The Shrauta Sutras ("Vedic ritual aphorisms") - A collection of short sayings from the fourth century B.C.E.
that describe the ceremonial instructions for executing the
public sacrifices provided in the Vedas, Hinduism's oldest and most
authoritative religious writings.
Such sacred rules had been mandated in the Brahmana
literature—which was considered part of the Veda—but the Brahmanas had become
too convoluted and difficult to comprehend over time.
The Shrauta Sutras were basically instruction manuals for
priests overseeing Vedic sacrifices, intended to guarantee that the sacrifices
were carried out properly.
Aside from directions for making the sacrifice, the Shrauta
Sutras also included an appendix, known as the Sulva Sutras, that specified the
precise dimensions for the holy altar.
The Shrauta Sutras were originally the first part of a Kalpa
Sutra, which also included instructions for household ceremonies (Grhya Sutras)
and good human conduct (Dharma Sutras), with each Kalpa Sutra being linked to
one of the four Vedas.
However, the tale of the Shrauta Sutras is significantly
more complicated in reality, since there are additional Shrauta Sutras, showing
a more autonomous composition, in addition to the three full Kalpa Sutras that
have survived, by Apastamba, Baudhayana, and Hiranyakeshin.
