# Vedic Literature *The original revealed scriptures* Total entries: 178 ## The Four Vedas (Śruti) **Original Vedas:** 1. **Ṛg Veda** - Hymns and mantras 2. **Yajur Veda** - Sacrificial formulas 3. **Sāma Veda** - Musical chants 4. **Atharva Veda** - Practical knowledge Each Veda has four sections: - Saṁhitās - Mantras - Brāhmaṇas - Rituals and ceremonies - Āraṇyakas - Forest treatises - Upaniṣads - Philosophical conclusions ## Upaniṣads 108 principal Upanishads, including: - **Īśopaniṣad** - 18 verses on the Supreme Controller - **Kaṭha Upaniṣad** - Dialogue on death and immortality - **Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad** - Knowledge of Brahman - **Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad** - Analysis of Oṁ - **Chāndogya Upaniṣad** - Includes dialogue with Uddālaka - **Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad** - Largest Upanishad ## Vedānta-sūtra (Brahma-sūtra) - Compiled by Vyāsadeva - Summarizes all Upanishadic philosophy - 555 aphorisms in four chapters - Commented on by all ācāryas - Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is natural commentary ## Significance - **Śruti** - "That which is heard" directly from the Lord - Eternal knowledge passed down through disciplic succession - Apauruṣeya - Not made by humans - Complete knowledge for material and spiritual life ## All Related Entries - [[index/A#aitareya upaniṣad|Aitareya Upaniṣad]] - [[index/A#aitareya upaniṣad quoted on durgā, viṣṇu, & kāla|Aitareya Upaniṣad quoted on Durgā, Viṣṇu, & kāla]] - [[index/A#amṛta-bindu upaniṣad quoted on mind|Amṛta-bindu Upaniṣad quoted on mind]] - [[index/A#antyajas, vedic study optional for|Antyajas, Vedic study optional for]] - [[index/A#apauruṣeya, vedas as|Apauruṣeya, Vedas as]] - [[index/A#astrology in vedic marriages|Astrology in Vedic marriages]] - [[index/entries/astronomy-vedic|Astronomy, Vedic]] - [[index/A#astronomy, vedic, divisions of day & night by|Astronomy, Vedic, divisions of day & night by]] - [[index/entries/atharva-veda|Atharva Veda]] - [[index/A#atharva-veda-saṁhitā|Atharva-veda-saṁhitā]] - [[index/B#bahvṛca-śruti cited on promises|Bahvṛca-śruti cited on promises]] - [[index/B#bhakti-vedānta(s)|Bhakti-vedānta(s)]] - [[index/B#brahma-sūtra cited on cosmic manifestation|Brahma-sūtra cited on cosmic manifestation]] - [[index/B#bṛhad-āraṇyaka upaniṣad|Bṛhad-āraṇyaka Upaniṣad]] - [[index/entries/brhad-aranyaka-upanisad-quoted|Bṛhad-āraṇyaka Upaniṣad quoted]] - [[index/B#bṛhad-āraṇyaka upaniṣad quoted on brahman|Bṛhad-āraṇyaka Upaniṣad quoted on Brahman]] - [[index/B#bṛhad-āraṇyaka upaniṣad quoted on kṛṣṇa as supreme person|Bṛhad-āraṇyaka Upaniṣad quoted on Kṛṣṇa as Supreme Person]] - [[index/C#chāndogya upaniṣad|Chāndogya Upaniṣad]] - [[index/entries/chandogya-upanisad-cited|Chāndogya Upaniṣad cited]] - [[index/C#chāndogya upaniṣad cited on purāṇas & mahābhārata|Chāndogya Upaniṣad cited on Purāṇas & Mahābhārata]] - [[index/entries/chandogya-upanisad-quoted|Chāndogya Upaniṣad quoted]] - [[index/C#chāndogya upaniṣad quoted on supreme brahman|Chāndogya Upaniṣad quoted on Supreme Brahman]] - [[index/C#chāndogya upaniṣad quoted on all as brahman|Chāndogya Upaniṣad quoted on all as Brahman]] - [[index/C#contraception, artificial compared with vedic|Contraception, artificial compared with Vedic]] - [[index/D#dhanur-veda|Dhanur-veda]] - [[index/D#dowry in vedic marriage|Dowry in Vedic marriage]] - [[index/E#economics, vedic vs. modern|Economics, Vedic vs. modern]] - [[index/F#fever, āyur-vedic treatment for|Fever, Āyur-vedic treatment for]] - [[index/G#garga upaniṣad