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{{Main|Shruti_(श्रुतिः)}}The Vaidika texts were memorized and transmitted orally, from one generation to next, hence preserved over thousands of years. There are two classifications of Hindu texts: ''[[Shruti]]'' – that which is heard, and ''[[Smriti]]'' – that which is remembered.

{{Main|Shruti_(श्रुतिः)}}The Vaidika texts were memorized and transmitted orally, from one generation to next, hence preserved over thousands of years. There are two classifications of Hindu texts: ''[[Shruti]]'' – that which is heard, and ''[[Smriti]]'' – that which is remembered.

The Vedas are called Shrutis. Rishis have received the Vedas through revelation and hence Vedas are considered to be ''[[Apauruseya|apauruṣeya]]'', or entirely superhuman, without any author. The Vedas are the foundational authority of the people of Sanatana Dharma.<ref name=":022">Swami Sivananda, All about Hinduism</ref>

The Vedas are called Shrutis. Rishis have received the Vedas through revelation and hence Vedas are considered to be ''[[Apauruseya|apauruṣeya]]'', or entirely superhuman, without any author. The Vedas are the foundational authority of the people of Sanatana Dharma.<ref name=":022">Swami Sivananda, All about Hinduism</ref><ref name=":22" />

[[The Four Vedas (चतुर्वेदाः)|The Four Vedas]] are:

[[The Four Vedas (चतुर्वेदाः)|The Four Vedas]] are:

Samhitas are primarily a collection of the mantras, Riks in Rigveda, Yajus of Yajurveda, Samans of the Samaveda and those of Atharvaveda. The '''Rig-Veda Samhita''' is the oldest sacred literary text of the Hindus. The '''Yajur-Veda Samhita''' is mostly in prose and explaining the procedures of the yajnas and yagas, supplementing the Rig-Vedic Mantras. The '''Sama-Veda Samhita,''' shortest of all vedas, is mostly borrowed from Rig-Vedic Samhita sung with melody especially during the Soma yajnas. the '''Atharva-Veda Samhita''' is meant to correct the mispronunciations and wrong performances that may accidentally be committed during the yajnas. Atharvaveda contains mantras on many subjects such as socio-political aspects, medicine, agriculture etc along with philosophical thoughts.<ref name=":42222" /><ref name=":032222">Introduction to Samhitas in [http://vedicheritage.gov.in/samhitas/ Vedic Heritage Portal]</ref>

Samhitas are primarily a collection of the mantras, Riks in Rigveda, Yajus of Yajurveda, Samans of the Samaveda and those of Atharvaveda. The '''Rig-Veda Samhita''' is the oldest sacred literary text of the Hindus. The '''Yajur-Veda Samhita''' is mostly in prose and explaining the procedures of the yajnas and yagas, supplementing the Rig-Vedic Mantras. The '''Sama-Veda Samhita,''' shortest of all vedas, is mostly borrowed from Rig-Vedic Samhita sung with melody especially during the Soma yajnas. the '''Atharva-Veda Samhita''' is meant to correct the mispronunciations and wrong performances that may accidentally be committed during the yajnas. Atharvaveda contains mantras on many subjects such as socio-political aspects, medicine, agriculture etc along with philosophical thoughts.<ref name=":42222" /><ref name=":032222">Introduction to Samhitas in [http://vedicheritage.gov.in/samhitas/ Vedic Heritage Portal]</ref>

====The Brahmanas and the Aranyakas ====

====The Brahmanas and the Aranyakas ====

Brahmanas are injunctions or vidhis for the performance of shrauta yajnas<ref name=":22">Malladi, Sri. Suryanarayana Sastry (1982) ''Samskruta Vangmaya Charitra, Volume 1 Vaidika Vangmayam'' Hyderabad : Andhra Sarasvata Parishad</ref> The different brahmanas available for different veda shakas are listed in the table below.<ref name=":42222" /><ref name=":022" />

Brahmanas are injunctions or vidhis for the performance of shrauta yajnas<ref name=":22">Malladi, Sri. Suryanarayana Sastry (1982) ''Samskruta Vangmaya Charitra, Volume 1 Vaidika Vangmayam'' Hyderabad : Andhra Sarasvata Parishad</ref> The different brahmanas associated with different veda shakas are listed in the table below.<ref name=":42222" /><ref name=":022" /><ref name=":0">Raghunathacharya, S. B. (1985) ''Arshavijnana Sarvasvamu, Volume 2 : Brahmanalu (Telugu)'' Tirupati : Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam</ref>

The [[Shatapatha Brahmana|Shatapath Brahmana]] belongs to the Sukla [[Yajurveda|Yajur-Veda]]. The Krishna [[Yajurveda|Yajur-Veda]] has the Taittiriya and the Maitrayana Brahmanas. The Tandya or Panchavimsa, the Shadvimsa, the Chhandogya, the Adbhuta, the Arsheya and the Upanishad Brahmanas belong to the [[Samaveda (सामवेद)|Sama Veda]]. The Brahmana of the [[Atharvaveda|Atharva-Veda]] is called the Gopatha. Each of the Brahmanas has got an [[Aranyaka]].

The [[Shatapatha Brahmana|Shatapath Brahmana]] belongs to the Sukla [[Yajurveda|Yajur-Veda]]. The Krishna [[Yajurveda|Yajur-Veda]] has the Taittiriya and the Maitrayana Brahmanas. The Tandya or Panchavimsa, the Shadvimsa, the Chhandogya, the Adbhuta, the Arsheya and the Upanishad Brahmanas belong to the [[Samaveda (सामवेद)|Sama Veda]]. The Brahmana of the [[Atharvaveda|Atharva-Veda]] is called the Gopatha. Each of the Brahmanas has got an [[Aranyaka]].

{| class="wikitable"

{| class="wikitable"

|+Brahmanas available in the present day

|+List of Brahmanas Available in Present Days<ref name=":0" />

! rowspan="2" |RigVeda

! rowspan="2" |RigVeda

! colspan="2" |Yajurveda

! colspan="2" |Yajurveda

!Samaveda

! rowspan="2" |Samaveda

!Adharvaveda

! rowspan="2" |Adharvaveda

|-

|-

|Krishna

|Krishna

|Shukla

|Shukla

|-

|-

|Aitereya

|Brahmanas Available at present

|

|

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|

# Maitrayana<ref name=":022" />

|Maitrayana

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|}

|}