Hindu Scriptures · Sacred Texts of Sanātana Dharma

ऋग्वेद

c. 1500–1000 BCE (core hymns); layers extend later · Ṛṣis including Vasiṣṭha, Viśvāmitra, Gṛtsamada, …

Preserve praise-hymns (ṛcas) to devas and cosmic powers for śrauta and domestic ritual, cosmology, and moral order (ṛta).

यजुर्वेद

c. 1200–800 BCE (mantra prose core); recensions fixed later · Ṛṣis…

Supply yajus formulas and ritual directions for hotṛ and adhvaryu roles so soma and fire rituals can be performed precisely.

सामवेद

c. 1200–1000 BCE · Ṛṣis; largely derived from Rigvedic ṛcas set to …

Codify melodies (sāman) and chants for the udgātṛ priest so soma offerings have prescribed musical form.

अथर्ववेद

c. 1200–900 BCE · Atharvan and Angiras ṛṣis…

Domestic rites, healing, royal protection, and popular religion alongside śrauta corpus — the “everyday” Veda.

ईशोपनिषद्

c. 500–200 BCE · Ṛṣi tradition

Unite knowledge (jñāna) and action (karma) without conflict; teach renunciation-in-life.

केनोपनिषद्

c. 500–200 BCE · Ṛṣi tradition

Direct the aspirant beyond sense-gods to Brahman as the true ground of perception and thought.

कठोपनिषद्

c. 500–200 BCE · Ṛṣi tradition

Teach ātman–Brahman identity, discipline of desire, and the path beyond death.

प्रश्नोपनिषद्

c. 300 BCE – 200 CE (scholarly estimates vary) · Ṛṣi Pippālāda tradition

Answer systematic questions on cosmology, life-force (prāṇa), meditation, and Om.

मुण्डकोपनिषद्

c. 500 BCE – 200 CE · Ṛṣi Aṅgiras tradition

Contrast lower Vidyā (ritual science) with higher Brahmavidyā leading to liberation.

माण्डूक्योपनिषद्

c. 200 BCE – 500 CE (debated) · Māṇḍūkya ṛṣi tradition

Map the syllable Oṃ to four pādas of consciousness and ultimate turīya.

तैत्तिरीयोपनिषद्

c. 600–300 BCE · Taittirīya śākhā ṛṣis

Link phonetics-ethics-study (śīkṣā) to knowledge of Brahman-bliss (ānanda-mīmāṃsā).

ऐतरेयोपनिषद्

c. 700–400 BCE · Mahidāsa Aitareya tradition

Explain ātman’s entry into body and the three births (father, mother, guru).

छान्दोग्योपनिषद्

c. 700–400 BCE · Chāndogya tradition

Unify udgītha worship, ethical living, and metaphysics of the one in the many.

बृहदारण्यकोपनिषद्

c. 700–500 BCE · Yājñavalkya and related ṛṣi dialogues

Explore sacrifice, self, death, and the “neti neti” approach to Brahman.

श्वेताश्वतरोपनिषद्

c. 400 BCE – 300 CE · Śvetāśvatara śākhā

Teach devotion and disciplined yoga as means to know the one Lord (Rudra/Īśvara).

रामायण

c. 300 BCE – 300 CE (core Sanskrit text; debated) · Maharishi Valmiki

Record the life of Rāma as ideal dharma-rāja and bhakta, teaching duty, exile, rescue of Sītā, and victory over adharma.

महाभारत

c. 400 BCE – 400 CE (major growth period) · Maharishi Vyasa

Preserve kurukṣetra war epic, royal genealogy, and encyclopedia of dharma, artha, kāma, mokṣa lore.

भगवद्गीता

c. 200 BCE – 200 CE (common scholarly window) · Śrī Kṛṣṇa to Arjuna; recorded by Vyāsa…

Answer Arjuna’s crisis on duty and violence with yoga, bhakti, jñāna, and disciplined action (niṣkāma karma).

ब्रह्मपुराण

Roughly 3rd–10th century CE (layers vary by text) · Maharishi Vyasa

Preserve cosmogony, pitṛ-tīrtha lore, and early royal genealogies.