cited on lords abode|Garga Upaniṣad cited on Lords abode]] - [[index/G#garga upaniṣad quoted on lord as supreme controller|Garga Upaniṣad quoted on Lord as supreme controller]] - [[index/G#gopāla-tāpanī upaniṣad cited on kṛṣṇa as cowboy|Gopāla-tāpanī Upaniṣad cited on Kṛṣṇa as cowboy]] - [[index/G#gopāla-tāpanī upaniṣad cited on pure devotional service|Gopāla-tāpanī Upaniṣad cited on pure devotional service]] - [[index/G#gopāla-tāpanī upaniṣad quoted|Gopāla-tāpanī Upaniṣad quoted]] - [[index/G#gopāla-tāpanī upaniṣad quoted on naiṣkarmya|Gopāla-tāpanī Upaniṣad quoted on naiṣkarmya]] - [[index/H#history, vedas relate|History, Vedas relate]] - [[index/H#hymns in sāma veda, kṛṣṇas representation among|Hymns in Sāma Veda, Kṛṣṇas representation among]] - [[index/H#hymns, vedic|Hymns, Vedic]] - [[index/I#injunction, vedic|Injunction, Vedic]] - [[index/I#injunctions, vedic|Injunctions, Vedic]] - [[index/J#jyotir-veda|Jyotir-veda]] - [[index/J#jāta-vedaḥ defined|Jāta-vedaḥ defined]] - [[index/K#karma-kāṇḍa division of vedas|Karma-kāṇḍa division of Vedas]] - [[index/K#kauṣītakī upaniṣad quoted on lords fulfilling desires|Kauṣītakī Upaniṣad quoted on Lords fulfilling desires]] - [[index/entries/katha-upanisad|Kaṭha Upaniṣad]] - [[index/K#kaṭha upaniṣad cited|Kaṭha Upaniṣad cited]] - [[index/K#kaṭha upaniṣad cited on kṛṣṇa|Kaṭha Upaniṣad cited on Kṛṣṇa]] - [[index/K#kaṭha upaniṣad cited on blind leading blind|Kaṭha Upaniṣad cited on blind leading blind]] - [[index/entries/katha-upanisad-quoted|Kaṭha Upaniṣad quoted]] - [[index/K#kaṭha upaniṣad quoted on kṛṣṇa|Kaṭha Upaniṣad quoted on Kṛṣṇa]] - [[index/K#kaṭha upaniṣad quoted on lord maintaining living entities|Kaṭha Upaniṣad quoted on Lord maintaining living entities]] - [[index/K#kaṭha upaniṣad quoted on body as souls vehicle|Kaṭha Upaniṣad quoted on body as souls vehicle]] - [[index/K#keśava-śruti cited on yoga|Keśava-śruti cited on yoga]] - [[index/K#keṇa upaniṣad cited on demigods|Keṇa Upaniṣad cited on demigods]] - [[index/entries/knowledge-vedic|Knowledge, Vedic]] - [[index/M#mahā upaniṣad|Mahā Upaniṣad]] - [[index/M#mahā upaniṣad quoted on creation|Mahā Upaniṣad quoted on creation]] - [[index/M#mahābhārata quoted on vipra, vedas, & kṛṣṇa|Mahābhārata quoted on vipra, Vedas, & Kṛṣṇa]] - [[index/M#mahājanas (vedic authorities)|Mahājanas (Vedic authorities)]] - [[index/M#medicine, āyur-vedic|Medicine, Āyur-vedic]] - [[index/M#military science, vedic & modern|Military science, Vedic & modern]] - [[index/M#monarchy, vedic|Monarchy, Vedic]] - [[index/M#months in vedic calendar|Months in Vedic calendar]] - [[index/M#muktika upaniṣad|Muktika Upaniṣad]] - [[index/entries/mundaka-upanisad|Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad]] - [[index/entries/mundaka-upanisad-quoted|Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad quoted]] - [[index/M#mādhyandina-śruti cited on vedas|Mādhyandina-śruti cited on Vedas]] - [[index/M#māṇḍūkya upaniṣad|Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad]] - [[index/M#māṇḍūkya upaniṣad quoted on material world as manifestation of brahman|Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad quoted on material world as manifestation of Brahman]] - [[index/N#night, vedic divisions of|Night, Vedic divisions of]] - [[index/N#nija-veda-patha defined|Nija-veda-patha defined]] - [[index/N#nirveda defined|Nirveda defined]] - [[index/entries/narayana-upanisad-quoted|Nārāyaṇa Upaniṣad quoted]] - [[index/N#nṛsiṁha-tāpanī upaniṣad|Nṛsiṁha-tāpanī Upaniṣad]] - [[index/O#oṁ as vedic confirmation|Oṁ as Vedic confirmation]] - [[index/P#praśna