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Shruti ("what is heard") refers to a canon
of Hindu religious scripture; the earliest of which have existed (in written form) since as early as 1500 BC, with most scholarship favoring
between 1200 and 800 BC.
Shruti is said to have no author; but rather, are the divine recordings of "cosmic sounds of truth", heard by rishis.
There are several contesting divisions for Shruti. The most common is to identify the 4 Vedas as the Shruti:
- Rig Veda (probably the oldest)
- Atharva Veda
- Sama Veda
- Yajur Veda
Another grouping takes sub-divisions within the Vedas, such as the Aranyakas, Brahmanas, and Upanishads; and adds that collection to the 4 Vedas listed above.
Note: The Mahabharata (an Itihasa or History, also part of the "friendly
scripture" class) is sometimes considered to be Shruti and is sometimes called the fifth Veda. Additionally, the Bhagavad Gita, a
chapter within the Mahabharata, is also sometimes separately considered as worthy of the Shruti status.
See also: Smriti.
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