An ancient temple library hall with carved pillars, palm-leaf manuscripts and brass lamps

Sacred texts

Scriptures

A space for exploring sacred scriptures, their context and their enduring place in Sanatan Dharma.

Discover the Foundations of Sanatan Dharma

Sanatan Dharma preserves a rich tradition of spiritual inquiry, sacred teachings, philosophical reflection and devotional practice. Its scriptures explore questions of duty, knowledge, the nature of the Self, the divine and the meaning of a purposeful life. Explore these texts to understand their teachings, stories, cultural significance and continuing relevance.

A brief guide

Understanding the Sacred Literature

The Vedas: Hymns, sacred knowledge and ritual traditions.
The Upanishads: Philosophical inquiry into the Self and ultimate reality.
The Bhagavad Gita: Teachings on dharma, action, devotion and spiritual wisdom.
The Ramayana and Mahabharata: Great epics exploring duty, relationships, courage and moral choices.
The Puranas: Sacred narratives, cosmology, traditions and accounts of deities and sages.

Four Vedic manuscript bundles beside a brass lamp

Śruti

The Vedas

The oldest body of Sanskrit sacred literature, traditionally organised as the Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samaveda and Atharvaveda.

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A sage teaching disciples beneath a banyan tree

Vedānta

The Upanishads

Philosophical texts associated with the Vedas that reflect on the self, ultimate reality and the nature of knowledge.

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Shri Krishna teaching Arjuna beside the chariot at Kurukshetra

Dialogue

Bhagavad Gita

A dialogue between Krishna and Arjuna set within the Mahabharata, exploring duty, devotion and self-understanding.

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Shri Rama with Sita, Lakshmana and Hanuman

Itihāsa

Ramayana

The epic narrative of Rama, traditionally attributed to Valmiki, with many regional retellings across India and beyond.

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Two great armies facing each other on the Kurukshetra battlefield

Itihāsa

Mahabharata

A vast epic centred on the Kuru dynasty, traditionally attributed to Vyasa and encompassing many teachings and stories.

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Vishnu reclining on the serpent Shesha with Lakshmi

Smṛti

The Puranas

A diverse genre of texts preserving cosmology, genealogies, legends of deities and descriptions of sacred places.

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