Vedas, Upanishads, Itihasas and Puranas in one place. Search by name or topic, filter by tradition, length or language, then open any text to read it verse by verse.
67 of 67 textsपरिणाम
Itihasa
The divine song of Lord Krishna, spoken on the battlefield of Kurukshetra. It teaches the paths of Karma, Bhakti, and Jnana Yoga. Chapter and verse totals on this site are counted from the library files.
Reading level: Introductory
Upanishads
One of the shortest and most profound Upanishads. It discusses the nature of the Self (Atman) and the Absolute (Brahman) in just 18 verses.
Reading level: Introductory
Upanishads
Explores the nature of Brahman as the unseen power behind the senses and mind. Famous for its allegory of the gods (devas).
Reading level: Introductory
Upanishads
The story of Nachiketa and Yama (Death). Explores the nature of death, the eternal soul, and the path to liberation.
Reading level: Introductory
Upanishads
Known for its metaphor of the bow and arrow for attaining Brahman. Distinguishes between higher (para) and lower (apara) knowledge.
Reading level: Introductory
Upanishads
The shortest principal Upanishad (12 mantras). Expounds the four states of consciousness and identifies the Self with AUM. The seed text of Advaita Vedanta.
Reading level: Introductory
Upanishads
Six questions posed by six disciples to sage Pippalada, covering prana, vital forces, meditation, and the Self.
Reading level: Intermediate
Upanishads
Detailed exposition on the five koshas (sheaths) covering the Self and the famous prayer "Satyam Vada, Dharmam Chara".
Reading level: Intermediate
Upanishads
One of the longest Upanishads. Famous for the Mahavakya "Tat Tvam Asi" (That Thou Art) and the story of Uddalaka and Shvetaketu.
Reading level: Intermediate
Upanishads
The largest Upanishad. Contains profound dialogues between Yajnavalkya and Maitreyi, and explores the nature of reality in depth.
Reading level: Intermediate
Upanishads
Notable for its theistic approach describing Brahman as Shiva (Maheshwara). Discusses yoga, meditation, and the nature of God.
Reading level: Intermediate
Upanishads
Describes the creation of the universe, the birth of the individual soul, and the identity of the individual self with the cosmic Self.
Reading level: Intermediate
Upanishads
A principal Upanishad of the Rigveda. Famous for Indra's teaching to Pratardana: prana (conscious breath) is the only true Self. Introduces the two post-death paths: devayana (non-return) and pitriyana (rebirth).
Reading level: Intermediate
Upanishads
A principal Upanishad of the Krishna Yajurveda. Features King Brihadratha's existential crisis, the six-limbed yoga, and the identity of Atman with the cosmic Self. One of the earliest sources for systematic yoga.
Reading level: Intermediate
Upanishads
A major Upanishad of the Krishna Yajurveda containing the Narayana Sukta, Purusha Sukta, and the Mahamrityunjaya (Tryambaka) mantra. Centres on Narayana as the all-pervading supreme reality.
Reading level: Intermediate
Upanishads
A Samanya Upanishad of the Samaveda in six chapters: the creation from Narayana, the dialogues of Shuka, Nidagha and Janaka on liberation while living (jivanmukti), and the celebrated verse 'the whole world is one…
Reading level: Intermediate
Upanishads
A short Upanishad of the Atharvaveda. Teaches liberation through meditation on the Self in the heart-cave. Climaxes with the Mahavakya 'Aham eva param Brahma' — I alone am supreme Brahman.
Reading level: Intermediate
Upanishads
The 'drop of immortality.' A dense 22-verse Atharvaveda Upanishad teaching that the mind is the sole cause of both bondage and liberation. Prescribes mantra (Pranava/AUM) as the direct means to still the mind.
Reading level: Intermediate
Upanishads
The 'drop of light.' A Shiva-Kartikeya dialogue in the Advaita tradition. Employs the neti-neti method of self-inquiry and describes the Jivanmukta — one liberated while still living — as a lamp in a windless place.
Reading level: Intermediate
Upanishads
A short but radical Atharvaveda Upanishad. Declares renunciation (sannyasa) valid at any stage of life — not only old age — and teaches that the sacred city of Kashi (Varanasi) is within the seeker's own body.
Reading level: Intermediate
Upanishads
The 'supportless' Upanishad. Teaches that the Self requires no external support — all external props are impermanent. Discusses maya, the five sheaths, and the state of the liberated sage through the Advaita framework.
Reading level: Intermediate
Upanishads
The canonical meta-Upanishad — a dialogue between Rama (guru) and Hanuman (disciple).
Reading level: Intermediate
Vedas
The oldest scripture of humanity — 10,552 hymns across 10 Mandalas.
Reading level: Advanced
Vedas
The Veda of rituals and sacrifices, containing prose mantras and verses used during Vedic ceremonies.
Reading level: Advanced
Vedas
The Veda of melodies and chants — the world's oldest musical scripture (1,875 verses).
Reading level: Advanced
Vedas
The fourth Veda containing hymns, spells, and incantations for healing, protection, and daily life.
Reading level: Advanced
Itihasa
The Valmiki Ramayana — Adi Kavya, the first poem (~24,000 shlokas, 7 Kandas).
Reading level: Intermediate
Itihasa
The great epic containing the Bhagavad Gita. Narrates the Kurukshetra war and contains over 100,000 verses.
Reading level: Advanced
Itihasa
The retelling of the Ramayana in Awadhi by Goswami Tulsidas. A cornerstone of Bhakti literature.
Reading level: Intermediate
Puranas
Primarily glorifies Vishnu and narrates creation, genealogies of gods and sages, and manvantaras.
