Wednesday, 2 August 2017
VEDAS
VEDAS
The Vedas (Sanskrit ????? v�da, "knowledge") are a large body of texts originating in ancient India. Composed in Vedic Sanskrit, the texts constitute the oldest layer of Sanskrit literature and the oldest scriptures of Hinduism.[1][2] The Vedas are apauru?eya ("not of human agency"). They are supposed to have been directly revealed, and thus are called ?ruti ("what is heard"), distinguishing them from other religious texts, which are called sm?ti ("what is remembered").
The Vedic texts or ?ruti are organized around four canonical collections of metrical material known as Sa?hit?s, of which the first three are related to the performance of yajna (sacrifice) in historical Vedic religion:
The Rigveda, containing hymns to be recited by the hot?;
The Yajurveda, containing formulas to be recited by the adhvaryu or officiating priest;
The Samaveda, containing formulas to be sung by the udg?t?.
The fourth is the Atharvaveda, a collection of spells and incantations, apotropaic charms and speculative hymns.
The individual verses contained in these compilations are known as mantras. Some selected Vedic mantras are still recited at prayers, religious functions and other auspicious occasions in contemporary Hinduism.
The various Indian philosophies and sects have taken differing positions on the Vedas. Schools of Indian philosophy which cite the Vedas as their scriptural authority are classified as "orthodox" (?stika). Other traditions, notably Buddhism and Jainism, which did not regard the Vedas as authorities are referred to by traditional Hindu texts as "heterodox" or "non-orthodox" (n?stika) schools. In addition to Buddhism and Jainism, Sikhism and Brahmoism, many non-Brahmin Hindus in South India do not accept the authority of the Vedas. Certain South Indian Brahmin communities such as Iyengars consider the Tamil Divya Prabandham or writing of the Alvar saints as equivalent to the Vedas.
This is an English translation of all the 4 Vedas.
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