Glory of Vedas

Vedas : Introduction and Meaning
Glory of Vedas

What are Vedas? Simply understand that Vedas are the collection of Hindu religious hymns composed during 3000 BC. garner of Indian It is considered as the wisdom archive of philosophy and religion. Since I am a Hindu I have my own reverence for this most ancient literature of Indian thought. We, Hindus are always proud of Vedas since they are considered as the spiritual and scriptural foundation of Hinduism. In fact we can boldly say that Vedas are the much ancient books in the library of man. What actually the word ‘Veda’ means? The meaning of the word ‘Veda’ is knowledge. (The Sanskrit syllable ‘vid’ means 'to know'). Ancient saints originally composed the Vedas in Sanskrit, the language of Hinduism.

Shruthi or Eternal Truth

It is often said with proud that our Hinduism does not have any founder. Yet another way to put it, the Hindu religion does not and will not rely up for its authority on the life-history of any human being. If so, then who is the authority? Eternal truth is alone considered as the authority. God pronounced the Eternal Truths to the ancient Rishis (saints or sages) of India. Rishis, with the yogic power or tapas, were able to attain mantra drashta (‘seer of mantra or thought’). They never thought on their own. They were able to hear and perceive the eternal truth. Now you can appreciate the origin of eternal truth. Believe it, the eternal truth means what was heard by our Rishis. What was heard and absorbed by the ancient Rishis became foundation for the Hindu religion. These eternal truth or the principles of life realized by the saints with their yogic powers were taught to their young disciples. In due course of time the eternal truth or the principles of life were embodied in the ‘Shruthi.’

Shruthi

What is Shruthi? ‘Shruthi’ literally means ‘what is heard.’ Śhruti does not have any author. Thus the Vedas have another name, Shruti, that which is heard. In a nutshell it is simply the "cosmic sounds of Eternal truth", heard by Rishis. Now it is clear that Shruti or the "cosmic sounds of Eternal truth" is the primary authority. The Shrutis are known as the Vedas. The Shruti literature compiled by the Rishis comprises the four Vedas: the Rig veda (Hymns), the Sama veda (Songs), the Yajur veda (Sacrificial rituals), and Atharvana veda (Magic and Medicine).

Do you say that the Vedas are the authorities for the Hinduism? Yes! It is certainly yes. The Vedas do claim to teach you the most sacred truths that you can learn and to lead you to your highest good. Hence the Vedas are assuming the supreme authority. Vedic scholars try to establish that the Eternal Truths contained in all worldly religions are only derived from the Vedas and are certainly traceable to the Vedas. So the Veda is the most glorious pride for every Hindu,.

Vedas and Divisions

What do the Veda consist of? Our Vedas contain sublime thoughts in sublime language and represent the world’s ancient-most literature. Four Vedas contain altogether 20416 mantras. First mantra of the Rig Veda is the first known poem in the world. Each Veda consists of four parts i.e. (1). The Mantras or Hymns; (2). The Brahmanas or the ‘explanatory treatises on mantras and rituals’; (3.) The Aranyakas or the ‘meditations in the forest’ and (4) the Upanishads or ‘the mystic treatises revealing the most profound spiritual truths and suggesting the ways of realizing them’.

Shriti and Smriti

We have in our religion a number of secondary authorities based on the Shruti. Of these first comes the ‘Smirti’. What does the Smirti consist of? Smriti meaning "that which is remembered" refers to a specific body of Hindu religious scripture. Smriti also denotes non-Shruti texts generally, seen as secondary in authority to Shruti.

