The whole structure of the Veda and other sacred texts of Sanatan Dharma need elaboration.
Many people are of the wrong opinion that the basis of Hinduism is Bhagavat Gita. It is not wrong – but it is not entirely right either. Just because Christians have Bible and Jews have the Torah – the westerners assumed that Hinduism also has a book as it's basis. Since the holy Bhagavat Gita is the widely studied treatise, it has come to represent Hinduism and it’s philosophy. Few people know that it is an extract from the voluminous Mahabharata – the same treatise also gave us the powerful and holy Vishnu and Siva sahasranama stortams.
Veda (root word vid – knowledge) is one and eternal. All Vedic mantras have 3 properties – Rk, Yajus and Sama. Rk is the actual mantra itself, Sama is the diction (swaram) and Yajus is the kriya or action that follows. Hence, in many hymns (stotras and suktas), the word ‘trayee’ is used to denote the entire Vedic science. Misnomer spread when the half-knowledged translators like Max Muller misunderstood and wrongly spread the word that there are three original Vedas (Rg, Yajur and Sama) and the Atharvana Veda is an addition to it! Towards the end of Dwapara Yuga, Maharshi Veda Vyas foresaw the approach of the dark ages or Kali Yuga and decided to help humanity. With his Yogic powers he saw that in Kali Yuga, the life span, intellectual attainments, purity levels and morals at an individual and societal level will be on a decline. Hence, to suit the life spans of this Age, he divided the Veda into 4 – Rg, Yajur, Sama and Atharvana.
Veda forms the basis of Sanatana Dharma. Taking Veda as basis and support came forth the Smriti, Sruti, Purana and Itihaasa. Together, they form the basis of Sanatna Dharma.
Sruti (literally ‘that which was heard’) was a revelation by sound. It is essentially a literature of chant and recitation. For millennia, the hymns were transmitted by the Brahmin priests and were not written down. Sruti part of the Vedas also includes Tantra and other texts.
Smriti (remember, memory) deals with those aspects of Dharma form Veda that we humans are required to put into practice in our daily lives. Since, these texts did a ‘smarana’ or ‘recounted in detail’ what was in Vedas – they came to be known as Smriti. Dharma sastras are part of Smriti.
Puranas were and are a part of the Veda. Sage Vyasa in all his kindness and concern reorganized the Puranic knowledge in the Veda into 18 Mahapuranas (a separate article in found in this blog). Later on came the Itihaasa (historical accounts) which deal with the stories of those great individuals in various timelines who adhered to Sanatana Dharma and show us the way to practically implement the lofty ideals preached by the above texts and thus weave the concept of God, Dharma and Satya into our daily thoughts and actions. Ramayana and Mahabharata explain the aspects of Dharma that are embedded in Vedas and hence part of it. The famous Sloka goes - itihasa puranabhyam vedam samupabrmhayet (The Vedic knowledge should be expounded in the light of Itihaasas and Puranas).
All the above together comprise the core texts of Sanatana Dharma. In these are contained those truths of the cosmos that will pave way for enlightenment. The next time when one faces a question as to what forms the basis of Sanatana Dharma - let us answer confidently and with pride that we belong to the oldest and most thorough of religions. Every Hindu should know this and in ones lifetime make an endeavor to stury our sacred scriptures with an intention of executing the Dharma sutras therein! Om Namah Sivaya!
