śrutiḥ
The ear; Veda; hearing; śāstram.
In Vedanta
The Veda, regarded as apauruṣeya (not authored by any person, including God). Śruti is the primary and independent authority in Vedānta. It reveals what cannot be known by any other means — the identity of ātmā and Brahman. The Upaniṣads, which form the end portion of the Vedas, are the śruti texts most directly relevant to self-knowledge.