upaniṣad|Praśna Upaniṣad]] - [[index/P#praśna upaniṣad quoted on soul as knower & doer|Praśna Upaniṣad quoted on soul as knower & doer]] - [[index/P#priests, vedic|Priests, Vedic]] - [[index/P#puruṣa-bodhinī upaniṣad quoted on lords forms|Puruṣa-bodhinī Upaniṣad quoted on Lords forms]] - [[index/R#residences, vedic & modern compared|Residences, Vedic & modern compared]] - [[index/R#rukminī, ātma-nivedanam exemplified by|Rukminī, ātma-nivedanam exemplified by]] - [[index/S#scriptures, vedic|Scriptures, Vedic]] - [[index/S#scriptures. see: vedic scriptures; names of specific scriptures|Scriptures. See: Vedic scriptures; names of specific scriptures]] - [[index/S#self-surrender compared with vedānta study|Self-surrender compared with Vedānta study]] - [[index/S#skanda purāṇa cited on śruti & smṛti, necessity of following|Skanda Purāṇa cited on śruti & smṛti, necessity of following]] - [[index/S#subala upaniṣad quoted on lord as supersoul of universes|Subala Upaniṣad quoted on Lord as Supersoul of universes]] - [[index/S#sveda defined|Sveda defined]] - [[index/S#sveda-ja defined|Sveda-ja defined]] - [[index/entries/sama-veda|Sāma Veda]] - [[index/S#sāma veda, garuḍa vibrating|Sāma Veda, Garuḍa vibrating]] - [[index/S#sāma-veda upaniṣad cited on kṛṣṇa|Sāma-veda Upaniṣad cited on Kṛṣṇa]] - [[index/T#taittirīya upaniṣad|Taittirīya Upaniṣad]] - [[index/entries/taittiriya-upanisad-quoted|Taittirīya Upaniṣad quoted]] - [[index/T#taittirīya upaniṣad quoted on lords supremacy|Taittirīya Upaniṣad quoted on Lords supremacy]] - [[index/T#taittirīya upaniṣad quoted on demigods|Taittirīya Upaniṣad quoted on demigods]] - [[index/T#taittirīya upaniṣad quoted on soul & body|Taittirīya Upaniṣad quoted on soul & body]] - [[index/T#taittirīya upaniṣad, contents of|Taittirīya Upaniṣad, contents of]] - [[index/entries/upanisad|Upaniṣad(s)]] - [[index/U#upaniṣads cited|Upaniṣads cited]] - [[index/U#upaniṣads cited on lord & living entity as birds in tree|Upaniṣads cited on Lord & living entity as birds in tree]] - [[index/U#upaniṣads cited on vedic scriptural revelation|Upaniṣads cited on Vedic scriptural revelation]] - [[index/U#upaniṣads cited on surrender to lord|Upaniṣads cited on surrender to Lord]] - [[index/U#upaniṣads personified|Upaniṣads personified]] - [[index/U#upāsanā-kāṇḍa division of vedas, 54|Upāsanā-kāṇḍa division of Vedas, 54]] - [[index/V#veda defined|Veda defined]] - [[index/entries/veda|Veda(s)]] - [[index/V#veda-garbha defined|Veda-garbha defined]] - [[index/V#veda-pratha defined|Veda-pratha defined]] - [[index/V#veda-pāraga defined|Veda-pāraga defined]] - [[index/V#veda-vāda explained|Veda-vāda explained]] - [[index/V#veda-vāda-ratas|Veda-vāda-ratas]] - [[index/V#veda-vāda-ratas, vedas misconstrued by|Veda-vāda-ratas, Vedas misconstrued by]] - [[index/V#veda-vāda-ratāḥ defined|Veda-vāda-ratāḥ defined]] - [[index/V#veda-vādī defined|Veda-vādī defined]] - [[index/V#vedagiri|Vedagiri]] - [[index/entries/vedas-cited|Vedas cited]] - [[index/entries/vedas-quoted|Vedas quoted]] - [[index/V#vedavatī|Vedavatī]] - [[index/V#vedavatī-pura|Vedavatī-pura]] - [[index/V#vedaśrutas|Vedaśrutas]] - [[index/V#vedic astronomy|Vedic astronomy]] - [[index/entries/vedic-civilization|Vedic civilization]] - [[index/V#vedic civiliātion|Vedic civiliātion]] - [[index/entries/vedic-culture|Vedic culture]] - [[index/V#vedic hymns|Vedic hymns]] - [[index/V#vedic hymns compared to leaves of banyan tree|Vedic hymns compared to leaves of banyan tree]] - [[index/entries/vedic-injunction|Vedic injunctions]] - [[index/entries/vedic-knowledge|Vedic