ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Śāstra pramāṇam in Hinduism

Okay, so let's talk about something called "śāstra pramāṇam" in Hinduism. Basically, "śāstra" means "sacred text" and "pramāṇam" means "source of knowledge". So when we talk about śāstra pramāṇam, we mean that we learn about Hinduism from studying the sacred texts.

Just like how you learn about math from your teacher or about animals from a book, Hindus learn about their religion from reading and studying sacred texts like the Vedas, Puranas, and Upanishads. These texts are considered to be the ultimate authority on Hinduism and are seen as an infallible source of knowledge.

When we want to know something about Hinduism, we turn to these texts as our guide. They tell us about the gods and goddesses, the rituals and ceremonies, the history and philosophy of the religion, and how to live a good life. By studying these texts, we can gain a deeper understanding of Hinduism and what it means to be a Hindu.

So that's what śāstra pramāṇam is all about - using sacred texts as a source of knowledge to learn about Hinduism. It's a little bit like using a map to help you find your way when you're lost - the sacred texts are like a map for Hindus, guiding them on their spiritual journey.