Hindu religion is not derived from a single book. It has many sacred writings which serve as a source of doctrine. The most important texts include the Vedas,Upanishads, the Puranas, the Epics – Ramayana, Mahabharata and the Bhagavad Gita. Hinduism is very much a religion of revelation. Hinduism is explained through what Swami Vivekananda described as “the accumulated treasury of spiritual laws discovered by different persons in different times.” The scriptures were transmitted orally, in verse form to aid memorization, for many centuries before they were written down.While many of these texts are in Sanskrit, several others have been composed in, or translated into other Indian languages. list of some scriptures:
Agama – important smriti scriptures. Different denominations understand this term in different ways.
Aranyaka (आरण्यक) : Part of the Hindu Śruti that discuss philosophy, sacrifice and the New Year holiday.
Atharva Veda: one of the four Vedas; the last one
Akilathirattu Ammanai: A 19th century Tamil Vaishnavite text and the primary scripture of Ayyavazhi sect.
Bhagavad Gītā (भगवद् गीता) : The national gospel contained in Mahābhārata, Part of the epic poem Mahabharata, located in the Bhishma-Parva[disambiguation needed] chapters 23–40. A core sacred text of Hinduism and philosophy.[4]
Bhagavata Purana – one of the “Maha” Puranic texts of Hindu literature, and is Sanskrit for “The Book of God”.
Brahmana – one of the parts into which the Vedas are divided.
Brahma Sutras – important texts in Advaita Vedanta.
Chandas – (छंदः), the study of Vedic meter, is one of the six Vedanga disciplines, or “organs of the vedas.
Chandogya Upanishad – is associated with the Samaveda. It figures as number 9 in the Muktika canon of 108 Upanishads. It is part of the Chandogya Brahmana, which has ten chapters.
Charaka Samhita: An early Ayurvedic text on internal medicine. It is believed to be the oldest of the three ancient treatises of Ayurveda.
“‘Code of Manu”‘ – is the most important and earliest metrical work of the Dharmaśāstra textual tradition of Hinduism
Devi Mahatmya also known as Durgā Saptashatī – 700 verses from Mārkandeya Purana giving an account of the Glory of Devi, the Goddess, the most important text of Shaktism – sometimes referred to as the “Shakta Bible”
Devi Bhagavata – One of the Puranas which is one of the most important writings in Shaktism.
Divya Prabandha – Collection of 4000 verses in Tamil; sung by Alvars saints on Vishnu. Considered as Dravida Veda.
Gheranda Samhita (धेरंड संहिता): One of the three classic texts of Hatha Yoga (see also: Hatha Yoga Pradipika and the Shiva Samhita) written in the late 17th century CE.
Gītā (गीता): See Bhagwad Gita
Hatha Yoga Pradipika: is one of the fundamental text of Hatha Yoga including information about asanas, pranayama, chakras, kundalini, bandhas,kriyas, shakti, nadis and mudras. It was written by Swami Swatmarama in the 15th century CE.
Itihasas – in Hindu religious context this term refers to the Mahabharata and the Ramayana but may also be used in reference to all kinds of Indian epic poetry
Mahabharata (महाभारत): One of the two major ancient Sanskrit epics of India, the other being the Ramayana. The Mahabharata is of religious and philosophical importance in India; in particular, the Bhagavad Gita, which is one of its chapters (Bhishmaparva) and a sacred text of Hinduism.
Manu Smriti (मनुस्मृति) : The Manusmriti translated “Laws of Manu” is regarded as an important work of Hindu law and ancient Indian society. Manu was the forefather of all humans and author of Manu Smriti.
Purana (पुराण): Purana meaning “ancient” or “old” is the name of a genre (or a group of related genres) of Indian written literature (as distinct from oral literature). Its general themes are history, tradition and religion. It is usually written in the form of stories related by one person to another.
Rāmāyaṇa (रामायण): Part of the Hindu smriti, written by Valmiki. This epic of 24,000 verses in seven kandas (chapters or books) tells of a Raghuvamsaprince, Rama of Ayodhya, whose wife Sita is abducted by the rakshasa Ravana.
Rigveda (ऋग्वेद): The Rigveda is a collection of Vedic Sanskrit hymns counted as the holiest of the four religious texts of Hindus, known as the Vedas.