On Hinduism

No. However, there are numerous Hindu texts that hold the equivalent importance amongst Hindus. Vedas, Upanishads, Puranas are some examples. Then, there are some others such as The Bhagavad Gita. In the vast Hindu scholarship, an attempt to cast one book as the “Bible of Hindus” will probably be a fruitless pursuit.   

.Other reading material: Short answers to real questions about Hinduism

Relevant videos:

Contributor: Rajeev Singh

Location of this post (7a): https://www.hinduspeakers.org/ufaqs/do-hindus-have-a-bible/

Just like the Bible and Quran are the fundamental scriptures for Christianity and Islam, the Vedas are Hinduism’s oldest and most important scriptures. Vedas are meditations that explore the nature of reality, or the “Truth”, and are classified into 4 books. Each of the 4 Vedas have 4 sections:

1. Samhitas – Hymns
2. Brahmanas – Priestly Manuals
3. Aranyakas – Forest treatises
4. Upanishads – Enlightened Discourses

Upanishads are also known as Vedanta, that which comes at the end of the Vedas. They are the metaphysical discourses that are usually in an entertaining story format, with a teacher and a student, exploring the nature of “Truth”.

Upanishad, the word literally means “come sit near”. The seers of the Vedic age were used to giving public talks (similar to the stories of the Buddha giving large sermons). However, not all the secrets can be revealed to a crowd. If Einstein were asked to explain the Theory of Relativity to a crowd at the Madison Square Garden, he would likely give a lighter-weight TED-talk on his findings. Crowds do not understand nuance.

The Truth (ultimate truth) is subtle. Understanding the truth requires a preparation of the body, mind and spirit. When the student is ready, the teacher would ask the student to “come sit near”, so the truth may be revealed with clarity and precision. The Upanishads record the Truth with nuance, clarity and precision. It is best to approach these texts with reverence and a reasonable estimation of one’s readiness.

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Other reading material: Book-The Upanashads by Eknath Easwaran,

Relevant videos:

Contributor: Madhu

Location of this post (7b): https://www.hinduspeakers.org/ufaqs/what-are-the-upanishads-about/

Hinduism has a long line of scriptural traditions that continue to evolve to this day.

Hinduism’s core scriptures are Shruti (that which is heard, eg. Vedas), Smriti (that which is remembered, Manusmriti), Itihasa (Ramayana and Mahabharata) and Puranas. The Upanishads are also Shruti, which are sublime philosophical meditations on the nature of reality, the Self (Atma), and the permanent and unchanging Brahman (Divinity/God/God substance). Within the Mahabharata is actually contained the Bhagavad Gita, perhaps the text most familiar to non-Indians/Hindus, which describes paths for liberation and also elaborates on both righteous duty (dharma) and the states of detachment (vairagya) under which such duty needs to be undertaken. 

Even after these original scriptures were composed, Hindus continued to create new variants. The Ramayana itself has been adapted multiple times with minor and major variations, including in Hindi as the Ramacharitmanas of Tulsidas. Many other religious texts have developed in various sampradayas, panths, maths, and other religious organizations which are too numerous and substantial to summarize here. 

The Hindu corpus is alive, not just through the reinterpretation of old scriptures but in the writing of new scriptures.

Contributors: Madhukar Adi & Raman Khanna

Location of this post (7c): https://www.hinduspeakers.org/ufaqs/what-are-major-hindu-scriptures/

Vedas are the most authoritative and the root scripture from which others are derived. Vedanta is the end part of the Vedas that consist of the philosophical aspects of vedic teachings. Itihasa and Purana show the practical aspects of how people lived in alignment with Vedic teachings. As questions emerged in the society about the practical aspects of vedas, they were allowed to freely question, meditate, debate and determine a common course/understanding. Summary of such common understanding of the practical aspects of Vedas were then documented in the Smriti’s.

