Śruti — The Eternal Scripture Directly Heard
Śruti (Sanskrit: śru = to hear + -ti suffix; 'that which has been heard') is the technical term for the Vedas, Upaniṣads, and closely related texts understood as directly revealed (not composed) — heard by the ancient Ṛṣis in deep meditation and then transmitted. Śruti is the highest category of scriptural authority.
Why 'Heard' Not 'Written': Śruti is called 'heard' because the Ṛṣis are not understood as authors — they received the Vedic mantras through direct spiritual perception (sākṣātkāra). The mantra pre-existed; the Ṛṣi is its draṣṭā (seer/receiver), not its creator. 'The Ṛṣi is not the composer of the Veda any more than the eye is the creator of what it sees.'
The Corpus of Śruti:
- Four Vedas: Ṛg Veda, Sāma Veda, Yajur Veda, Atharva Veda
- Each Veda's associated: Saṃhitā, Brāhmaṇa, Āraṇyaka, Upaniṣad
- The Upaniṣads form the culminating portion (vedānta = end of the Veda)
Śruti vs. Smṛti: The key distinction:
- Śruti — directly revealed; eternal; apauruṣeya (not of human authorship); highest authority
- Smṛti — 'remembered'; authored by human sages based on śruti; secondary authority; valid when it does not contradict śruti
Śruti in Viśiṣṭādvaita: Rāmānujāchārya's Śrī Bhāṣya is primarily a commentary on the Brahma Sūtras, which themselves systematise the teachings of the Upaniṣads (śruti). 'All of Rāmānuja's philosophy is rooted in and justified by śruti — the Upaniṣadic statements like tat tvam asi, sarvam khalv idaṃ brahma, and the descriptions of Bhagavān's nature.'