👂 Shruti: heard
Many Hindus see shruti as the highest authority because they believe it comes from beyond human minds. Examples: the four Vedas and the Upanishads.
Hinduism: Origins and Their Impact on the Community » Shruti and Smriti: The Vedas and the Upanishads
What you'll learn this session
Study time: 30 minutes
Edexcel spec: Paper 2 Hinduism (4RS1/2C), 1.2
- The difference between shruti and smriti texts, and why both matter to Hindus today
- The four Vedas and how each one is built
- Why the Vedas are seen as revealed scripture
- What the Upanishads teach and how they teach it
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Unlock This CourseTwo kinds of sacred text
Hindus do not have one single holy book. They have a huge library of sacred writings, built up over thousands of years. Hindus sort these texts into two groups, and knowing the two groups is the key to this whole topic.
Key terms:
- Shruti (recap from Hindu Nurture, the Vedas and the Four Yogas): 'what is heard'. Texts that Hindus believe were revealed to the ancient rishis (seers), not made up by them. The Vedas and the Upanishads are shruti.
- Smriti: 'what is remembered'. Texts written down from memory and tradition by human authors. They include the great epics (long stories in verse), the Puranas (ancient collections of stories about the gods) and the law books.
📖 Smriti: remembered
Smriti is human in origin, so it can be retold and applied to new times. Examples: the Mahabharata and Ramayana (the two epics), the Puranas and law books such as the Laws of Manu.
Shruti is usually seen as the more authoritative group. Smriti is often the group people meet first, in stories told at home, plays and films. Both are important to Hindus today. Shruti gives the foundation of belief, and smriti shows how to live it out in everyday life.
The four Vedas
The Vedas are the oldest Hindu scriptures. 'Veda' means 'knowledge'. There are four.
- Rig Veda: the oldest, made up of hymns of praise to deities such as Agni (fire) and Indra.
- Sama Veda: verses set to music for chanting. Most of its verses also appear in the Rig Veda.
- Yajur Veda: the words to be spoken during rituals and sacrifices.
- Atharva Veda: prayers and spells about everyday life, such as health, protection and family.
Each Veda is built in layers. It has hymns (called samhitas), ritual texts (the Brahmanas, which explain how to perform the rituals) and philosophical sections (the Upanishads, which ask deep questions about reality and the self). A short layer between them, the Aranyakas, was for those who studied in the forest.
Why the Vedas are revealed scripture
Hindus believe the Vedas were not written by any person. The rishis 'heard' them through deep meditation. Many Hindus believe the Vedas are eternal, existing before any human author.
For centuries the Vedas were passed on by word of mouth, learned by heart and chanted exactly, with great care over every sound. They were written down much later. Today they are still chanted at important rituals, such as weddings. A well-known example is the Gayatri Mantra, a prayer from the Rig Veda that many Hindus recite each day.
The Vedas matter today for several reasons:
- They are the first authority for the whole tradition. Many Hindu groups say that their teachings must agree with the Vedas.
- Their sounds are seen as sacred, so chanting them is itself a form of worship.
- They link Hindus now to a very ancient past.
The Upanishads
The Upanishads are the philosophical sections of the Vedas. The word is often explained as 'sitting near', because students sat close to a teacher to learn. There are over a hundred, but about ten are called the principal ones.
The Upanishads are mystical, because they try to describe something beyond ordinary experience, and metaphorical, because they teach through images and stories. The big idea is that the atman (the true self) and Brahman (ultimate reality) are one, which you have already met. Here are three ways they teach.
🧂 Salt in water
A father tells his son to put salt in water. In the morning the salt cannot be seen, but every sip tastes of it. Brahman is in everything in the same way: 'That you are' (tat tvam asi).
🐦 Two birds
Two birds sit on one tree. One eats the fruit. The other simply watches. This is often read as the self caught up in the world, and the self as the quiet witness.
💡 Light
A famous prayer in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad asks to be led from untruth to truth, from darkness to light and from death to immortality.
Because they are metaphorical, the Upanishads do not give one fixed answer. Hindus read them in different ways. Advaita followers (Shankara's view, met in the last lesson) read them as saying atman and Brahman are one, while others read them as saying the soul depends on God. For many Hindus today the Upanishads are the heart of Hindu philosophy, studied by teachers and swamis (religious teachers) and used in meditation.
Common mistakes
- Saying 'shruti' means a book written by God. It means 'what is heard' and describes how Hindus believe it was received.
- Thinking smriti is unimportant. Many Hindus know the epics and Puranas far better than the Vedas.
- Writing 'the Vedas' as if they are one book. There are four, each with several layers.
- Thinking the Upanishads and the Vedas are separate. The Upanishads are the philosophical part of the Vedas.
Exam-style question
(a) Outline two features of the Vedas. [4 marks] (Paper 2, AO1)
(b) Explain why the Upanishads are important for Hindus today. [6 marks] (Paper 2, AO1 and AO2)
(c) 'Shruti texts are more important to Hindus than smriti texts.' Discuss this statement, considering the arguments for and against. In your answer you should include: reference to teachings; other (divergent) points of view; your opinion, using reasoned arguments. [10 marks] (Paper 2, AO1 and AO2)
Model answer
(a) One feature is that there are four of them: the Rig, Sama, Yajur and Atharva Vedas (1), each with a different job, for example the Sama Veda is set to music for chanting (1). Another feature is that they are shruti, revealed to the rishis (1), so Hindus believe they were not made up by humans (1).
(b) The Upanishads are important because they are the philosophical part of the Vedas, so they carry the authority of shruti (1). They teach that the atman and Brahman are one, which is the base of Hindu ideas about the self and liberation (1). They teach using images, such as salt in water, so that ideas are memorable (1). They are used in meditation and studied by teachers and swamis, so they guide how Hindus search for the truth about the self (1). They are read in different ways, for example Advaita followers read them as saying atman and Brahman are the same, so different Hindu traditions can all use them (1). Many Hindus quote them in prayer and teaching, which keeps them alive in religious life today (1).
(c) Plan. For: shruti is believed to be revealed, so it is the highest authority (1); Hindu groups test their teachings against the Vedas (1); Vedic mantras are used at key rituals (1). Against: many Hindus learn their faith through smriti stories such as the Ramayana (1); smriti shows how to live dharma in daily life (1); few ordinary Hindus can read the Vedas themselves. Conclusion: shruti may be the foundation, but smriti is how most Hindus meet their religion each day, so the answer depends on what 'important' means. A strong answer picks a side and gives a reason.
Exam tip
In a 'Discuss' question, name at least one different view within Hinduism (for example, the Vedas as the highest authority versus the epics as the most used) and then give your own reasoned opinion.
Recap
- Shruti is 'what is heard' (the Vedas and Upanishads). Smriti is 'what is remembered' (epics, Puranas and law books).
- The four Vedas are the Rig, Sama, Yajur and Atharva, each with hymns, ritual texts and philosophical sections.
- Hindus see the Vedas as revealed, passed on by memory and still chanted today.
- The Upanishads teach through images and stories, and are central to Hindu thought today.