Shrutis

Shrutis are the books of authority for Hindus. The word shruti literally means “that which is heard”. They are said to contain spiritual knowledge acquired through deep meditation. The main set of texts is called the Vedas.

The Vedas is not the utterance of persons. The Vedas do not owe their authority to anybody, they are themselves the authority, being eternal -- the knowledge of God. They were never written, never created, they have existed through time; just as creation is infinite and eternal, without beginning and without end, so is the knowledge of God without beginning and without end. And this knowledge is what is meant by the Vedas (Vid = to know).

The Vedas are divided into two principal parts, the Karma Kaanda and the Jnaana Kaanda – the work portion and the knowledge portion respectively. The Karma Kaanda consists of the duties of man, duties as a student, duties as a householder, duties as a recluse, and the various duties of the various stations of life.

The Vedas are very exhaustive scriptures. Each Veda contains several sections and thousands of hymns. Some of the Vedic hymns, especially the hymns of the Rig Veda, are considered to be at least 6000-8000 years old.
Sanskrit, the language of the Vedas, was oral before it was textual. Thus, the Vedas were recited before they were ever written down. It is clear that, then as now, religious texts are grounded not in sight but in sound. The spoken word is a vehicle of the holy. The four existing Vedas are:

Rig Veda
Sama Veda
Yajur Veda
Atharva Veda

The Essence of the Vedas

Live in the spirit of the teachings of the Vedas. Learn to discriminate between the permanent and the impermanent. Behold the Self in all beings, in all objects. Names and forms are illusory. Feel that there is nothing but the Self. Share what you have,-physical, mental, moral or spiritual,-with all. Serve the Self in all. Feel when you serve others that you are serving your own Self. Love thy neighbor as thyself. Melt all illusory differences. Remove all barriers that separate man from man. Mix with all. Fix the mind on the Self when you work. This is the essence of the teachings of the Vedas and sages of yore. This is real, eternal life in Atman. Put these things in practice in the daily battle of life. You will shine as a dynamic Yogi or a Jivanmukta. There is no doubt of this.

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