There is poetry of praise, poetry of lamentation, heroic verse, and poetry of despair, poetry of thanksgiving, poetry of devotion, poetry that is light, airy, fanciful, and poetry that seeks to express the most profound philosophic insight. Some of it is lyric, some elegiac, some epic, some dramatic. Examples of nearly every variety of poetic expression may be found. Within Hindu sacred literature may be found, as in most scripture, almost every type of writing. There is nothing in Hinduism to prevent this from happening. Indeed for them some books generally regarded as smriti have actually become sruti. As a matter of fact some sectarian groups make, practically, much greater use of non-sruti literature, as the basis for present belief and practice than they do of the recognized sruti writings. The rather generally tolerant attitude of Indians toward the religious beliefs of others inclines them to admit as sacred for others what they might not accept for themselves. Certainly they differ as to which particular books of this category are to be emphasized within their own groups. Sectarian groups differ to a considerable degree as to what may be so considered. While there is rather general agreement as to what may be considered as smriti, there is no closed canon. If all the books which are comprised within these two classes of sacred literature were to be brought together in a single collection, as has nowhere yet been done, they would fill many thousands of pages. Though of less exalted origin, and not of equal value with sruti, as a basis of religious dogma, it is perhaps quite as influential in the lives of the people in inculcating and nourishing religious faith and practice. While admittedly of human origins, it has come to be thought of as authoritative also, in the expression of religious faith, and of very high value in the teaching of religion and morals.

The second type of scripture is known as smriti. This type of sacred writing has, in the course of time, come to be thought of very much as the Bible is thought of by Christian Fundamentalists: as infallible, incapable of error, because of its non-human character. From this nothing may be taken away and nothing may be added.

It was given by verbal inspiration to the rishiis or seers, and gathered into a closed Canon. In general there are two types of scripture that are regarded as authoritative in Hinduism: (1) sruti: that which may be regarded as the ipsissima verba, the very, very word of God. Hinduism itself, from which all the others have sprung, has a vast and highly variegated set of scriptures. Four of the eleven principal living faiths of the world were born in India: Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism, and all have extensive sacred literatures. 'Mother' India, as she is lovingly called by her sons, has indeed been a mother of religions. Chapter 5: The Sacred Literature of Hinduism

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