Vedas are the foremost revealed scriptures of Hinduism. Vedas are considered to be of divine origin and were revealed to sages or realized by sages. Thus they are termed Shrutis (that which is heard) or Apauruseya (without human origin).
Initially Vedas represented a single body of knowledge. Vedavyasa divided them and compiled/ organized them into four parts. The meaning of his name is “one who divided the vedas.”
Each Veda consists of four parts. Samhitas deal with feeling of devotion and wonder. Brahmanas with rituals and activity. Aranyakas deal with meditation and introspection and Upanishads deal with wisdom and absolute detachment.
“Veda” means knowledge and so the word Veda is also used for any form of knowledge. Samhita refers to the core Vedic Verse. Samhita means “well arranged collection.”
Relevance today: The Agni in marriage is a vedic tradition that has been in continuous practice for the last 4000 years.
The picture is a traditional representation of four Vedas.

Ashtadhyayi is the oldest grammar text of the world (dated around 500 BCE). It codified both Vedic Sanskrit and classical Sanskrit. It has 3959 concise rules of Grammar organized into eight chapters (hence the name Ashtadhyayi). It was written by Panini and he acknowledges atleast ten earlier works on grammar in his work.
It is part of Vyakarana (grammar) texts which belong to Vedangas. Vedangas are limbs of Vedas which are essential to study and comprehend Vedas. They cover both the language aspects of Vedas (grammar, phonetics, etymology, metrics) and rituals of Vedas.
Panini’s work illustrates the word Vasudeva (4.3.98) as a proper noun in an honorific sense, that can equally mean a divine or an ordinary person. This has been interpreted by scholars as attesting the significance of god Vasudeva (Krishna) or the opposite.
The word adhyaya means chapter and ashta means eight.
Relevance today: Panini’s grammar systematically describes how basic Sanskrit elements (roots, suffixes, etc.) combine under specific conditions to produce valid sentences. The rules and elements can generate infinite combinations of words and sentences. This makes the Ashtadhyayi one of the earliest known examples of rigorous, algorithmic thinking applied to language.

Gayatri Mantra is called so because it is in the Gayatri Chhanda, which is a compact meter of 8 syllables each in three lines.
Vedas are extremely poetic and composed in strict meter. Chhanda is the branch of Vedanga that studies prosody and poetrical meter. These works ensure that Veda suktas are recited with the correct rhythm, phonetics, semantics and spiritual potency. They define the number of syllables in a line, length of syllables and structural patterns. This ensures the integrity of transmission of Vedas through the oral tradition. The primary text of Chhanda is Chhandas Shastra by Sage Pingala.
It is derived from the Sanskrit root chand, meaning “to please, delight, or shine,” indicating that the structure is intended to be pleasing to the ear.
Relevance today: Pingala’s work on Chhanda (matrameru) is the earliest representation of Fibonacci series.
The picture is a Raja Ravi Varma Painting of Gayatri Mantra with the verses written.

Jyotisha is study of light emitting objects in the sky. Jyotisha has three parts, Samhita which deals with observational astronomy, Ganhita which deals with mathematical astronomy and Hora which deals with divination which or astrology. Thus both astronomy and astrology are covered in Jyotisha.
Jyotisha tracked celestial bodies and was critical for the proper timing of vedic rituals. Its primary aim was calendar construction, time reckoning, identifying auspicious moments for performing Yajnas. It tracked the movement of the Sun, the moon and the nakshatras.
Jyotisha relies heavily on mathematics and this also led to strong mathematical works. The Kerala school of mathematics is well renowned from ancient times.
Jyoti refers to Light.
Relevance today: The 12 Jyotirlingas refer to places where Shiva exists as a column of light.
Picture is of a traditional panchangam cover.

