The Library of Sacred Texts


"[There exists] a body of sacred literature so vast that by one calculation it would take 70 lifetimes of devoted study to read all of it." (Sastras: Scriptures)

The Vedas are Sruti

Welcome To The Library of Sacred Texts. First let us discuss the history and details of the classification of the Sacred Texts.
The Sacred Texts are bifurcated into the two categories : Sruti, that which is heard, and Smriti, that which is remembered. These two categories establish the texts of the rule of law within the hindu tradition.

Sruti is considered to be the authority and primary source of dharma as it consists of the vedas & upanishads. Claiming no authorship, the texts are of divine origin.
Smriti is post-vedic literature. Being recollections of tradition, rather than revelations , smriti is considered to be a secondary authority to Sruti. Hundreds of texts are classfied as Smriti including the 6 vedangas which are considered a pre-requisite to understanding the vedas.


Because this website is managed, updated & maintaned entirely a labor of love, it may take me awhile to get it further organized but the list continues to grow and will be indexed into categories.
A vast array of sacred knowledge is available through Google Books. We have compiled a short, but growing, selection of books available for viewing and download in PDF format via google books. If you find any sacred texts that we may be lacking please email us.


The Vishnu Purána By Horace Hayman Wilson, Fitzedward Hall
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The Garuda Purana By Naunidhir?ma, Naunidhir?ma, Ernest Wood, S. V. Subrahmanyam
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The Wisdom of the Hindus By Brian Brown
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Atharva-Veda Samhita By William Dwight Whitney, Charles Rockwell Lanman
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The Chhándogya Upanishad of the Sáma Veda By Ra-jendrala-la Mitra, S'an.kara-ca-rya
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Rig-Veda-sanhita By Friedrich Max Müller
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The Upanishads By Swami Parmananda
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The Vedânta Doctrine of Sri Sankaracharya By Sankaracharya
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The Upanishads and Sri Sankara's Commentary By S. Sitarama Sastri, Sankaracarya
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The Sambandhavartika of Suresvaracharya By Suresvaracarya, Sillattur Venkataramana Aiyar
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The Rámáyana of Tulsi Dás By Tulasi-da-sa, Frederic Salmon Growse
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Hindu Mythology, Vedic and Puranic By William Joseph Wilkins
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The Secret Doctrine: Cosmogenesis By Helena Petrovna Blavatsky
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The Story of Vedic India as Embodied Principally in the Rig-Veda By Zénaďde
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The Religions of India By Auguste Barth
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Hindu Tribes and Castes By Matthew Atmore Sherring
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The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali By Patańjali, Charles Johnston
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The Brahmavâdin
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A Tibetan-English Dictionary with Sanskrit Synonyms By Sarat Chandra Das
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The Science of Breath and the Philosophy of the Tattvas By Ra-ma-prasa-da
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Bra-hmanism and Hindu-ism By Monier Monier-Williams
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The Sarva-dars'ana-sam.graha By Ma-dhava
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Durga Puja By Pratapachandra Ghosha
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Origin of the Durga Puja By Pratapachandra Ghosha
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An Outline of the Religious Literature of India By John Nicol Farquhar
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Original Sanskrit Texts
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Genealogy of the South-Indian Gods By Bartholomaeus Ziegenbalg
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Jainism By Edward Thomas
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Other PDF Downlads

Find More Sanskrit DocumentsHere and in The Sacred Library

Download Spiritual Calendar (PDF)
Rig Veda, First Mandala, 50th Sukta
Kashmir Shaivism - Essential PDF.

Shiva Sutras

Mahavakyas - The "Great Sayings" of the Upanishads

Shiva Sahasranam

Rare Version of Shiva Sahasranam

Ganesh Sahasranam

Stotram to the Guru by Shankaracharya

Trotaka's Hymn to his Master Shankaracharya

Lalita Stotram by Shankaracharya

Ganesha Stava

The Vedic Gods Agni, Indra and Soma as Interrelated: A Study of Soma


Similiar / Relevant Pages
Sacred Links The Library of Sacred Texts Vedanga Smriti Sruti

Last updated 10.3.2009