The Epics

Also smṛti, and also called itihasa (literally "thus is was"), or historical texts, the great Sanskrit epic poems are probably the most influential pieces of literature in the whole Indian tradition. They are sometimes even refered to as a Fifth Veda. In 100,000 verses in the sloka form attributed to the sage Vyasa, the Mahābhārata tells of the great war between two royal families, the Pāṇḍavas and the Kauravas ending in their mutual destruction. The enormously influential Bhagavadgītā is a section of this epic. It was apparently compiled from about 500 BCE, reaching its final form by the first century CE.

The Rāmāyaṇa, which was also certainly in circulation by the first century CE, relates the legend of Prince Rāma, usurped from his throne and exiled, his beautiful wife Sītā kidnapped by the demon Rāvaṇa, his calm self-control and noble generosity provides an exemplar of admirable dharmic conduct. They both probably originate in oral traditions of the middle of the first millennium B.C.E. and were written down between that time and the 1st century C.E.
See this Mahābhārata link

"Tales of Olden Days." These extremely popular tales of the origins and doings of the gods date from between 300 and 1,000 C.E. although most of their content was established during the Gupta era (c. 320 - 500 CE). They more closely resemble what we commonly know as "myths" based on the model of the Greek myths. There are eighteen major Purāṇas classifed by the three ancient qualities or guṇas: sattva (light or purity), rajas (passion), and tamas (darkness or inertia). The sattva purāṇas are those mainly concerning Vishnu, the rajas purāṇas are those concerning Brahma and the tamas purāṇas (again, mainly) concern Śiva.

There are four major divisions of traditional Hindu society:

The Varṇas, which literally means "colors," but is probably best rendered as "classes.": Brahmans (priests), Kṣatriyas (warrior-aristocrats), Vaiśyas (literally "all"; mainly farmers, merchants, tradesmen, artisans), and Śūdras (slaves or serfs).

As well as this social division into classes the life of the individual was divided into stages (āśramas), although this only applied theoretically to males of the three higher classes. These stages were as follows:

Following initiation into the tradition, a coming-of-age ceremony usually performed only for males of the first three Varṇas, one enters Brahmāśrama, the student stage in which total obedience is given to the Guru. Marriage is the rite of passage which generally marks entry into the Gṛhastha (householder) stage of marriage, productivity, and the pursuit of social well-being. Usually about the time when one's children are having children of their own one is expected to enter into Varnāśrama, the stage of retirement in which one "withdraws into the forest" (vana) and distances oneself from mundane involvements. Lastly one might enter Saṃnyāsa, and seek total dissociation from worldly involvement. Saṃnyāsa differs from Varnāśrama most notably in that the Saṃnyāsin renounces even the use of fire.

In following this dharma or social order it was accepted that four aims or ends were valid. These four Puruṣārthas are:

Kāma, all pleasures of the flesh including sexual gratification, the most obvious and the most superficial. While sensual pleasures are accepted as real and genuinely gratifying and are not at all discouraged by implications of karmic retribution, they are characterized as transient, fleeting, temporary, short-lived and finally disappointing--the pursuit of the unadvanced person. Better than this is

Artha, gain, profit, or material advancement, including political and financial power and stability. Although its satisfactions last longer and have greater implications than those of kāma they too are finally limited and unsatisfactory, the drive for power is insatiable and, of course, "you can't take it with you." Thirdly one can strive for the pursuit of

Dharma; in the words of J. F. K. "ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country." Duty, service, honor, loyalty, self-sacrifice, and the pursuit of the traditional ideal constitute a higher and finally more satisfying goal than mere physical or material self-satisfaction. Again, it is possible that this was the original extent of varnāśramadharma since this final goal would include the stage of vanaprastha, withdrawal to seek spiritual emancipation. Thus perhaps the fourth goal,

Mokṣa, escape from saṃsāra, was a later addition. Whatever is the case this certainly becomes the highest and ultimate goal of the Hindu religious life. Pleasure, success, and the responsible performance of duty, all these are finally inadequate to the total commitment of the human spirit. The true and undying goals of human being are these--being, awareness, and bliss, without limitation and without end which is characteristic of the godhead (Brahman). This is seen as finally available to the human spirit in Mokṣa, emancipation, release, escape from the eternal wheel, total and final dissociation from worldly attachment. This, of course, is recognizable as the final end of Buddhism, Nirvāṇa.