Within Hinduism, sacred scripture is traditionally understood through a twofold lens: Śruti, “that which is heard,” and Smṛti, “that which is remembered.” Śruti denotes the foundational revelation and is centered on the four Vedas—Ṛg, Sāma, Yajur, and Atharva—each of which contains Saṁhitās (hymns and mantras), Brāhmaṇas (ritual expositions), Āraṇyakas (meditative and theological reflections), and the Upaniṣads (philosophical teachings on the self and ultimate reality). These texts are regarded as divinely revealed and hold the highest authority, forming the bedrock upon which later tradition reflects and elaborates. The Upaniṣads, in particular, are revered for probing the nature of consciousness, the Absolute, and liberation.

Smṛti literature, while drawing its inspiration and legitimacy from Śruti, is attributed to human authors and interpreters. It includes the great epics (Itihāsa), the Rāmāyaṇa and the Mahābhārata, within which the Bhagavad Gītā stands out as a central spiritual and philosophical text. The Purāṇas, a large body of narrative and theological works, recount the deeds of deities, cosmological cycles, and sacred genealogies, shaping much of the devotional and mythic imagination of Hindu communities. Dharmaśāstra texts, such as the Manusmṛti and related works, articulate law, ethics, and social duty, seeking to apply eternal principles to concrete human life.

Alongside these, there are the Āgamas and Tantras, associated with Śaiva, Vaiṣṇava, and Śākta traditions, which guide temple worship, ritual practice, mantra, and forms of yoga, often in a highly systematic manner. Various sūtras and śāstras—philosophical, ritual, and practical—further interpret and organize the inherited revelation, giving rise to distinct schools of thought and practice. Across this vast corpus, the Vedas and Upaniṣads are generally regarded as the foundational scriptures, while texts such as the Bhagavad Gītā, Rāmāyaṇa, Mahābhārata, and the Purāṇas have profoundly shaped lived devotion, ethical reflection, and the imaginative world of Hindu spirituality.