Sacred Texts

• The Vedas (Revealed Knowledge, ~1500-1200 BCE): The oldest sacred texts. Four collections of hymns, rituals, and philosophy.
• The Upanishads (Revealed Knowledge, ~800-200 BCE): Philosophical conversations about the nature of reality. The "end" of the Vedas.
• The Bhagavad Gita (Most Widely Read, ~200 BCE): Krishna's teachings to Arjuna on the battlefield. The most popular Hindu text.
• The Mahabharata (Epic History, ~400 BCE - 400 CE): The longest epic poem ever written. Contains the Bhagavad Gita within it.
• The Ramayana (Epic History, ~500-100 BCE): The epic journey of Prince Rama. A story about the ideal way to live.
• The Puranas (Remembered Tradition, ~300-1500 CE): 18 major texts that make complex philosophy accessible through stories.