How Hindu Scriptures Guide Us Every Day?
The Vedas and Agamas are Hinduism's most important and revered scriptures. They explain the sacredness of life and the purpose of human existence. The word Veda comes from the root vid, meaning ‘to know’, and translates to ‘supreme wisdom’ or ‘sacred knowledge’ as described in Dancing with Siva. Similarly, Agama refers to a collection of divinely revealed texts and means ‘descent of knowledge’, signifying spiritual wisdom passed down from a higher source.
Hindu scriptures form a rich and diverse collection of texts that offer guidance on nearly every aspect of daily life—including personal conduct, ethical values, family responsibilities, social duties, health and well-being, and relationships. They teach how to live harmoniously within society while striving for inner growth.
Studying these timeless teachings lays a strong foundation for philosophical clarity and offers a deeper understanding of the supreme power, the soul’s journey, and the nature of the world we live in.
These sacred texts provide practical paths to develop wisdom, inner peace, willpower, and the confidence to move forward in life. Altogether, they form a solid foundation for living a happy, meaningful and ethical life.
“The man who rejects the words of the scriptures and follows the impulse of desire attains neither his perfection, nor joy, nor the Path Supreme. Let the scriptures be, therefore, thy authority as to what is right and what is not right.”
It is important to study these scriptures on a daily basis as a source of support and guidance throughout life. They are broadly categorized into two types: Shruti and Smriti, as listed in What is Hinduism?
Shruti, meaning ‘that which is heard’, are believed to be revealed by God through great illumined clairaudient and clairvoyant sages. These include the Vedas, divided into the Rig, Sama, Yajur, and Atharva Vedas, ancient texts that were memorized and passed down orally for thousands of years before being written down in the Sanskrit language. The Upanishads, an important part of the Vedas, explain the mystical and philosophical foundation. The next primary scriptures are Agamas that are very specific and details personal conduct, temple design, worship, festivals, meditation, and philosophy.
Smriti: these texts are based on human insight, reflection and experience. They contain spiritual teachings as well as discussions on geography, history, cultural traditions and ethics. Smriti includes epic histories like the Ramayana, Mahabharata (which contains the Bhagavad Gita), the Puranas, Dharma Shastras, and many other works such as the Tirukkural and Yoga Sutras of Patanjali.
These texts explore themes like karma, devotion to God, the ideals of dharma, and the nature of the self and the world. The Tirukkural focuses on ethics and moral living, while Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras offer deep insights into the practice of yoga and meditation.
Topics like arts and sciences, including ayurveda medicine, astrology, music, dance, architecture, domestic duty and law, are revealed in numerous other sacred texts known as Vedangas and Upavedas.
The writing of Hindu scriptures continues even today, as spiritually enlightened teachers keep sharing eternal truths to guide humanity's journey toward spiritual unfoldment.
