreme reality.

Several Puranas (e.g. Vishnu Purana, Padma Purana) also contain Ramayana narratives or summaries; these may differ in detail from Valmiki’s version while sharing the same core story.

Mahabharata

The Mahabharata is an extensive epic that includes the Bhagavad Gita; it narrates the Kurukshetra war and addresses complex ethical dilemmas, duty (dharma), and the human condition. It is one of the longest epics in world literature and central to Hindu moral discourse.