The Hindu or Sanatani or Bhartiya scriptures are sacred texts that contain the philosophy that show us the way towards the betterment of the whole creation. They act as a guide, that lead us closer to the truth. They assert that Sanatan Dharma is nothing else but Manav Dharma, translatable to humanity, itself.
Hindu Dharma is a relatively new name for what has been timelessly known as Sanatana Dharma. Hindu Dharma is geographically Indian, or Bharatiya, but it is universally valid because, unlike other schools of thought, it accepts all other and diverse thoughts without rejecting any. This all-inclusive school of thought was a nameless philosophy that did not need to distinguish itself from others, as there was no other thought system from which it needed to be distinguished. It was a thought that did not need an identity different from other thoughts as it accepted all other thoughts as valid. It is only when exclusive schools of thoughts emanated from the Abrahamic stable, which rejected the validity of all thoughts other than those of the concerned Abrahamic school, Sanatana Dharma needed to distinguish itself form the exclusive Abrahamic thoughts. With the result that the Sanatana Dharma had to acquire and accept a name to distinguish itself; not because it was an exclusive thought but because it was an inclusive thought and all other thoughts exclusive. [ref]
Therefore unlike religions, Hindu Dharma or Sanatan Dharma isn't based on any one single book, but asserts its philosophy through numerous texts representing its ideals and all inclusive thoughts. Therefore, the use of "ism" in Dharmic concepts (like Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism etc.) ain't logical and grammatically incorrect.
Classification of Hindu Scriptures
Sacred Hindu Scriptures
- Shruti
- Smriti
- Agama
- Miscellaneous
Shruti
Vedas
- Rig Veda
- Yajur Veda
- Atharva Veda
- Sama Veda
These four books are further divided into the following -
- Samhitas – which means the collections of chants and mantras. They make the Veda.
- Brahmanas – prayer guide manuals for the priests. And they also contain stories of the ancient times.
- Aranyakas – they are the forest books for the saints. These are moral papers.
- Upanishads – this is the book of philosophy. It is also called as Vedangas.
The Principal thirteen Upanishads, related to the Vedas -
- Aitareya Upanishad
- Kaushitaki Upanishad
- Brihadaranyaka Upanishad
- Isha Upanishad
- Taittiriya Upanishad
- Katha Upanishad
- Shvetashvatara Upanishad
- Maitrayaniya Upanishad
- Chandogya Upanishad
- Kena Upanishad
- Mundaka Upanishad
- Mandukya Upanishad
- Prashna Upanishad [ref]
Up Vedas
- Ayurveda
- Gandharvaveda
- Dhanurveda
- Shilpaveda
Vedangas
- Kalpa - contains the ritual details
- Siksha - means pronunciation
- Vyakarana - means grammar
- Nirukti - means etymology
- Chandas - means metre
- Jyotisha - means astrology.
Smriti
1. Dharma Shastras
- Manu Smriti
- Yajnyavalka Smriti
- Parashar Smriti
- Other 25+ Smritis
2. Itihaas
The Ramayana
- Valmiki Ramayana
- Ramcharitra Manas
- Ramavataram (Kamban Ramayan)
Other
- The Mahabharata (All Parvas + Bhagwat Geeta)
- Other types of Geeta (Mainly 5 types)
3. Puranas
18 Mahapuranas
- Agni Puran
- Bhagavata Mahapuran
- Brahma Mahapuran
- Brahmanda Puran
- Brahmavaivarta Puran
- Garuda Puran
- Kurma Puran
- Linga Puran
- Matsya Puran
- Markandeya Puran
- Naradeeya Puran
- Padma Puran
- Shiva Puran
- Skanda Puran
- Vamana Puran
- Varaha Puran
- Vayu Puran
- Vishnu Puran
4. 18 UpaPuranas
5. Additional UpaPuranas
Agama
Vedic
- Vaishnav
- Shakta
- Shaiva
- (and others like Saurya Ganpatya etc.)
Non Vedic
- Non Vedic Shakta
- Non Vedic Shaiva
- Vamachari Agamas
Miscellaneous
- Natya Shastra
- Vastu Shastra
- Niti Shastra
- Vaimanika
- Kavya
- Ganita
Kalas (64)
Sutra Texts
- Kautilya Arthashastra
- Kamasutra
- Others
Darshana
- Nyaya
- Vaisheshika
- Sankhya Yog
- Purva Mimansa
- Uttar Mimansa
