Some basic tenets of Hinduism in nutshell

Some basic tenets of Hinduism:

Dharma-Artha-Kaama-Moksha,

Sattva-Rajas-Tamo Gunas

Varna-Aasrama Dharmaas (General ethics- caste oriented ethics--ethics depending on the phases of the life) and Aatma & Paramaatma (soul & Almighty). Dharma-Artha-Kaama-Moksha are chaturvidha purushaarthas

Ahimsaa satyamasteyam saucham indriya nigrahaha, etam saamaasikam dharmam chaaturvarnye abraveed manuhu | (Manusmruti 10th Canto).

Ahimsaa satyamasteyam saucham indriya nigrahaha, Daanam damoe dayaa kshaantihi sarveshaam dharma saadhanam | Yaajnavalkya Smrutee (Gruhastha dharma prakaranam).

Ruk--Yajur--Saama -Atharva Vedaas are pre-ancestral and no one knows how they came into existence

108 main Upanishads,

5 Upavedas (artha saastra, aayurveda etc.)

6 Vedaangas (Siksha, Nirukta, Vyaakarana, Chandas, Kalpa, and Jyotisha--basically etymology, grammar etc.).

Upanishads contain mainly philosophic perspectives. Vedaangas consist of various Saastras.

Kalpa sutraas are in four categories: Srauta (rituals), Sulba (mathematics), Gruhya (households), and Dharma (ethics) sutras--of which the dharma sutras were discussed more here.

18 Puranas, and 18 upa-Puranas,

Plenty of economic and non-economic content exists in the ancient Hindu literature mentioned above. The several Smrutee/Dharmasutra treatises and commentaries on them. The authors of these 18 treatises are, Paraasara, Narada, Bruhaspati, Katyayana, Angirasa, Rushyasrunga, Kaarshnaaji, Daksha, Pitamaha, Pulastya, Paithanasi, Pracheta, Prajapati, Marichi, Yama, Laugakshi, Vaisvaamita, Vyasa, Sabara etc. and Asvalaayana, Gautama, Aapastamba, Manu, Bhrugu etc.

For a comprehensive discussion on the economic content in the ancient Hindu literature, :Kazanas (undated), Kazanas (2009), Bokare (1993) and Nadkarni (2008). Nicholas Kazanas is an Indologist and Vedic-Sanskrit scholar from Omilos Meleton Cultural Institute, Athens, which provides web-links to a great deal of research on Vedic content (see http://www.omilosmeleton. gr/en/economics_en.asp).