Hindu scriptures developed over thousands of years ago by
Sages are classed as Smriti knowledge. These
include:
Upa Vedas such as Aayurveda,
Dhanurveda, Gandharva veda and Stapathya Sastra referring to the science of
medicine, science of battle, arts such as music and dance and the science of
mechanics and construction respectively.
Vedangas are another
important part including Siksha (phonetics), Kalpa (rites), Vyakarana (Grammar),
Nirukta (Vedic Glossary), Chhandas (Prosody), Jyotisha (Astronomy & Astrology). These are vital
to understand and learn the scriptures especially as the Vedas originally
existed only by word of mouth in sound form for many centuries.
Dharma Smritis do not have divine
origin but consolidate the wisdom of Sages over generations to provide
guidelines on how to lead a ‘Dharmic life’. The Manu Smriti by Sage Manu is the
most well known among eighteen others.
Puranas narrate
stories about religion, traditions, history of the earth including creation and
destruction in order to deliver the same philosophical concepts using
mythological tales as aids for easier understanding by the common man. Puranas
provide continuity from prehistoric times and help to identify with all our
history and our ancient ancestors. There are eighteen most important ‘Maha
Puranas’ and another forty six auxiliary ‘Upa Puranas’.
Itihasas are a
record of history focussed around human lives with a message of upholding
religious values. The Ramayana and the Mahabharata are the two Itihasas
composed as epics by Sage Valmiki and Sage Vyasa and very much part of the
Hindu Smriti scriptures.
Other scriptural texts include ‘Agamas’, ‘Nibandhas’, ‘Subhashitas’,
‘Kavyas’, ‘Alankaras’, ‘Natakas’ and all this literature makes Sanaatan Dharma
more and more accessible to the common people in comparatively recent
generations of human life.
