Rig Veda

Sama Veda:

Hymns +

melodies(saman)

Atharva

Veda

Yajur Veda:

sacrificial

formula (yajus)

Vedic Sanskrit laukika Sanskrit

Itihasas:

histories or

epics

Puranas:

stories and

histories

Agamas

dharma sastra

(Manu-Smrti):

law books

Derived from

Content

Bhakti Yoga

(Kirtan)

Handbook for

worship of deities

thru instructions for

technical aspect of

ceremonies

Rk-Mantra

that Praise

Veda = Knowledge

Added last to this

group as it stand

apart-focusing more

on science

Samhitas (hymns)

Brahmanas (rituals)

Aranyakas

(theologies)

Upanishads

(philosophies)

Each of the 4 Vedas are sectionalised as follows:

Also know as Vedanta

1. Samhitas – literally "collections," in this case of hymns and mantras. They form the Veda proper.

2. Brahmanas – prose manuals of ritual and prayer for the guiding priests. They tend to explain the Samhitas. They also contain early versions of some stories.

3. Aranyakas – literally "forest books" for hermits and saints. They are philosophical treatises.

4. Upanishads – books of philosophy, also called "Vedanta," the end or conclusion of the Vedas.

1. Ayur-veda (medicine)

2. Gandharva-veda (music and dance)

3. Dhanur-veda (warfare)

4. Shilpa-veda (architecture)

1. Kalpa (ritual detail)

2. Siksha (pronunciation)

3. Vyakarana (grammar)

4. Nirukti (etymology)

5. Chandas (metre)

6. Jyotisha (astronomy/astrology)

Bhagavad-Gita:

philosophy

(700 verses

Ramayana

Mahabharata

(~200,000

verses)

6 x Siva

6 x Vishnu

6 x Brahma

Totalling 18 Puranas

Sukhla-

Yajur

Krishna-

Yajur

Karmakanda

(Dharma,

Kama, artha)

Jnanakanda

(Mokhsa)