APPENDIX TWO

Dates of Hindu Scriptures

SCRIPTURES	CONTENT	APPROXIMATE PERIOD OF FINAL COMPILATION
Rig Veda	Hymns to divine spirits	1500–1200 B.C.E.
Atharva Veda	Occult chants	1000–900 B.C.E.
Brahmanas	Ritual manuals	900–700 B.C.E.
Jatakas	Tales of Buddha’s past lives	400–300 B.C.E.
Sutras	Philosophical aphorisms	400 B.C.E.–500 C.E.
Mahabharata	Epic related to Krishna	300 B.C.E.–300 C.E.
Ramayana	Epic related to Rama	200 B.C.E.–200 C.E.
Panchatantra	Tales of worldly wisdom	200–600 C.E.
Kamasutra	Erotic manual	400–500 C.E.
Dharmashastra	Law books	400–800 C.E.
Puranas	Theistic lore	500–1500 C.E.
Tantras	Manuals on the occult	500–1200 C.E.
Agamas	Treatises on Theism (Shaiva, Vaishnava, and Shakta traditions)	500–1200 C.E.
Katha-sarit-sagar	Tales of worldly wisdom	1000 C.E.