Smriti

The Smirti admittedly comprise human compositions. The Smirtis have greater role in regulating the personal and social life of Hindus. Therefore the laws for regulating Hindu society from time to time are codified in the Smirti. Smritis include all Hindu Religious literature: Dharmashastras, Itihasa, (Epics Mahabharata and the Ramayana.) Purana (18 Puranas), Vedanga (6 categories of documents: the Shiksha, Vyakarana, Chandas, Nirukta, Jyotisha, & Kalpa.), Agama (Grouping by three major divisions by doctrine: the Vaisnava, Saiva, and Sakta. Another grouping by Mantra, Tantra, and Yantra), Darsana (6 philosophical schools of thought: Nyaya, Vaisheshika, Sankhya, Yoga, Purva Mimamsa, & Uttara Mimamsa).
Rig Veda (1500–1200 BCE (date is debatable) (the early Vedic period) The Rig-Veda Samhita is the grandest book of the Hindus, the oldest and the best. It is the core of the Vedas. Its priest is called the Hotri. The text is organized in 10 books (Mandalas) of varying age and length; it is composed of 1,028 suktas (hymns). The sūktas in turn consist of individual stanzas called mantras (liturgy) - (10,552 mantras) - which are further analysed into units of verse called pada ("foot"). Indra and Agni feature as particular favourites in the hymns, but. The Rigvedic hymns are dedicated to various deities (31 other gods names are also mentioned), chief of whom are Indra and Agni.

Rig Veda and Veda Suktas

Important suktas include Brahmanaspati sukta, Nadistuti sukta, Purusha sukta, and Nasadiya sukta. It is considered vital that not a syllable of this sruti (oral) scripture should be lost. It is thus heard today exactly as it sounded three thousand years ago. The Rig Veda has two Upanishads: Aitareya Upanishad, Kausitaki Upanishad. Most aspects of Vedic science like the practice of yoga, meditation, mantra and Ayurveda can be found in the Rig Veda and still in use.

Yajur Veda

Yajur Veda (yajus "sacrificial formula', + veda "knowledge") The Yajur Veda Samhita is mostly in prose and is meant to be used by the Adhvaryu, the Yajur Vedic priest, for superfluous explanations of the rites in sacrifices, supplementing the Rig-Vedic Mantras. There are two primary versions or Samhitas of the Yajurveda: Shukla (White) and Krishna (Black) or Taittiriya. They deal with magic and sorcery, as well as Yoga.
The Shukla (White) Yajurveda has two Upanishads associated with it: the Isa Vasya and the Brihadaranyaka Upanishads. The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad is the most voluminous of all Upanishads. The Krishna (Black) Yajurveda has five Upanishads: Katha Upanishads, Maitrayani Upanishads, Narayana Upanishads, Shvetashvatara Upanishads, Taittiriya Upanishads.

Sama Veda

Sama Veda (“sāman "melody" + veda "knowledge") is the Yoga of Song. Its earliest parts are believed to date from 1000 BC. The Sama-Veda Samhita is mostly borrowed from the Rig-Vedic Samhita, and is meant to be sung by the Udgatri, the Sama Vedic priest, in sacrifices. Sama Veda comprises Chandogya Upanishad and Kena Upanishad.

Atharva Veda

Atharva Vrda (‘atharvan’, an ancient Rishi, and veda meaning "knowledge") (Date: 2nd millennium BC) is believed that the Atharvaveda was mainly composed by two groups of rishis known as the Atharvans and the Angirasas. Several Upanishads also are associated with the AV. The most important of these are the Mundaka and the Prasna Upanishads.

It is less predominant than other Vedas as it is scantly used in ritual and its status has been ambiguous, due to its magical character. It includes much of early traditions of healing and magic. Many people consider the Atharvaveda as dark and secret knowledge, pertaining to the spirits and the after life.

The Shaunakiya text is clearly divided into four parts and 20 Kandas. Kandas (1-7) deal with healing and general black and white magic; Kandas 8-12 constitute early speculation on the nature of the universe and of humans as well as on ritual; Kandas 13-18 deal with issues of a householder's life, such as marriage, death and female rivalry. It is considered as the first Indic text dealing with medicine. It takes note of the causes of disease and causative agents. It also show surprising evidences about warfare: a variety of devices such as an arrow with a duct for poison and castor bean poison, poisoned net and hook traps, use of disease spreading bugs and smoke screens find a place in this Veda.