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Smriti
📘 The Remembered Texts of Hindu Wisdom
In Hindu tradition, scriptures are divided into two broad categories:
- Shruti – “That which is heard” (e.g., Vedas, Upanishads – considered divine revelation)
- Smriti – “That which is remembered” (texts composed by sages and scholars over time)
While Shruti is universal and eternal, Smriti is dynamic and meant to guide human behavior in practical life — including law, ethics, society, and duties.
🧠 What Does Smriti Mean?
“Smriti” literally means “memory” or “that which is remembered.”
Unlike the Vedas (which are considered divine and eternal), Smritis were composed by human intellect, inspired by spiritual understanding.
They reflect the social, moral, and legal codes of different times and regions — but always within the broad spiritual framework of the Vedas.
📜 What’s Included in Smriti Literature?
Smriti is a huge category that includes:
- Dharma Shastras (laws and ethics)
- Itihasas (epics – Ramayana and Mahabharata)
- Puranas (mythological texts)
- Sutras and Shastras (rituals, yoga, philosophy)
- Agamas and Tantras (temple worship, meditations)
- Niti Shastras (morality and politics, like Chanakya’s Arthashastra)
Let’s explore the most influential ones 👇
⚖️ 1. Dharma Shastras (Codes of Law)
These are manuals on how to live according to dharma (righteous duty) in various roles — student, householder, king, monk, etc.
The most famous among them:
- Manu Smriti – The oldest and most well-known, covering duties, law, caste, marriage, punishment, and more.
- Yajnavalkya Smriti
- Narada Smriti
- Parashara Smriti – focused more on the Kali Yuga (our current age)
🔹 Note: Many of these were interpreted differently over time, and some verses have been challenged in modern debates on caste and gender roles.
🏹 2. Itihasas – Epics That Teach
- Ramayana (by Valmiki)
- Mahabharata (by Vyasa)
These are Smriti texts because they teach dharma through stories — not abstract rules, but real-life dilemmas, emotions, and choices.
The Bhagavad Gita, found in the Mahabharata, is a Smriti text that has Shruti-like status due to its profound spiritual teachings.
🔱 3. Puranas – Stories of Gods & Creation
There are 18 major and many minor Puranas. Though devotional in nature, they offer:
- Cosmology
- Legends of gods and goddesses
- Genealogies of kings and sages
- Festivals and rituals
- Moral values through stories
They make Vedic truths accessible to everyone.
🧘♂️ 4. Sutras, Agamas & Shastras
- Yoga Sutras of Patanjali – Philosophy and psychology of mind & meditation.
- Dharma Sutras – Earlier legal texts (basis for later Smritis).
- Agamas (Shaiva, Vaishnava, Shakta) – Guidelines for temple rituals, deity worship, yantras, and mantras.
📚 How Smriti Differs from Shruti
| Aspect | Shruti | Smriti |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | “Heard” (Revealed) | “Remembered” (Composed) |
| Authority | Eternal, Supreme | Practical, Secondary to Shruti |
| Examples | Vedas, Upanishads | Ramayana, Mahabharata, Smritis, Puranas |
| Scope | Spiritual truths | Social, ethical, ritual guidelines |
| Flexibility | Immutable | Adaptable across time and region |
🔍 Relevance Today
While Shruti holds the spiritual core, Smritis are the bridge to everyday life.
They offer moral stories, social frameworks, and rituals that adapt to time and place. Scholars, saints, and reformers have revisited and reinterpreted Smriti texts to suit evolving societies.
🕯️ Final Thought
“Smriti teaches us how to live in this world, while Shruti shows us the way beyond it.”
Together, they form the complete guide for a spiritual, ethical, and meaningful life — one rooted in inner truth and outer responsibility.