The Upanishads and the four Vedas constitute the primary scripture of ‘Sanatana Dharma’ or ‘Hinduism’. They are together known as ‘Sruthi’ or ‘what is heard’. Loss of political freedom and invasion by foreigners led to the decay of spirituality and culture amongst our men. This book is complete with several quotes from the scriptures to equip the reader with proper information and to enable them to stabilise their drift or stagnation, lead them to self-enlightenment and to revive the spiritual glory of our country.

E T Sankaran Kutty, born in 1937 in Madras, descends from a well-known family of Palghat, Kerala.

He graduated from the University of Madras with a Bachelor’s Degree in Commerce, joined Indian Overseas Bank, Chennai, as an Officer and retired as Assistant General Manager in 1997 after more than three decades of tireless service. To fulfill his spiritual quest and thirst, he started writing on Hinduism after his retirement.

A ‘Scripture’ is a sacred book of a religion. Auth6ritative Word of God, or Divine Voice of God, written in it, make known only the Eternal Truth and Divine Principles. In fact, ‘truth’ is the very name of God.

One can find different scriptures for Sanatana Dharma or Hinduism. Not only different scriptures speak different truths but they also speak of different approaches, suitable to all, regardless of the fact that the votary is a beginner or a scholar or the one in between. They comprehensively deal with the facts, values and truths of life. Thus, they suitably cater and guide ‘class people’ or the ‘mass people,’ who are on different levels of development—physical,, mental and intellectual.

These scriptures are a source of knowledge about God which Great Rishis of the past perceived direct from God and passed on to us through their best disciples. The authorship is assigned to God and not to any individual Rishi. The knowledge handed over to us is thus regarded as eternal and infallible, unalterable and authoritative, unchallengable and beyond the question of doubt. It goes by one generic name ‘Sruthi’ or what is heard or acquired by hearing and comprises all the four ‘Vedas’ and the numerous ‘Upanishads’ attached to them. In this book an attempt has been made to stick to the theme delineated in the Vedas and Upanishads, by a few words of introduction and number of extracts.

1 hope that the spiritual-minded readers of the younger generation would find the book, serving their queries and quests on ‘Sruthi’ scriptures.