Sri Aurobindo Ghose (1872-1950), Indian mystical and philosopher, put it this way: Hinduism is the most skeptical and the most believing of all religions. It is most skeptical because it has questioned and experimented the most and the deepest, rejecting nothing but insisting on testing and experiencing everything. From this come our scriptures and our beliefs: the Vedas, the Vedanta, the Gita, the Upanishads…But the most authoritative scripture is the heart, where the Eternal has His dwelling.

If you are new to Hinduism or exploring it, the best scripture to start with is Holy Gita. However, the most authoritative are the Vedas. 

Other reading material:

Relevant videos: 10 min summary on Gita, 

Author; Dilip Amin

Location of this post (7d): https://www.hinduspeakers.org/ufaqs/which-one-is-the-most-authoritative-scripture/

These are good prayers if you have to use them at your local school or a community event.

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ॐ सह नाववतु ।

सह नौ भुनक्तु ।

सह वीर्यं करवावहै ।

तेजस्वि नावधीतमस्तु मा विद्विषावहै ।

ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥

Om Sahana Vavatu |

Saha Nau Bhunaktu |

Saha Viiryam Karavaavahai |

Tejasvi Nau-Dhiitam-Astu Maa Vidvissaavahai |

Om Shaantih Shaantih Shaantih ||

Om, May God Protect us All,

May God Nourish us All,

May we Work Together with Energy and Vigour,

May our Study be Enlightening and not give rise to Hostility,

Om, Peace, Peace, Peace.

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ॐ सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः

सर्वे सन्तु निरामयाः ।

सर्वे भद्राणि पश्यन्तु

मा कश्चिद्दुःखभाग्भवेत् ।

ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥

Om Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah

Sarve Santu Nir-Aamayaah |

Sarve Bhadraanni Pashyantu

Maa Kashchid-Duhkha-Bhaag-Bhavet |

Om Shaantih Shaantih Shaantih ||

Om, May All become Happy,

May All be Free from Illness.

May All See what is Auspicious,

May no one Suffer.

Om Peace, Peace, Peace.

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ॐ असतो मा सद्गमय ।

तमसो मा ज्योतिर्गमय ।

मृत्योर्मा अमृतं गमय ।

ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥

Om Asato Ma Sad Gamaya |

Tamaso Ma Jyotir Gamaya | 

Mrityor Ma Amritam Gamaya |

Om Shaantih Shaantih Shaantih ||

Om, May God Lead us from unreality to reality. 

May God Lead us from darkness to light. 

May God Lead us from death to immortality. 

Om, Peace, Peace, Peace.

Other reading material: Peace prayers,

Relevant videos: About Hinduism and prayers,

Contributors: Swati Sudandhi

Location of this post (7e): https://www.hinduspeakers.org/ufaqs/what-are-the-three-best-slokas-for-general-use/

The verse Gita 2:47 reads:

कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलेषु कदाचन ।
मा कर्मफलहेतुर्भूर्मा ते सङ्गोऽस्त्वकर्मणि ॥

Literal meaning: You have the right only to action, never to its results. Do not think yourself the cause of the results of action, and do not be attached to inaction.

• The first phrase, कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते (karmaṇy-evādhikāras te), means you are entitled to action alone. As a human being with free will, your “right” lies in doing.
• The second phrase, मा फलेषु कदाचन (mā phaleṣhu kadācana), teaches that you never have ownership of the results. Even if your action contributes to success, the outcome is shaped by many other factors—seen and unseen—beyond your control.

Key insight:
Focusing only on results makes happiness conditional and fragile. If results don’t come, disappointment follows; if they do, fear of losing them sets in. By contrast, giving full attention to meaningful action in the present brings peace, regardless of outcome.

Thus, the Gita’s teaching is not to abandon goals but to act with dedication, without clinging to results. The past belongs to intention, the future to results—but the present moment belongs to action.

Contributor: Manju Gupta

Location of this post (7f): https://www.hinduspeakers.org/ufaqs/what-does-this-mean-ma-phaleshu-kadachana-gita-247/

Hinduism has many prayers which are about universal unity and universal peace. Below are some such inclusive prayers which can be used in interfaith circles. 

