In Hindu, what is sacred literature?

Question

And outline the roles

Answer 1

The Vedas are part of their sacred texts... it is believed to be the oldest sacred texts in the world.

The Upanishads come after the Vedas and contain the teachings of the Laws of Karma according to Hindu tradition

The Puranas are sort the "new testament" of Hindus as they are considered post vedic scriptures, within it is the Hindu version of Creation and descriptions of the divinities

Other popular scriptural texts are Mahabarata, Ramayana and Bhagavadgita

Answer 2

Following are the sacred literatures in Hinduism:

The Vedas
There are four Vedas, the Rig Veda, Sama Veda, Yajur Veda and Atharva Veda. The Vedas are the primary texts of Hinduism. They also had a vast influence on Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism. The Rig Veda, the oldest of the four Vedas, was composed about 1500 B.C., and codified about 600 B.C. It is unknown when it was finally comitted to writing, but this probably was at some point after 300 B.C.

The Vedas contain hymns, incantations, and rituals from ancient India. Along with the Book of the Dead, the Enuma Elish, the I Ching, and the Avesta, they are among the most ancient religious texts still in existence. Besides their spiritual value, they also give a unique view of everyday life in India four thousand years ago. The Vedas are also the most ancient extensive texts in an Indo-European language, and as such are invaluable in the study of comparative linguistics.

Upanishads
Upanishads are a continuation of the Vedic philosophy, and were written between 800 and 400 B.C. They elaborate on how the soul (Atman) can be united with the ultimate truth (Brahman) through contemplation and mediation, as well as the doctrine of Karma-- the cumulative effects of a persons' actions.


Puranas
The Puranas are post-Vedic texts which typically contain a complete narrative of the history of the Universe from creation to destruction, genealogies of the kings, heroes and demigods, and descriptions of Hindu cosmology and geography. There are 17 or 18 canonical Puranas, divided into three categories, each named after a deity: Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. There are also many other works termed Purana, known as 'Upapuranas.'

The Gita
The Bhagavad Gita is technically part of Book 6 of the Mahabharata, although it is known to be a later accretion to the saga, which stands on its own merits. It is a dialog between the God Krishna and the hero Arjuna, taking place in a timeless moment on the battlefield before the climactic struggle between good and evil. The Gita (which can be found in hotel bedstands throughout India) is a classic summary of the core beliefs of Hinduism. It has had a significant influence far beyond Hinduism. Robert Oppenheimer apocryphically recited the verse (from Chapter 11) 'I [have become] Death, Destroyer of Worlds", just before the first test of the atom bomb, which ironically has a much different meaning in context.

Answer 3

Hinduism sacred literature is anything written while tripping on psychoactive drugs.