पद्मपुराण

Roughly 3rd–10th century CE (layers vary by text) · Maharishi Vyasa

Teach tīrtha-māhātmya, vrata, and praise of Viṣṇu–Śiva in regional layers.

विष्णुपुराण

Roughly 3rd–10th century CE (layers vary by text) · Maharishi Vyasa

Systematic Vaiṣṇava cosmology, avatāra cycle, and Manu lineages.

शिवपुराण

Roughly 3rd–10th century CE (layers vary by text) · Maharishi Vyasa

Glorify Śiva, liṅga worship, and sacred geography of Śiva temples.

लिङ्गपुराण

Roughly 3rd–10th century CE (layers vary by text) · Maharishi Vyasa

Focus on Śiva liṅga cosmology, cosmography, and glorification of Śiva worship.

गरुडपुराण

Roughly 3rd–10th century CE (layers vary by text) · Maharishi Vyasa

Viṣṇu–Garuḍa dialogues plus śrāddha and post-death rites (preta-kāṇḍa widely used).

नारदपुराण

Roughly 3rd–10th century CE (layers vary by text) · Maharishi Vyasa

Bhakti-oriented teaching attributed to Devarṣi Nārada.

भागवतपुराण

Roughly 3rd–10th century CE (layers vary by text) · Maharishi Vyasa

Teach supreme bhakti to Lord Kṛṣṇa through kathā, līlā, and the science of liberation.

अग्निपुराण

Roughly 3rd–10th century CE (layers vary by text) · Maharishi Vyasa

Wide digest of ritual, architecture, medicine, politics, and śilpa-śāstra topics.

स्कन्दपुराण

Roughly 3rd–10th century CE (layers vary by text) · Maharishi Vyasa

Preserve regional tīrtha-māhātmya and Kumāra–Śiva mythology across South Asia.

भविष्यपुराण

Roughly 3rd–10th century CE (layers vary by text) · Maharishi Vyasa

Royal genealogies, future-kings lore, and mixed dharma narratives (includes late interpolations).

ब्रह्मवैवर्तपुराण

Roughly 3rd–10th century CE (layers vary by text) · Maharishi Vyasa

Elevate Rādhā–Kṛṣṇa and Devī cosmogonies in medieval bhakti idiom.

मार्कण्डेयपुराण

Roughly 3rd–10th century CE (layers vary by text) · Maharishi Vyasa

Solar dynasty tales and the Devī Māhātmya embedded as its jewel.

वामनपुराण

Roughly 3rd–10th century CE (layers vary by text) · Maharishi Vyasa

Stories of Viṣṇu’s Vāmana avatāra and related tīrthas.

वराहपुराण

Roughly 3rd–10th century CE (layers vary by text) · Maharishi Vyasa

Varāha avatāra cycle, pilgrimage, and vrata instructions.

मत्स्यपुराण

Roughly 3rd–10th century CE (layers vary by text) · Maharishi Vyasa

Matsya avatāra tale plus strong śilpa and dharma-śāstra digests.

कूर्मपुराण

Roughly 3rd–10th century CE (layers vary by text) · Maharishi Vyasa

Kūrma avatāra and mixed Śiva–Viṣṇu praise with tīrtha lore.

ब्रह्माण्डपुराण

Roughly 3rd–10th century CE (layers vary by text) · Maharishi Vyasa

Detailed cosmology, kalpas, and solar–lunar dynasties.

मनुस्मृति

c. 200 BCE – 200 CE (core); later strata · Manu Svāyaṃbhuva

Codify varṇāśrama-dharma, rāja-dharma, and civil/criminal norms for a Brahminical legal ideal.

याज्ञवल्क्यस्मृति

c. 300–500 CE · Yājñavalkya

Restate dharma for Kali-era practice with clearer vyavahāra (legal procedure) sections.

नारदस्मृति

c. 100 BCE – 400 CE (debated) · Devarṣi Nārada

Detail judicial process, evidence, and royal courts (vyavahāra piṇḍa).

शिक्षा

c. 600–200 BCE · Multiple śikṣā-kāras…

Fix pronunciation, accent, duration, and phonetic sandhi for mantra-kartṛ.

व्याकरण

c. 500–400 BCE (Pāṇini) · Pāṇini…

Describe correct word formation so Vedic and classical expression stays precise.