Reading level: Advanced
Puranas
The supreme Shaiva Mahapurana — 24,000 verses across 7 Samhitas.
Reading level: Advanced
Puranas
The most celebrated Purana among Vaishnavas. Narrates the avataras of Vishnu, especially Krishna.
Reading level: Advanced
Puranas
A major Shakta Purana glorifying the Divine Mother (Devi). Describes her various forms.
Reading level: Advanced
Puranas
Covers cosmology, genealogies, and detailed descriptions of death rituals, afterlife, and the journey of the soul.
Reading level: Advanced
Puranas
A vast encyclopedic Purana covering architecture, iconography, rituals, medicine, politics, grammar, and yoga.
Reading level: Advanced
Puranas
One of the 18 Mahapuranas (~10,000 verses).
Reading level: Advanced
Puranas
One of the largest Mahapuranas (~55,000 verses across 5 Khandas).
Reading level: Intermediate
Puranas
One of the oldest Puranas dealing with the cosmic egg (Brahmanda). Contains cosmological theories and descriptions of goddesses.
Reading level: Advanced
Puranas
Famous for containing the Devi Mahatmyam (Durga Saptashati), a 700-verse hymn glorifying Goddess Durga.
Reading level: Intermediate
Puranas
A 16,374-verse appendix to the Mahabharata by Vyasa.
Reading level: Advanced
Puranas
An Upapurana prophesying the advent of Kalki — Vishnu's tenth and final avatar — at the end of Kali Yuga.
Reading level: Intermediate
Sutra Scriptures
84 sutras by sage Narada — the most systematic philosophical treatise on bhakti in the Sanskrit tradition.
Reading level: Introductory
Sutra Scriptures
100 sutras by sage Shandilya — the philosophical companion to the Narada Bhakti Sutras.
Reading level: Intermediate
Sutra Scriptures
195 sutras in four padas: Samadhi, Sadhana, Vibhuti and Kaivalya.
Reading level: Intermediate
Puranas
One of the 18 Upapuranas (~220 chapters, ~11,000 verses).
Reading level: Intermediate
Puranas
One of the 18 Mahapuranas (~25,000 verses).
Reading level: Advanced
Puranas
One of the 18 Mahapuranas (~14,000 verses).
Reading level: Advanced
Puranas
One of the 18 Mahapuranas (~11,000 verses).
Reading level: Advanced
Puranas
One of the 18 Mahapuranas (~17,000 verses).
Reading level: Advanced
Smritis
The most important ancient legal text of Hinduism, covering dharma, social duties, ethics, laws, and the four varnas.
Reading level: Intermediate
Vedanta Scriptures
Attributed to Adi Shankaracharya, containing 580 verses on the discrimination between the real (Self) and the unreal (world).
Reading level: Intermediate
Sutra Scriptures
The foundational text of Vedanta philosophy by Vyasa, consisting of 555 aphorisms (sutras) systematizing the Upanishads.
Reading level: Intermediate
Shakta Scriptures
Also known as Devi Mahatmyam, this 700-verse scripture of the Shakta tradition forms chapters 81–93 of the Markandeya Purana.
Reading level: Intermediate
Vedanta Scriptures
The Yoga Vasistha Maharamayana (~32,000 verses, 6 Prakaranas) — the most philosophically sophisticated non-dual text in Sanskrit.
Reading level: Intermediate
Tantras
A five-volume Tantra text attributed to Ravana — Brahmin scholar-king, supreme Shiva-devotee, composer of the Shiva Tandava Stotram, inventor of the Ravanahatta, master of the 64 arts.
Reading level: Advanced
Tantras
One of the three classical Hatha Yoga texts (~645 verses, 5 chapters), narrated by Shiva to Parvati.
Reading level: Advanced
Tantras
A 395-verse Tantric dialogue between Shiva and Parvati — the complete science of Svara Yoga, unique in the tradition for being entirely practical and predictive.
Reading level: Advanced
Tantras
The Yoga Rasayanam — Sanskrit text on the alchemical and rejuvenative dimensions of yogic practice with Hindi translation.
Reading level: Advanced
Stotras
The Vinaya Patrika ('Letter of Humility') — 279 lyrical petitions by Goswami Tulsidas in Brajbhasha, addressed to Ganesha, Shiva, the Sun, Yamuna, Ganga, Hanuman, and Rama.
Reading level: Intermediate
Puranas
The Brahmavaivarta Purana (~18,000 verses, 4 Khandas) — one of the 18 Mahapuranas, unique in presenting Krishna as Para-Brahman.
Reading level: Intermediate
Puranas
The Vamana Purana (~10,000 verses, 96 chapters) — one of the 18 Mahapuranas, narrated by Pulastya to Narada.
Reading level: Advanced
Puranas
The Varaha Purana (~24,000 verses, 217 chapters) — one of the 18 Mahapuranas, narrated by Vishnu as Varaha (Boar avatar, 3rd Dashavatara) to Bhudevi (Earth goddess).
Reading level: Intermediate
Puranas
The Vayu Purana — one of the oldest Mahapuranas (~24,000 verses, 2 Khandas), narrated by Wind god Vayu at Naimisharanya.
Reading level: Advanced
Itihasa
Vidura Niti — counsel of Vidura to Dhritarashtra from Mahabharata Udyoga Parva (~560 verses).
Reading level: Introductory
Puranas
The largest of the 18 Mahapuranas (~81,000 verses, 7 Khandas), narrated by Skanda (Kartikeya) to sage Agastya.
Reading level: Advanced
Smritis
Daily religious rituals and observances prescribed in Hindu Dharma.
Reading level: Intermediate
Vedanta Scriptures
A dialogue on the nature of the Self and liberation. Some chapters remain under editorial review.
Reading level: Intermediate