("what has been heard") The Vedas, the oldest Hindu religious scriptures, are the most authoritative genre of Hindu holy literature.
The hymns to the gods known as samhitas, the ritual manuals
known as Brahmanas, and the speculative texts known as the Aranyakas and the
Upanishads are all considered to be part of the Vedas.
The phrase derives from the Hindu concept that these
scriptures were not written by humans but rather are based from the universe'
primal vibrations.
The ancient sages, whose perception faculties had been
sharpened through consistent religious practice, were able to "hear"
and understand these vibrations and pass them on to others in a learning
lineage.
As a result of their belief that their origin is nonhuman,
the shruti is regarded as the highest religious authority.