छन्दः

c. 200 BCE – 400 CE · Pingala

Enumerate moric/syllabic meters so chandas of mantras and kāvya stays correct.

निरुक्त

c. 500 BCE · Yāska

Preserve semantic analysis of Vedic vocabulary for correct interpretation.

कल्प

c. 800–200 BCE · Śrauta and Gṛhya sūtrakāras…

Codify exact steps of fire rituals, life-cycle rites, and altar geometry.

ज्योतिष

Vedāṅga Jyotiṣa ~400–200 BCE · Lagadha and later siddhāntins

Align seasonal rituals with lunar/solar cycles and nakṣatras.

आयुर्वेद

Compilations c. 100 BCE – 500 CE · Caraka, Suśruta, Vāgbhaṭa redactors…

Systematize health, disease, surgery, and rasāyana aligned with Atharvan healing hymns.

धनुर्वेद

Medieval strata chiefly · Śiva to Viṣvakarman…

Teach archery, weapons ethics, and protection of dharma for kṣatriyas.

नाट्यशास्त्र

c. 200 BCE – 200 CE (core layers) · Bharata Muni

Codify drama, dance, music, and aesthetic rasa for sacred and royal performance.

स्थापत्यवेद

Gupta period onward for extant treatises · Viśvakarman lineage…

Guide proportional temple design, iconometry, and orientation (vāstu) as sacred craft.

न्यायसूत्र

c. 200 BCE – 200 CE · Akṣapāda Gautama

Set pramāṇas (means of valid knowledge) and rules for debate to ascertain truth.

वैशेषिकसूत्र

c. 200 BCE – 200 CE · Kaṇāda

Enumerate categories (padārthas) and explain composition of world from atoms.

सांख्यकारिका

c. 350–450 CE · Īśvarakṛṣṇa

Systematize puruṣa–prakṛti dualism and the evolution of tattvas from mūlaprakṛti.

योगसूत्र

c. 200 BCE – 400 CE · Patañjali

Restrain mental fluctuations (citta-vṛtti-nirodha) through ethics, posture, breath, and samādhi.

मीमांसासूत्र

c. 300 BCE – 200 CE · Jaimini

Derive dharma from Vedic injunctions through systematic interpretation.

ब्रह्मसूत्र

c. 200 BCE – 400 CE · Bādarāyaṇa / Vyāsa

Systematize Brahman doctrine via concise sūtras inviting commentary tradition.

शैवागम

Roughly mid-1st millennium CE onward (manuscript layers) · Śiva to disciples…

Regulate temple worship, initiation, mantra, and yoga for Śaiva lineages.

पाञ्चरात्र

c. 600–1000 CE for many core saṃhitās · Nārāyaṇa revelation to ṛṣis

Detail pañcarātra dīkṣā, arcana sequences, and philosophical identity of God and soul.

शाक्ततन्त्र

c. 7th–13th century CE for many extant texts · Śiva–Śakti dialogues…

Teach mantra, kuṇḍalinī, ritual, and thealogy of Śakti for initiated śāktas.

रामचरितमानस

c. 1574–1577 CE (traditional composition) · Gosvāmī Tulsīdās

Bring Rāma’s story to vernacular devotees with moral and mystical instruction.

गीतगोविन्द

c. 12th century CE · Jayadeva

Express madhura bhakti and aesthetic rasa for temple song and personal devotion.

देवीमाहात्म्य

c. 400–600 CE (common estimates) · Ṛṣi Mārkaṇḍeya frame

Glorify Devī’s victories over asuras as types of inner and cosmic obstacles.

योगवासिष्ठ

c. 6th–14th century CE (stratified text) · Vālmīki

Use Rāma’s philosophical education to teach non-duality, dispassion, and mind-only insights.

हठयोगप्रदीपिका

15th century CE · Svātmārāma

Practical manual of āsana, prāṇāyāma, mudrā, and samādhi for yogīs.

घेरण्डसंहिता

17th–18th century CE (common scholarly dating) · Gheraṇḍa ṛṣi to disciple Canda

Teach cleansing (ṣaṭkarma), āsana, mudrā, and gradual liberation through haṭha.