Classification of Sanskrit Literature
As per one presentation the following classification can be made:
1. Vaidica (वैदिक)
Complete अपौरुषेय knowledge was divided into 4 volumes by Veda Vyasa
1A - [ Shruti - श्रुति ] 4 Vedas (४ वेद) - ऋगवेद, यजुर्वेद, सामवेद, अथर्ववेद
these are divided into the following sections:
1Ai. - कर्मकांड (मन्त्र / संहिता - chanting during any karma , ब्राम्हण procedure to accompany the chanting) - these are physical actions
उपासनाकांड (आरण्यक) section which deals with practices, these are mental actions for the karma , and
ज्ञानकांड (उपनिषद्)
1B - Vedaṅgas - वेदाङ्ग = ६ = शिक्षा (science of phoenetics),
कल्प (technical explanation to help karma, sutras, geometry etc)
These are the rules for the sacrificial rituals in a concised, perspicuous and connected manner. The theme of this Vedanga is to study the correct ways of performing rituals. There are four components of Kalpa Sutra (i) Shrauta Sutras are related to the yajnas propounded in the Vedas (shruti) (ii) Grihya Sutras contain not only the rituals of a householder but also the ceremonies starting from conception upto the funeral rites (iii) Dharmasutras provde rules for the conduct of life. They are mainly concerned with the duties of people (iv) Shulva sutras - Shulva means a measuring rope. The sutras are related to the making of the geometrical calculations necessary for the proper construction of the altar. There are six shulva sutras available but the oldest is Baudhayana Shulva sutras which contain the so-called Pythogorean theorem. It was necessary that the areas of various alters must match with the standard shyenchiti altar.,
निरुक्त (science of etimology or Dictionary of Vaidic terms?),
व्याकरण (Grammer)
The words have been classified into four categories – Nama (nouns and pronouns), Akhyata (verb), Upasarga (prefix) and Nipata (indeclinable). ,
छन्द (Study of metres, how to chant) : In Vedas there are seven meters – gayatri, anushtubh, pankti, jagati, Brihati, Ushnik and Trishtubh.
Further there are many divisions and sub divisions of these meters depending on the increase and decrease of letters.
The chhandashastra of Pingala is the oldest and most perfect grantha on meters which deals with both vedic and the classical meters.,
ज्योतिष (Astrology and Astronomy. together)
Reportedly yoday only one book called Vedang Jyotish is available. Lagadha is supposed to be its author. Many commentaries are available.
1C - उपवेद (not part of the vedas but close to it) - all the vedas have one
आयुर्वेद (ऋगवेद) related to health, धनुर्वेद (यजुर्वेद) not just archery, but all weapons, weaponery, army, strategy etc.,
गन्धर्ववेद (सामवेद) music and dance ,
स्थापत्यवेद (architecture, house, city and village planning, vaastushastra is one part, includes even plumbing and drainage systems) / अर्थशास्त्र (economics and politics (अथर्ववेद)
2. लौकिक - Wordly - composed / authored by people
2A. पुराण (पुरा - old / नव - new : pura api navam) - actual or imaginery stories to drive home points from Vedas.
2A I) 18 Mahapuranas - मत्स्य , मार्कण्डेय, भागवत, भविष्यत् , ब्रम्ह , ब्रम्हाण्ड , ब्रम्हवैवर्तक, विष्णु, वराह, वामन, वायु, अग्नि, नारद, पद्म, लिङ्ग, गरुड, कुर्म, स्कन्द
If selected 10 topics are covered, it is called as a Mahapurana.
मद्वयं भद्वयं चैव ब्रत्रयं वचतुष्टयम् । अनापलिंगकूस्कानि पुराणानि प्रचक्षते ॥
2A II) 18 Upa-puranas - शिवपुराण, देवीपुराण, etc.
If a text covers 5 topics, it is called as a Upa-purana.
2B - Itihaas - इतिहास (इति Thus ह indeed आस happened) - वाल्मीकि रामायण (२४००० श्लोक) , महाभारत (१००००० श्लोक)
इतिहासपुराणाभ्यां वेदं समुपबृंहयेत् । बिभेत्यल्पश्रुताद्वेदो मामयं प्रहरिष्यति ॥
2C - स्मृति / धर्मशास्त्र - eg मनुस्मृति (18 of them)
2D - आगमशास्त्र / तन्त्रशास्त्र = (Vedas are sometimes called Nigamashastra) - शैवआगम, वैष्णवागम, शाक्तागम etc. according to which form of God is considered highest.
Tantra is not black magic - it is an explanation of how to practice the concepts in Vedas, Puranas and Itihasas to achieve the results promised in the Vedas.