Smarta originated from Sanskrit work Smriti around the 8th century. It is a branch of Hinduism that teaches about Brahman, the supreme reality that transcends all personal identities. Saguna & Nirguna Brahman are the two concepts of Brahman, with the former having attributes and the latter being unchanged. Devas are the divine beings in addition to Brahman, and then Saguna, an identity that smarta may choose, such as Vishnu, Shiva, Shakti, Surya, or Ganeshna.