Arthashastra is part of Upavedas which are secondary bodies of knowledge to the Vedas. Vedas cover the spiritual aspect of life (Dharma and Moksha). Upavedas cover Artha (material means) and Kama (desire). The Upavedas are examples of practical application grounded in Dharma. They focus on our actions in the material world. There are four Upavedas, approximately corresponding to the four vedas, Ayur Veda, Artha Veda, Gandharva Veda and Sthapatya Veda.
Arthashastra is the most important text of Artha Veda. It focusses on governance, the art of acquiring, administering and maintaining a State. It includes the study of economics, political science, law, ethics, sociology, jurisprudence, defence, management, trade and commerce, civil and military engineering, espionage etc.
Arthashastra explicitly summarises the goal of governance – “In the happiness of his subjects lies the King’s happiness; in their welfare, his welfare.”
Artha means wealth or prosperity or material means.
Relevance today: When the diplomatic enclave was created in Delhi to house foreign embassies and consulates, it was appropriately named Chanakyapuri. Some of its main roads are named as Dharma Marg, Satya Marg, Nyaya Marg, Shanti Path etc, reflecting Indian philosophy of governance.
The picture is of Chanakyapuri in Delhi.

Ayurveda is the science of life and longevity. It takes into account the physical, mental and spiritual disposition of a person. It tries to ensure health of body, mind and spirit. It is not just disease cure. It provides a blueprint of life.
Ayurveda is a part of the four Upavedas which pertain to material world. Upavedas address material, aesthetic, psychological and political dimensions of our life.
Charaka Samhita is one among the three principal texts of Ayurveda. The other two are Sushruta Samhita and Ashtanga Hridaya.
Charaka means wandering and this refers to wandering physicians of ancient times.
Relevance today: The Charaka Sahmita also prescribes a code of ethics and practices for physicians and nurses – privacy, consent, non extortion and arms length from family affairs of patients.
The picture is of Charaka in Haridwar.

Brahma is believed to have composed Natya Veda as the fifth Veda to teach the essence of Vedas to common people through performing arts. He then taught Natya Veda to Bharata Muni who is believed to have composed Natya Shastra around 500 BCE. Natya Shastra is part of the Upaveda, Gandharva Veda.
Natya Shastra is a comprehensive encyclopedia of all performing arts as well as literature, aesthetics and architecture. It deals with the emotions, sentiments and moods of theatrical communication. It covers expressions through physical, verbal, material and emotional modes.
It comprehensively covers all creative fields – music, instruments, dancing, figures of speech, lyrics, grammar, stylistics, prosody, stage construction, building sets, architecture, jewelry, make-up and costumes and theatre education.
Natya Shastra goes much further than expressions of the artists (bhava). It aims to evoke the aesthetic emotion (rasa) among the audience. Bharata defines rasa as the aesthetic flavour or emotional essence experienced by the audience. Bharata says, “Natya is created to teach Dharma, inspire virtue and bring joy to all beings.” Performing art is not seen merely as entertainment, but as a vehicle to attain Moksha or bliss.
Relevance today: We use the word “Gana”to refer to songs. This word is mentioned Natya Shastra for popular, regional music intended for entertainment, distinct from the more formal Gandharva music. Incidentally, Gana music in Tamil Nadu refers to absolutely rustic and informal music.
The picture is an image of navarasas.

Itihaasa means “it thus happened.” Itihaasas deal with real events but present them using engaging narratives. Itihaasas show how Dharma is lived. They function as case studies of life. They illustrate the tension between Dharma and Adharma, choices, their consequences, and how they shape destinies. They point out the difference between short term actions and Dharmic actions and how these lead to suffering or stability. Mahabharata, in fact is considered as Panchama Veda or the fifth Veda because it covers everything that is in the Vedas. Mahabharata and Ramayana are about the triumph of Dharma over confusion, ego and impulse.
Brhat Katha is another Itihaasa which did not survive. It is retold in Katha Saritha Sagara.
Relevance today: Our constitution starts with the words “India, that is Bharat”, embedding our itihaasa.