knowledge]] - [[index/entries/vedic-literature|Vedic literatures]] - [[index/V#vedic literatures quoted|Vedic literatures quoted]] - [[index/entries/vedic-mantras|Vedic mantras]] - [[index/V#vedic mantras (hymns)|Vedic mantras (hymns)]] - [[index/entries/vedic-regulations|Vedic regulations]] - [[index/V#vedic scriptures|Vedic scriptures]] - [[index/V#vedic society|Vedic society]] - [[index/V#vedic study|Vedic study]] - [[index/V#vedānta|Vedānta]] - [[index/V#vedānta defined|Vedānta defined]] - [[index/entries/vedanta-philosophy|Vedānta philosophy]] - [[index/V#vedānta quoted on source of everything|Vedānta quoted on source of everything]] - [[index/V#vedānta, atonement as knowledge in|Vedānta, atonement as knowledge in]] - [[index/V#vedānta-darśana theory|Vedānta-darśana theory]] - [[index/V#vedānta-deśika|Vedānta-deśika]] - [[index/V#vedānta-sāra|Vedānta-sāra]] - [[index/V#vedānta-sūtra cited|Vedānta-sūtra cited]] - [[index/V#vedānta-sūtra cited on creations cause|Vedānta-sūtra cited on Creations cause]] - [[index/V#vedānta-sūtra cited on lord as origin of everything|Vedānta-sūtra cited on Lord as origin of everything]] - [[index/entries/vedanta-sutra-quoted|Vedānta-sūtra quoted]] - [[index/V#vedānta-sūtra quoted on pleasure potency of lord & living beings|Vedānta-sūtra quoted on pleasure potency of Lord & living beings]] - [[index/entries/vedanta-sutra|Vedānta-sūtra(s)]] - [[index/V#vedānta-sūtra, lord as knower of|Vedānta-sūtra, Lord as knower of]] - [[index/V#vedānta-tattva-sāra cited on merging of soul|Vedānta-tattva-sāra cited on merging of soul]] - [[index/V#vedānta-vādī|Vedānta-vādī]] - [[index/V#vedānta-śruti|Vedānta-śruti]] - [[index/entries/yajur-veda|Yajur Veda]] - [[index/A#āryans, vedic|Āryans, Vedic]] - [[index/A#ātma-nivedanam|Ātma-nivedanam]] - [[index/A#ātmā-nivedanam in kṛṣṇa consciousness|Ātmā-nivedanam in Kṛṣṇa consciousness]] - [[index/A#āyur veda|Āyur Veda]] - [[index/A#āyur-veda quoted on lords supremacy|Āyur-veda quoted on Lords supremacy]] - [[index/A#āyur-veda, medical experts in|Āyur-veda, medical experts in]] - [[index/entries/ayur-vedic-medicine|Āyur-vedic medicine]] - [[index/A#āyur-vedic medicine, treatment for high fever by|Āyur-vedic medicine, treatment for high fever by]] - [[index/A#āyurveda-śāstra quoted on remembering viṣṇu|Āyurveda-śāstra quoted on remembering Viṣṇu]] - [[index/S#śruti-mantra(s)|Śruti-mantra(s)]] - [[index/S#śruti-mantras cited|Śruti-mantras cited]] - [[index/S#śruti-prasthāna|Śruti-prasthāna]] - [[index/S#śruti-śāstras|Śruti-śāstras]] - [[index/S#śrutidharas|Śrutidharas]] - [[index/entries/sruti|Śrutis]] - [[index/entries/svetasvatara-upanisad|Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad]] - [[index/entries/svetasvatara-upanisad-quoted|Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad quoted]] - [[index/S#śvetāśvatara upaniṣad quoted on lords supremacy|Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad quoted on Lords supremacy]] - [[index/S#śvetāśvatara upaniṣad quoted on śrīmad-bhāgavatam|Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad quoted on Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam]] - [[index/S#śāstras (vedic scriptures)|Śāstras (Vedic scriptures)]] - [[index/entries/rg-veda|Ṛg Veda]] - [[index/R#ṛg veda cited on conception|Ṛg Veda cited on conception]] - [[index/R#ṛg veda quoted on viṣṇu|Ṛg Veda quoted on Viṣṇu]] - [[index/R#ṛk-saṁhitā. see: ṛg veda|Ṛk-saṁhitā. See: Ṛg Veda]] ## Related Categories - [[index/scriptures/puranas|Puranas]] - [[index/scriptures/bhagavad-gita|Bhagavad-gita]] - [[index/concepts/philosophical-terms|Philosophical Terms]]