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ॐ सह नाववतु ।
सह नौ भुनक्तु ।
सह वीर्यं करवावहै ।
तेजस्वि नावधीतमस्तु मा विद्विषावहै ।
ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥

Om Saha Navavatu |
Saha Nau Bhunaktu |
Saha Viiryam Karavaavahai |
Tejasvi Nau-Adhiitam-Astu Maa Vidvissaavahai |
Om Shaantih Shaantih Shaantih ||
Meaning:

Om, May the lord protect us all, may he give us knowledge. May he give us energy and focus. May we not have any hostility and may we love each other.

May we have Peace in our heart, peace with each other, may there be peace in the universe. 

This Shanti mantra is in Taittiriya, Katha Upanishad and Shvetashvatara Upanishads

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ॐ सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः
सर्वे सन्तु निरामयाः ।
सर्वे भद्राणि पश्यन्तु
मा कश्चिद्दुःखभाग्भवेत् ।
ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥

Om Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah
Sarve Santu Nir-Aamayaah |
Sarve Bhadraanni Pashyantu
Maa Kashcid-Duhkha-Bhaag-Bhavet |
Om Shaantih Shaantih Shaantih ||
Meaning:

Om, May we all be happy, May we all be healthy, May we always see auspicious things and May no one suffer. May we have Peace in our heart, peace with each other, may there be peace in the universe. 

This shanti mantra is from Brihadaranyaka Upanishad

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ॐ असतो मा सद्गमय ।
तमसो मा ज्योतिर्गमय ।
मृत्योर्मा अमृतं गमय ।
ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥

Om Asato Ma Sad Gamaya |
Tamaso Ma Jyotir Gamaya |
Mrityor Ma Amritam Gamaya |

Om Shaantih Shaantih Shaantih ||
Meaning:

Om, Lead me from the unreal to the real, Lead me from darkness to light, Lead me from death to immortality. May we have Peace in our heart, peace with each other,vmay there be peace in the universe. 

This is a Shanti mantra from the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad.

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ॐ पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदं पूर्णात्पूर्णमुदच्यते ।

पूर्णस्य पूर्णमादाय पूर्णमेवावशिष्यते ॥

ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥

Om Puurnnam-Adah Puurnnam-Idam Puurnnaat-Puurnnam-Udacyate |

Puurnnasya Puurnnam-Aadaaya Puurnnam-Eva-Avashissyate ||

Om Shaantih Shaantih Shaantih ||

Meaning:

What is visible is the infinite. What is invisible is also the infinite. The world is full of Divine consciousness. Nothing is more significant or less significant than anything else because they are all part of the same infinite totality. May we have Peace in our heart, peace with each other, May there be peace in the universe. 

This shloka is from Isavasyopanishad. 

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ॐ द्यौः शान्तिरन्तरिक्षं शान्तिः

पृथिवी शान्तिरापः शान्तिरोषधयः शान्तिः ।

वनस्पतयः शान्तिर्विश्वेदेवाः शान्तिर्ब्रह्म शान्तिः

सर्वं शान्तिः शान्तिरेव शान्तिः सा मा शान्तिरेधि ॥

ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥

om dyauh santirantariksam santih

prthivi santirapah santirosadhayah santih

vanaspatayah santirvisvedevah santirbrahma santih

sarvam santih santireva santih sa ma santiredhi

om santih santih santih

Om, May peace radiate there in the whole sky as well as in the vast space everywhere. May peace reign all over this earth, in water and in all herbs, trees and all plants. May peace flow over the whole universe. May peace be in each of us. And may everything always exist in all peace and peace alone. May we have Peace in our heart, peace with each other, may there be peace in the universe. 

Other reading material: Three slokas for general use,

Relevant videos

Contributor: Sudha Bhat

Location of this post (7g): https://www.hinduspeakers.org/ufaqs/what-is-a-good-all-inclusive-prayer-for-an-interfaith-circle-meetings/