Essentials of Hinduism - What Are Vedas?

Essentials of Hinduism

What Are Vedas?

The “Vedas” are the sacred Ancient Texts in India. The word “Veda” literally means Knowledge. The root is Vid, “To Know”. The Vedas are thus texts that provide Knowledge. The Hindus believe that the Vedas are not the utterances of any Person but are eternal and owe their authority to no individual. They are not inspired (stimulated) but are expired (to breathe out) by God. All Hindus should be aware that Vedas are the Principal Scriptures of Hinduism. Just as “Bible” is the Holy Scripture of the Christianity and “Kuran” is the Holy Scripture of the Islam, “Vedas” are the Holy Scriptures” of our Hinduism..

INTRODUCTION TO VEDAS:

There are four Vedas, known as the Rig Veda, the Yajur Veda, the Sama Veda and the Atharvana Veda. Many years ago, the Vedas were referred to as Trayi or three. There must have been some point of time when there were only three Vedas. These are the Rig Veda, the Yajur Veda and the Sama Veda. The Atharvana Veda is believed to have been a later addition.

Each of the Vedas have two parts, the Samhita and the Brahamana. The Samhita part consists of the Mantras. These were Hymns that were used in the sacrifices. But these Mantras are difficult to interpret without commentaries. This is what the Brahmanas did. They explain the Hymns and indicate how these are to be used in the Sacrifices. The Samhita, the Brahamana as well as Aranyaka all come under the Karma Kanda, the part of the Vedas that deals with the Rituals.

Vedic Literature also includes the Jnyana Kanda that deals with the Supreme Knowledge. Jnyana Kanda consists of the Upanishads that are identified with various Vedas. The narrow definition of the Vedas would mean the Samhita alone and the broad definition of the Vedas would include Samhita, Brahmanas, Aranyakas and the Upanishads. Generally, by the word “Veda”, we mean Samhita alone.

When were the Vedas composed and who composed them? Strictly speaking, there is no answer to these questions. The best answer would be, the Vedas were revealed – Shruti. They were not written down or composed. They were communicated by the Supreme God or the Paramatma Vasudeva to the ancient Seers or the Rishis. These Rishis did not compose the Vedas – they merely obtained this Divine Knowledge through their Extraordinary Powers. In this sense, the Vedas are Apourusheya. Therefore the authorship of the “Vedas” cannot be ascribed to any Human.

Just as it is impossible to determine who composed the Vedas, it is also impossible to determine when they were composed. Widely different dates have been suggested by different Scholars. However, most scholars would agree that the Vedas were compiled sometime between 4000 BC and 1000 BC (to be more clear – 4000 plus 2016 or approximately 6000 years back from today). It is impossible to narrow down the range further. They reached a final stage of compilation between 1000 BC and 900 BC.

A Spiritual Person knows that the three paths to salvation are believed to be those of Jnyana (Knowledge), Karma (Action), and Bhakti (Devotion). Vedas teach us the three paths to achieve Moksha or Salvation, referred to as Trayi. The Rig Veda is identified with the path of Knowledge, the Yajur Veda with the path of Action and the Sama Veda with the path of Devotion.

In the Hindu conception of time, the time is divided into four eras. These are known as Satya Yuga, Treta Yuga, Dvapara Yuga and the Kali Yuga. As one moves from the Satya Yuga to towards Kali Yuga, the power of Righteousness diminishes and evil starts its ugly head. To bring Humans back to the Righteous Path, the Sacred Knowledge that is in the Vedas must be disseminated amongst the People. But the Vedas are abstract and esoteric (mysterious), too difficult to comprehend. To make the dissemination and the assimilation easier, the Vedas must be conveniently partitioned and divided into various groups. This difficult task was completed by Vyasa and the Title of Vedavyasa was conferred on Him. In every Dvapara Yuga, that precedes the Kali Yuga, such a Vedavyasa is born to perform this sacred task. He was the Krishna Dvaipayana Vedavyasa. He is credited with having divided the original unified Vedas into the four segments of Rig Veda, Yajur Veda, Sama Veda and the Atharvana Veda. In order to pass on the immense treasurable Knowledge of the Vedas from Generation to Generation, Vedavyasa taught them to four Rishis – Rig Veda to Paila Rishi, Yajur Veda to Vaisampayana Rishi, Sama Veda to Jaimini Rishi and Atharvana Veda to Sumantu Rishi.

The Vedas are packed with Mantras. If we maintain physical and mental cleanliness and chant the Veda Mantras with Total Bhakti and Devotion, this process generates Sreyas for the Universe. Veda is Shruti. It should not be learned through books or audio devices – the proper way to learn Vedas is through a learned Scholar – Guru Shishya Parampara – from the Guru to the Students, Guru chanting the Mantras and the Students repeating the same Mantras twice. This teaching process should be repeated until the Students learn the Veda Mantras properly with intonations such as Udatta and Anudatta. If a person does not chant the Veda Mantras on an ongoing basis, the Mantras lose their vital power.

The Vedas have multiple information and Mantras for performing Agnihotra, various forms of Soma Yaga, many Karmas, many kinds of Homas etc. A Yajna of large scale is performed by multiple Priests - Priests with Knowledge of Rig Veda chant the Mantras, Priests with Knowledge of Yajur Veda perform the Homa, and the Priests with Knowledge of Sama Veda chant the Sama Ghana. In soma Yajnas, cows and gold are given as Danas.

Vedas also contain details on how Atma enters the Body, even details on healthy Body maintenance, what happens to the Body in the end, how Atma again enters into another Body etc.

What is the Purpose of Vedas? All Vedas ultimately point to one Direction only – Paramatma. What is the benefit of chanting Veda Mantras? We will not be affected by any grief. Even if we are affected by grief, it will not stick with us, just like water falling on the lotus leaf leaves in droplets – this is known as Yoga. Veda Vedye Pare Pumsi – we know about Paramatma through the Vedas. There are no words to praise the greatness of Vedas. Whatever is Greatest, those are interpreted through the Vedas. Veda is Supreme Knowledge! Vedas will take a Person in the correct path in Life, because, Vedas are not Man made – they are Paramatma’s Creations. Veda came through the sound and are called “Shruti”, and, through Gurukula-system they are passed on from Generation to Generation and therefore they are called “Amnaya”. Vedas have no end, Vedas cannot be destroyed, Vedas have no measure, and, Vedas cannot be measured!

Chapter Re-cap:

1) All Hindus should be aware that Vedas are the Principal Scriptures of Hinduism. Just as “Bible” is the Holy Scripture of the Christianity and “Kuran” is the Holy Scripture of the Islam, “Vedas” are the Holy Scriptures” of our Hinduism. Also, let us be clear, our basic reference Scriptures are the Vedas and not the Bhagavad Gita.

2) Each of the Vedas have two parts, the Samhita and the Brahamana. The Samhita part consists of the Mantras. The Brahmana interprets the Mantras. The Samhitas, the Brahamanas and the Aranyakas all come under the Karma Kanda, the part of the Vedas that deals with the Rituals. Vedic Literature also includes the Jnyana Kanda that deals with the Supreme Knowledge. Jnyana Kanda consists of the Upanishads that are identified with various Vedas.

3) The Vedas were revealed – that is, they were Shrutis. They were not written down or composed. They were communicated by the Supreme God or the Paramatma Vasudeva to the ancient Seers or the Rishis.

This article is a snippet from the Book Essentials of Hinduism, Authored by G.S Nilakantan. Hinduism for All is available online at www.giri.in and across Giri Trading Agency Private Limited, A chain of Speciality Stores dealing in all kinds of products needed in Indian Culture and Tradition.

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