There are four Vedas, the Rig Veda, Sama Veda, Yajur Veda and Atharva Veda.
The Vedas are the primary texts of Hinduism.
They also had a vast influence on Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism.
The Rig Veda, the oldest of the four Vedas, was
composed about 1500 B.C., and codified about 600 B.C.
It is unknown when it was finally comitted to writing,
but this probably was at some point after 300 B.C.
The Vedas contain hymns, incantations, and rituals from ancient
India. Along with
the Book of the Dead,
the Enuma Elish,
the I Ching,
and the Avesta, they are among
the most ancient religious texts still in existence.
Besides their spiritual value, they also give a unique
view of everyday life in India four thousand years ago.
The Vedas are also the most ancient extensive texts in
an Indo-European language, and as such are invaluable
in the study of comparative linguistics.
RIG VEDA The Rig-Veda
translated by Ralph Griffith [1896]
This is a complete English translation of the Rig Veda.
Rig-Veda (Sanskrit).
This is the complete Rig Veda in Sanskrit, in Unicode Devanagari script
and standard romanization.
SAMA VEDA The Sama-Veda
translated by Ralph Griffith [1895] 282,861 bytes.
The Sama Veda is a collection of hymns used
by the priests during the Soma sacrifice. Many of these duplicate in
part or in whole hymns from the Rig Veda. This is a complete translation.
YAJUR VEDA The Yajur Veda
translated by A.B. Keith [1914]
This is a complete translation of the Yajur Veda. The Yajur Veda is a
detailed manual of the Vedic sacrificial rites.
ATHARVA VEDA The Atharva-Veda
translated by Maurice Bloomfield [1897]
(Sacred Books of the East, Vol. 42)
The Atharva Veda also contains material from the
Rig Veda, but of interest are the numerous incantations and
metaphysical texts, which this anthology (part of the
Sacred Books of the East series) collects and categorizes.
The Atharva Veda was written down much later than the rest of the
Vedas, about 200 B.C.; it may have been composed about 1000 B.C.
A Vedic Reader for Students
by A.A. Macdonell [1917]
(excerpts) 121,143 bytes
This text serves as an introduction to the dramatis personae of the
Rig Veda.
The Upanishads, Part I (SBE 1) The Upanishads, Part II (SBE 15)
Max Müller, translator [1879]
(Sacred Books of the East, vols. 1 and 15)
The Upanishads
are a continuation of the Vedic philosophy, and were written between
800 and 400 B.C. They elaborate on how the soul (Atman)
can be united with the ultimate truth (Brahman) through
contemplation and mediation, as well as the doctrine of
Karma-- the cumulative effects of a persons' actions.
Other Primary Texts
The Laws of Manu
George Bühler, translator [1886]
(Sacred Books of the East, vol. 25)
Manu was the legendary first man, the Adam of the Hindus. This
is a collection of laws attributed to Manu.
The Dharma Sutras
George Bühler translator [1879]
(Sacred Books of the East, Vol. 2)
This is the first half of the Dharma Sutras, another set of law books
by various scholars from the first millenium B.C.
The Institutes of Vishnu
Julius Jolly, translator [1880]
(Sacred Books of the East, Vol. 7)
This is also one of the law books of Hinduism. It contains
several notable passages, including descriptions of yogic practises,
and a moving hymn to the Goddess Prajapati.
The Epics
The Mahabharata and Ramayana are the national epics of India.
They are probably the longest poems in any language.
The Mahabharata, attributed to the sage Vyasa,
was written down from 540 to 300 B.C. The Mahabharata tells
the legends of the Bharatas, a Vedic Aryan group.
The Ramayana, attributed to the poet Valmiki, was written
down during the first century A.D., although it is based on
oral traditions that go back six or seven centuries earlier.
The Ramayana is a moving love story with moral and spiritual
themes that has deep appeal in India to this day.
In addition, a key Hindu sacred text, the Bhagavad Gita,
is embedded in Book Six of the Mahabharata.
Rámáyan Of Válmíki
translated by Ralph T. H. Griffith [1870-1874]
This is the first complete public domain translation of
the Ramayana to be placed online.
The Ramayana and Mahabharata
R. Dutt translator [1899]
A very readable abridged version of these epics.
Indian Idylls,
Sir Edwin Arnold, translator [1883]
279,713 bytes
More stories from the Mahabharata, rendered in poetry.
Bhagavad Gita
The Bhagavad Gita, usually considered part of the
sixth book of the Mahabharata (dating from about 400 or 300 B.C.),
is a central text of Hinduism, a philosphical dialog
between the god Krishna and the warrior Arjuna.
This is one of the most popular and accessible of all Hindu scriptures,
required reading for anyone interested in Hinduism.
The Gita discusses selflessness, duty, devotion, and meditation, integrating
many different threads of Hindu philosophy.
The Bhagavadgîtâ
with the Sanatsugâtîya and the Anugîtâ
translated by Kâshinâth Trimbak Telang,
(Sacred Books of the East, Vol. 8) [1882]
This is a scholarly prose translation of the Bhagavad Gita
with two other similar, less well known, works from the Mahabharata.
The Bhagavad Gita
A modern prose translation, sanctioned by the International Gita Society.
The Bhagavad Gita
Sir Edwin Arnold, translator [1885]
A classic poetic version of the Gita.
Vedanta
The Vedântâ-Sûtras,
with commentary by Râmânuja,
translated by George Thibaut;
(Sacred Books of the East, Volume 48)
[1904]
The Vedântâ-Sûtras,
with commentary by Sankarâkârya,
translated by George Thibaut; Part I
(Sacred Books of the East, Volume 34)
[1904]
The Crest-Jewel of Wisdom
and other writings of Śankarâchârya;
translation and commentaries by Charles Johnston
[1946, copyright not renewed]
Later texts
The S'rimad Devî Bhâgawatam
translated by Swami Vijnanananda (Hari Prasanna Chatterji) [1921]
This etext is being transcribed by a volunteer and
new chapters will be posted as they are received.
The Devî Gita
translated by Swami Vijnanananda (Hari Prasanna Chatterji) [1921]
The Song of the Goddess.
This is an excerpt from the S'rimad Devî Bhâgawatam (above)
The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali80,965 bytes
This concise work describes an early stage in
the philosophy and practise of Yoga. Dating from about 150 B.C.,
the work shows dualist and Buddhist influences.
The Yoga Sutras are required reading if you are interested
in Yoga and meditation.
These are western collections of Indian folklore,
written in the 19th and early 20th Century.
These texts are courtesy of Phillip Brown, from his now-defunct
Belinus.co.uk site.