Unveiling the Wisdom of Ancient Indian Epics & Scriptures
The article provides an overview of significant Hindu texts, including the Ramayana, which narrates the life of Rama and his wife Sita; the Bhagavad Gita, a philosophical dialogue between Prince Arjuna and god Krishna; the Mahabharata, an epic narrative of the Kurukshetra War; the Vedas, the oldest scriptures of Hinduism comprising of four major text types; and the Upanishads, ancient texts discussing meditation, philosophy, and spiritual
Book Name
Description
Ramayana
The Ramayana is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India. It narrates the life of Rama, the seventh avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu. His adventures, notably the rescue of his wife Sita from the demon king Ravana, are a popular theme in Indian culture. The Ramayana is known for its moral and spiritual insights and is a cornerstone of Hindu literature.
Bhagavad Gita
The Bhagavad Gita, often referred to as the Gita, is a 700-verse Hindu scripture that is part of the Indian epic Mahabharata. It consists of a conversation between Prince Arjuna and the god Krishna, who serves as his charioteer. This conversation takes place on the battlefield just before the Kurukshetra War, where Arjuna is filled with doubt and moral dilemma about fighting in the war. The Gita is set in the context of an ethical and philosophical dialogue and is revered for its teachings on duty, righteousness and the path to spiritual liberation.
Mahabharata
The Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India. It is an epic narrative of the Kurukshetra War and the fates of the Kaurava and the Pandava princes. It also contains philosophical and devotional material, such as the Bhagavad Gita. The Mahabharata is the longest epic poem ever written, and has been described as "the longest poem ever written". Its longest version consists of over 100,000 shloka or over 200,000 individual verse lines.
Vedas
The Vedas are a large body of religious texts originating in ancient India. Composed in Vedic Sanskrit, the texts constitute the oldest layer of Sanskrit literature and the oldest scriptures of Hinduism. There are four Vedas: the Rigveda, the Yajurveda, the Samaveda and the Atharvaveda. Each Veda has been subclassified into four major text types – the Samhitas (mantras and benedictions), the Aranyakas (text on rituals, ceremonies), the Brahmanas (commentaries on rituals, ceremonies and sacrifices), and the Upanishads (texts discussing meditation, philosophy and spiritual knowledge).
Upanishads
The Upanishads are ancient Sanskrit texts of spiritual teaching and ideas of Hinduism. They are the part of the oldest scriptures of Hinduism, the Vedas, that deal with meditation, philosophy, and spiritual knowledge; they touch upon all aspects of human life. The Upanishads are commonly referred to as Vedānta, variously interpreted to mean either the "last chapters, parts of the Vedas" or "the object, the highest purpose of the Veda".