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# Indian Religious Texts This document describes four major texts of Hinduism: the Vedas, Mahabharata, Bhagavad Gita, and Ramayana. ## Vedas The Vedas consist of four main parts: 1. **Mantras:** Hymns and chants for praising God. 2. **Brahmanas:** Explanation of the Mantras and detailed descri...

# Indian Religious Texts This document describes four major texts of Hinduism: the Vedas, Mahabharata, Bhagavad Gita, and Ramayana. ## Vedas The Vedas consist of four main parts: 1. **Mantras:** Hymns and chants for praising God. 2. **Brahmanas:** Explanation of the Mantras and detailed description of the sacrificial ceremonies. 3. **Aranyakas:** Meditations that explicate meaning. 4. **Upanishads:** Literally translates as "sitting down near" or "sitting close to". It implies listening intently to the mystic teaching of a spiritual leader who has fully understood the universal truths. It consists of all the fundamental teachings that are central to Hinduism, including: * karma (action) * samsara (reincarnation) * moksha (nirvana) * atman (soul) * Brahman (Absolute Almighty) ## Smriti * Literally means "that which is remembered." * A collection of texts that are sectarian in nature, such as stories, legends, codes of conduct for the society, and guidebooks for worship. ## Ramayana * Translated as the "Story of Rama." * A Sanskrit poem written by the poet Valmiki, consisting of 24,000 verses in 7 books and 500 cantos. * Tells the story of Prince Rama who was sent into exile in the forest with his wife, Sita, and his brother, Lakshamana. ## Mahabharata * Another Sanskrit literature of old India composed around 100,000 verses in 18 books, making it the world's longest poem, authored by Vyasa. * Tells the story of the Great War between the Pandavas (good) and Kauravas (evil) for the rightful rulers of a kingdom. With the help of Krishna (an incarnation of Vishnu), the Pandavas emerged triumphant but lost all their sons and closest kin in the battle. ## Bhagavad Gita * Translated as "The Lord's Song." * A 700-verse narrative of the dialogue between Pandava prince/warrior Arjuna and his guide-cousin Krishna. * Arjuna is a warrior about to join his brothers in a war between two royal family branches, which will involve killing many of his friends and relatives. He wants to withdraw, but Krishna teaches him his duty. Krishna argues that death does not destroy the soul; knowledge, work, and devotion are all paths to salvation with loyalty to God being the central value.