Hinduism is the most ancient religion in the world. This religion is native to India and the actual origin of the religion is not properly known. According to the historical accounts, Hinduism is a Vedic religion of Iron Age India, is formed of diverse traditions and types and it has no single founder. It is believed that from time immemorial, the religion has travelled through several of religious texts. Hindus from all over the world depend on a large number of Hindu Religious Texts written and developed over many centuries. These texts were developed in order to get spiritual insights and guidance of the religion as a whole or to practice a perfect religious life.
The vast body of scriptures among the Hindu Religious Texts is divided into Sruti or "revealed" and Smriti or "remembered". Sruti, that which is heard or divinely revealed, consist of the Vedas, the most ancient of the scriptures, the Upanishads, the Brahmanas, and the Aranyak . Sruti refers to the manifestation of the divine in the world, and reveal the truth, it also narrates about the deities to the early sages or rishis. These scriptures are based on theology, philosophy and mythology. The scriptures provide information on the practice of dharma or religious living.
Among these Hindu Religious Texts, the Vedas and the Upanishads are the foremost in authority, meaning and antiquity. There are four collections which comprise the Veda, the Rig Veda, Sama Veda, Yajur Veda, and Atharva Veda. The Veda contains accounts of creation, information on ritual sacrifices, and prayers to the deities. The Upanishads are considered to be the most important of the three scriptures of sruti literature. In addition to that, it is believed that these texts were secret scriptures taught by a sage to a disciple. Vedas are the ancient and most authoritative religious texts. Moreover, eighteen Puranas, the two epics Ramayana, Mahabharata, and Bhagavad Gita are also valued scriptures of Hindu religion. Other major scriptures include the Tantras and the Agama.
Chalisa is also considered to be the Hindu Religious Texts. Chalisa means "forty verse" prayer and contains verses that praise the deity with devotion. These texts have been in existence since the moment when human beings had started fearing God or almighty. The chalisas include expression of the deepest and sincerest feelings of mankind. The term Upanishad means "those who sit near" and implies listening closely to the secret doctrines of a spiritual teacher. The Upanishads are a collection of Indian speculations and believed to have developed around 600 BC. The Puranas are the collection of mythology that deals with many religious and moral matters.
The Bhagavad Gita is a treatise from the Mahabharata which includes the verses spoken by Krishna and are regarded as the spiritual teachings of the Vedas. All the teachings of Lord Krishna were subsequently recorded by Rishi Vyasa. In the history of mankind, Mahabharata is the largest epic and it was originally called Jaisamhita. The epic Mahabharata creates a junction between the end of the Bronze Age and the beginning of the Iron or Kali Age.
There are four Vedas that are considered to be among the primary Hindu Religious Texts. The Rig Veda, Sama Veda, Yajur Veda and Atharva Veda are the four Vedas have been influencing mankind since time immemorial. Rig Veda is the oldest of the four Vedas which was composed about 1500 B.C. However, the beginning of its original writing cannot be traced but it is believed that, Rig Veda was probably there after 300 B.C. Hindu Religious Texts are of greatly treasured by the humanity. The texts are inscribed to offer guidance on the daily conduct of life. These religious scriptures are written for spiritual up-liftment and self-realization. The scriptures are for receiving benefit and can be considered to be the science of the Soul.
