Vedas

Vedas have been composed of Sanskrit word Vid which means to know. As such meaning of Ved is knowledge. Indeed, Vedas are unlmited reservoir of knowledge about Indian civilisation and culture. Many scholars consider it. Bssic source of Indian knowledge and are considered oldest literature here.

A new urban civilisation came into existence in India after Harrapan civilisation whose architects were aryans? Arya is literary word which originates from the word adi which means noble. It has not been used for cost Vedas contain description about whole activity and cultural of aryans and even today they are original base of Indian culture.

Vedas are also called Shruti, it means that initially vedas were translated verbaly generation to gteneration. Few Scholar considered it to be written before 3500 BC. But its period is considered between 1500-600 BC on the basis of archeological proofs and language science and there comparative study.

Vedic literatures have been classified into two groups-Shruti and Smiriti. Shruti includes four Sanhita-Riju, Yaju, Sam atharvfga and there Brahaman aryanak and upnishad. Vedang upveda and Dhramshastra comes under Sanhita.

Initially Vedas were composed in old Sanskrit and were called Dardik and they were unsystemised. Later scholars like yask and Pavini. It was systemised purely.

Vedas have been called apourousharya (Rigveda, Samveda, yajurveda & atharvaveda). it means these has been written by god and not by the human, different rishi obtained it on account of their knowledge and meditation as such these rishis were addressed as visionaries of Vedic mantras and not the composers.

Men and women both contribute incomposing vedic mantras. Remain like lopamudra, apala, Ghosha along with rishies like Vashistha, Vishwamitra, Kannu, and Gatri-Samath wrote several Vedic mantras.

Traditionally it is belived that Maharishi Vyas classified Vedas into fan types for due conductance of Yagya. Ceromonies and appointed his four dislciples as expert –

        Rishi                                            Ved

        Pail                                              Rigveda

        Gemini                                         Samveda

        Vaishyampayan                           Yajurveda

         Sumantu                                    Atharvaveda

These disciples of Vyas inculcated there other disciples about this and as such several branches of vedas were born. According to Maharishi Patanjali 21 branches of rigveda 101 branches of jajurveda, 1000 branches of Samveda and 3 branches of atharveda were popular at that time. however it has been calculated in a different way by Mahidas aitraye in his own composition, Charan Vyah.

Each Veda is dedicated to different gods and different nature is seen in them eg. Rigveda is dedicated to agni deva, yajurved to vayudev. The nature of rigveda is knowledge while Karma is the nature of yajurveda.

In vedas rishies have taken help of symbols and dance-drama repeadly to express there thought. In the first Mandal fo rigveda Lord Indra has been addressed as cow and Horse. Sri Arvind has also proved with several examples that different characters of vedas could be early understood through dance-drama.

Yagyas have been considered important in Vedas. According to it through yaga’s a man not only systematies his own life rather of establish balance between different natural activities. According to Vedas, veda have been born from yagya purush.

The commentries on Vedas were began to be written from the years of vedic period. Scholars like Bhaskar Mishra, Bhrat Swami, Venkat Madhav, Skand Swami, Sayan etc. have written commentry on it. Scholar of South India of 14th century Sayan had written complete this basis we see the present form of Vedas.

Several Indian and western scholars are involved in analysis and study regarding these vedas, in present days and such thinkers are – Raja Ram Mohan Rai Dayanand Sarswati, B.G. Tilak, Sri Arbind etc. Arya Smaj of Dayanand is supporter of accepting vedic life style completely.

Priests to performed Yagyas as described in Vedas were called Ritwiz. There are four classes of Ritwiz based on four Vedas – Hotri - Reciting of rigveda mantras, Adh Varyu - Reciting rituals and there methods in yajurveda, Upgatri - Reciting melodiously samveda mantras, Braham - Reciting, monitoring, yagyas of atharveda.

Complete mention about all the activities of aryans including social economic, political and relgious have been descripted in the vedas. During this period there life was influence with religion. Although religious subject have been mostly described in this. All the activities and tendencies of man have been linked with the religion.

Vedas are the base of modern Indian social, religious system. Attemprs are being made to find remedy for any problem related to social-religious issues and these vedas are usually reffered. It is done so because vedic religion is actually practical and subjected to utility. In it changes are seen in accordance with change in time and situation.