Blog - 3 Vedas - The core of Indian spiritual system

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The Vedas are considered to be our earliest literature. The Vedas are most important scripture. The Vedas were composed by many sages or rishis. The Vedas are also called Apaurushya means non-human in origin. 

Shruti(श्रुति) means that which has been heard or communicated from the beginning. 

Smriti(स्मृति) means which is remembered or which is based upon memory. In other words, which is produced out of human intellect. Means they are modified.

सर्वस्य चाहं हृदि सन्निविष्टो

मत्त: स्मृतिर्ज्ञानमपोहनं च |

वेदैश्च सर्वैरहमेव वेद्यो

वेदान्तकृद्वेदविदेव चाहम् || 15.15||

Meaning - I am seated in the hearts of all living beings, and from Me come memory, knowledge, as well as forgetfulness. I alone am to be known by all the Vedas, am the author of the Vedant, and the knower of the meaning of the Vedas.

मी प्रत्येकाच्या हृदयात स्थित आहे आणि माझ्यापासूनच स्मृती, ज्ञान आणि विस्मृती होतात. सर्व वेदांद्वारे जाणण्यायोग्य मीच आहे. निःसंदेह मी वेदांताचा संकलक आहे आणि वेदांचा ज्ञाताही मीच आहे.

Now, Veda(वेद) are Shruti scripture. It is said/believed that Rishi in the state of Tapasya heard Vedas directly from परब्रह्म/परमेश्वर, In other words Rishi attained this ज्ञान in state of samadhi which is called Shruti. So, Vedas are called अपौरुषेय (non-human) that means it is not created by man.

Although they seem to be written down around 1,500 BCF, they r much older they called Shrutis because they were being revealed to Rishis in ancient times. Vedic literature is in Sanskrit, that's why it's very rich n diverse.

 There are four parts of Vedas.

 1. Rig-Veda (ऋग्वेद)

 2. Yajur-Veda (यजुर्वेद)

 3. Sam-Veda (सामवेद)

 4. Atharva-Veda (अथर्ववेद) 

1. Rig-Veda (ऋग्वेद)

 Rig-Veda is all about nature, glorifying the natural forces. सर्वस्य चाहं हृदि सन्निविष्टो

मत्त: स्मृतिर्ज्ञानमपोहनं च |

वेदैश्च सर्वैरहमेव वेद्यो

वेदान्तकृद्वेदविदेव चाहम् || 15.15||

Meaning - I am seated in the hearts of all living beings, and from Me come memory, knowledge, as well as forgetfulness. I alone am to be known by all the Vedas, am the author of the Vedant, and the knower of the meaning of the Vedas.

मी प्रत्येकाच्या हृदयात स्थित आहे आणि माझ्यापासूनच स्मृती, ज्ञान आणि विस्मृती होतात. सर्व वेदांद्वारे जाणण्यायोग्य मीच आहे. निःसंदेह मी वेदांताचा संकलक आहे आणि वेदांचा ज्ञाताही मीच आहे.

It means a verse composed to praise a particular deity. It mainly contains verious hymns for praying to vedic god such as अग्नि (Fire God), इंद्र (The lord of heavens), वरुण (Water God), सूर्य (Sun God) etc. Rig-Veda has 1,028 hymns n 10,600 verses.

2. Yajur-Veda (यजुर्वेद)

Yajur-Veda means the Veda of Yajus.  It's a dealing with procedure of sacrifices. It contains Mantras. Yajus were mantras sung during religious sacrifices. The name comes from Sanskrit word, Yajus, meaning "worship" or "sacrifice," and veda, meaning "knowledge".

The "Yajur Veda" is divided into two parts - the "White Yajur Veda" (शुक्ल) called as Taittiriya. And the "Black Yajur Veda" (कृष्ण) called as Vajasaneyi. The White Yajur Veda deals with prayers and specific instructions for devotional sacrifices. The Black Yajur Veda deals with instructions for sacrificial rituals.

 3. Sam-Veda (सामवेद)

Sam-Veda means the Veda of sacred songs. It deals with Indian music. This veda also has many hymns. They were sung by the Hindu priests n other Hindus during religious activity. The Sam-Veda has contributed in a major way in laying the foundation of Indian music.

बृहत्साम तथा साम्नां गायत्री छन्दसामहम् |

मासानां मार्गशीर्षोऽहमृतूनां कुसुमाकर: || 10.35||

Meaning - Amongst the hymns in the Sam-Veda know me to be the Brihatsama; amongst poetic meters I am the Gayatri. Of the twelve months of the Hindu calendar I am Margsheersh, and of seasons I am spring, which brings forth flowers.

सामवेदातील स्तोत्रांमध्ये बृहत्साम मी आहे आणि छंदांमध्ये गायत्री मी आहे, मासांमध्ये मार्गशीर्ष (नोव्हेंबर डिसेंबर) मी आहे आणि ऋतूंमध्ये वसंत मी आहे.

Earlier Shree Krishna had said that of the Vedas he is the Sam-Veda, which is rich with beautiful devotional songs. Now he says that within the Sam-Veda, he is the Brihatsama, which has an exquisite melody. It is typically sung at midnight.

 4. Atharva-Veda (अथर्ववेद) 

Atharva-Veda stands to mean a tatpurusha compound of Atharvan, an ancient sage, and knowledge. The Atharva-Veda ia named after Atharva Rishi. This Veda is different from the other 3 Vedas.

This veda deals with vedic knowledge on the sciences liks medicine. It provides information about medicinal herbs. Atharva-Veda is more concerned with many things in the day to day life of the people. It includes solutions to

Adversities n diseases. The Atharva-Veda provides guidance to a king about the way he should administer his kingdom.

The Vedas teach us to pursue truth, to accept nothing but the Truth, which is one, though the wise describe it in various ways "एकम सत विप्रा बहुधा वदन्ति" That is Truth or sat is synonymous with being and becoming, with life and living in all its manifestations.

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