Puranas consist of old episodes and stories mainly meant for the education of ordinary people. The abstract ideas of Vedas are concretized in Puranas through alluring stories. They capture the vedic wisdom in popular idiom. However, they are not just stories. They contain important geographical and historical information that is not present in other works.
There are 18 Mahapuranas and many other puranas. Mahapuranas have five characteristics, they deal with creation; periodic dissolution and recreation; genealogies of devatas, sages, and kings; history of the different ages; and the history of the patriarchs and royal dynasties.
They documented the dynasties and achievements of Kings. Puranas popularized festivals and introduced pilgrimages, rivers, mountains and forests. Thus they transformed our physical geography into a sacred geography. Puranas served as public encyclopedias of those times. While Vedas and Upanishads were meant for scholarly people, the principles of Dharma were communicated to ordinary people through Itihaasas and Puranas.
Puranas refer to several Tirthas which are pilrimage sites. Tirtha means “to cross over,” referring to the crossing over from material to spiritual world.
Relevance today: The famous Durga Saptashati recited during Navaratri is part of Markandeya Purana. Evidence from Skanda Purana was instrumental in establishing Ramjanmabhoomi as the place of birth of Rama in the Supreme Court case on Ayodhya.

Kalpa is the study of rituals and is a part of Vedanga. Agamas are a subset of Kalpa. They deal with institutional worship. The Agamas deal with the temple tradition. They include rules for fairs and festivals in temples. They detail rules for construction of temple, architecture and iconography. The Agamas are further divided into Shaiva, Vaishnava and Shakta agamas.
Tantra is also closely related to Agamas. The Shakta agamas are called Tantras. Further Tantras focus on personal rituals that seek union with the divine whereas Agamas address public ritualistic worship centred around temples. Tantras are wrongly understood as referring to only magic or sexual practices.
Relevance today: All our ancient temples are built according to Agama Shastra. The daily pattern of worship in most ancient temples is as per the Agama procedures.
The picture is a conceptual representation of temples and human body.

The Sanskrit word for philosophy is Darshana or “point of view” or vision or perception. The word itself reveals the broad perspective of Indian philosophical system accommodating and exploring different points of view.
Darshanas refer to the six major schools of philosophy which are Nyaya, Vaisesikha, Sankhya, Yoga, Mimamsa and Vedanta.
Darshanas address five fundamental concepts – What is the nature of a human, what is the nature of the world, what is the nature of the supreme being, what binds a human to the world and what liberates humans?
The Indian Darshana system is vast and also includes pure materialism (Charvaka) and Fatalism (Ajivika).
Darshan in Sanskirt means to see. We use it commonly when we refer to taking Darshan of a deity in a temple.
Relevance today: Yoga is a practical philosophy that we use in daily life. It offers a practical and disciplined system for liberation.
Picture is a summary of Six Darshanas. Credit myNachiketa.com

Vedanta is one of the six Darshanas and is also called Uttara Mimamsa. It signifies both the concluding part of Vedas and the philosophical essence of what they teach. Swami Vivekanada declared that Vedantas are the most sublime philosophy that ever existed.
Upanishads, Brahma Sutras and the Bhagavad Gita are the foundational texts of Vedanta. These three together are called Prasthana Trayi. Often Upanishads themselves are called as Vedanta. The famous schools of Vedanta are Advaita, Dvaita and Vishishtadvaita.
Shankaracharya (Advaita) and Mandana Mishra (Purva Mimamsa) had a prolonged vedantic debate. Mandana Mishra’s scholarly wife was the judge and Shankaracharya won the debate and took Mandana Mishra as his disciple.
Brahman is a foundational idea across all Darshanas. The word Brahman refers to Supreme Reality. The word Brahman is not to be confused with the word brahmin which is an identity.
Relevance today: The national motto Satyameva Jayate is from Munduka Upanishad.
Painting from Himalayan Academy representing the teaching of Upanishads.