Vedas

  • Veda means “knowledge“. Vedas are a large body of knowledge texts originating in the ancient Indian subcontinent.
  • Vedas are also called śruti (“what is heard”), distinguishing them from other religious texts, which are called  smṛti (“what is remembered”).
  • Veda, for orthodox Indian theologians, are considered revelations seen by ancient sages after intense meditation, and texts have been carefully preserved since ancient times.
  • In the Hindu Epic Mahabharata, the creation of Vedas is credited to Brahma. Vedic hymns themselves assert that they were skillfully created by Rishis (sages).
  • There are 4 Vedas: Rigveda,  Yajurveda, Samaveda, Atharvaved.
  • Each Veda has been subclassified into 4 major text types – the Samhitas (mantras & benedictions), the Aranyakas (text on rituals, ceremonies, sacrifices and symbolic-sacrifices), the Brahmanas (commentaries on rituals, ceremonies and sacrifices), and the Upanishads (texts discussing meditation, philosophy and spiritual knowledge). Some scholars add a 5th category – the Upasanas (worship).
  • Schools of Indian philosophy which cite Vedas as their scriptural authority are classified as “orthodox”.
  • Other śramaṇa traditions, such as Buddhism & Jainism, which did not regard Vedas as authorities, are referred to as “heterodox” or “non-orthodox”.
  • There are 1000 hymns in the Rigveda, most of them dedicated to specific deities.
  • Rig means “praise, shine” and  veda “knowledge”). Rigveda is a collection of Vedic sanskrit hymns.
  • Yajurveda meaning “prose mantra”, a compilation of ritual offering formulas that were said by a priest.
  • Samaveda is the Veda of melodies & chants. Classical Indian music and dance tradition considers the chants and melodies in Samaveda as one of its roots.
  • Atharva is the “knowledge storehouse of atharvāṇas, the procedures for everyday life”.
  • Upanishads are commonly referred to as Vedānta, variously interpreted to mean either the “last chapters, parts of the Veda” or “the object, the highest purpose of the Veda”.
  • The concepts of Brahman (ultimate reality) and Ātman (soul, self) are central ideas in all of the Upanishads, and “know your Ātman” is their thematic focus.
  • Upanishads are the foundation of Hindu philosophical thought and its diverse traditions.
  • Vedanta literally means “end of the Vedas”. Sub-traditions of Vedanta include Advaita (non-dualism),  Vishishtadvaita (qualified non-dualism), Dvaita (dualism).