Tag: Vedas

Vedic Literature

Vedic literature consists of four classes of literary creations, viz. Vedas, Brahmanas, Aranyakas and Upanishads. The Vedas are hymns, prayers, charms, litanies, and sacrificial formulae. The term veda means “knowledge,” and it is believed that they contain fundamental knowledge relating to the underlying cause of, function of, and personal response to existence.

Rigveda 

The literal meaning of the word rig is ‘to praise’. It is a collection of hymns in praise of gods. It was compiled around 1500-1000 BC. 

It has been divided into ten volumes called Mandals, each of which contains 1,028 hymns and 10,600 verses. The oldest books are Mandal II through VII. They are also known as family books because they are attributed to rishi families. Mandal VIII and IX are from the middle ages. Mandals I and X are the most recently completed. Mandal III contains the Gayatri Mantra, which was written in honour of the sun god Savitri. Mandal IX is solely dedicated to Soma, the Lord of Plants. Mandal X contains a hymn called Purusha Sukta, which discusses the origins of the varna system. Hotra or hotri were rishis who were experts in Rigveda. The Rigveda shares many similarities with Avesta, the oldest text in Iranian language.

Samaveda

In fact, Samaveda is the shortest of all the four Vedas. It is a collection of songs mostly taken from the hymns of Rigveda and set to tune It is a book of chants. Sama Veda is the Veda of melodies and chants. It is believed that the Samaveda was compiled during 1200 or 1000 BCE. It holds a divine status in the Hindu tradition.
In fact, Lord Krishna describes the Samaveda as the most important of all the Vedas in the Bhagavad Gita. Sama Veda has been compiled solely for ritual use. It contains 1549 verses. Its verses were chanted during ceremonies like the Soma sacrifice. It honours deities like Indra, Agni, and Soma. Furthermore, its prayers are devoted to summoning the Supreme Being. Only three recensions of the Samaveda have survived to this day. Worship and devotion are central themes in this work. It believes that devotion and musical chanting are the only ways to reach the Glorious Lord and Brahman. The experts in Samaveda knowledge were known as udgatri. The Samaveda compilation is regarded as the birthplace of Indian music.

Yajurveda

The Yajur Veda (“Worship Knowledge” or “Ritual Knowledge”) consists of recitations, ritual worship formulas, mantras, and chants used in worship services. It is a collection of sacrificial formulae. Like Sama Veda, its contents are derived from the Rig Veda, however it focuses 1,875 verses is on religious observance liturgy. The experts in the knowledge of Yajurveda were called adhvaryu. It is found in both prose and poetry. It consists of two parts, viz. Krishna Yajurveda ( dark) and Shukla Yajurveda(light). Theses are not distinct parts but rather characteristics of the whole. The “dark Yajur Veda” refers to parts that are unclear and poorly organized, whereas the “light Yajur Veda” refers to verses that are clearer and better organized. It describes the rituals to be followed at the time of recitation of mantra. 

Atharvaveda

The Atharva Veda (“knowledge of Atharvan”) is distinguished from the first three by its emphasis on magical spells to ward off evil spirits or danger, chants, hymns, prayers, initiation rituals, marriage and funeral ceremonies, and observations on daily life. The name is thought to be derived from the priest Atharvan, who was reputed to be a healer and religious innovator. It is thought that the work was written around the same time as the Sama Veda and Yajur Veda by an individual (possibly Atharvan, but this is unlikely) or individuals (c. 1200-1000 BCE). It is divided into 20 books and contains 730 hymns, some of which are based on the Rig Veda. It consists of charms and spells. It contains magical hymns for disease relief. Ayurveda, an Indian medicinal science, derives from Atharvaveda.

The Ashrama Vyavastha

The Hindu Sastra- Karas advocated that man’s life and conduct is set in accordance to the attainment of the ultimate goal of life, that is, “moksha” and is influenced by four factors such as ‘desa’, ‘Kala’, ‘srama’ and ‘guna’. The Hindu sages were univocal on the presumption that any scheme of social organization which aims at the best functioning, must, in the first instance, take account of human beings from two aspects. First, the scheme must consider him as a social being with reference to his training and development in the ultimate goal of his existence; and secondly, tho has to be co- ordinated with another scheme which visualizes man with reference to his natural disposition and attitudes. The first of these is undertaken under the scheme of “ashrama“.

The word “Ashrama” comes from a Sanskrit word “srama” meaning “to exert oneself”. The word ashrama literally means a resting or halting place. According to the Hindu Vedas, there are four ashramas, that are regarded as resting places during one’s journey on the way to final liberation. Each ‘ashrama’ is a step in the long journey towards the ultimate goal. Therefore, Vedavyasa has described in the Mahabharata that ‘ashramas’ are the four rungs of ladder which takes man in the direction of Brahma. The four ashramas are:

  1. The Brahmacharyashrama
  2. The Grihasthashrama
  3. The Vanaprasthashrama
  4. The Sanyasashrama

The Brahmacharyashrama

The first stage of life of an individual is the Brahmacharyashrama. This is marked by the initiation rotes or upanayan ceremony. Brahmacharya literally means the leading of life according to Brahma. In this stage, a person acquires knowledge, achieves discipline and moulds his character. He acquires knowledge of the Vedas, shastras (weapons), tatva (theoretical knowledge) and vyavahar (practical knowledge). The student stays at the teacher’s house, ‘Gurukula’, which marked the beginning of schooling in the Vedic texts. The student not only performs his study, but also performs the tasks assigned to hin by his teacher. When the teacher is convinced that the student had evinced a real desire for study, he unfolds the Vedas to him. The student follows some strict rules and learns to restrict and have control over his senses. The individual has to surrender his life of sense, mind and intellectual to the handling and moulding by the teacher.

The Grihasthashrama

After the completion of prescribed education in Brahmacharyashrama, in the first twenty five years of life, the youth enters the Grihasthashrama, that is the time when he is fit to marry with certain aims. In enters this stage with aims of ‘Dhrama’ meaning religiousity, ‘Praja’ meaning procreation and ‘Rati’ meaning satisfaction of sexual urges. The major aim of Hindu marriage is ‘dharma’. To fulfil his ‘dharma’ the married man performs five mahayajnas or the five great sacrifices along with his wife or ‘ardhangini’ or ‘dharmapatni’. These great sacrifices were offered to Gods (Daiva Yajna), Saints or Brahmans (Rishi Yajna), Parents (Pitri Yajna), Ancestors (Bhuta Yajna) and the men (Atithi Yajna). The Grihasthashrama is given a high place of honour. It is also the responsibility of the householder to take care of all those who are in the other three ashramas.

The Vanaprasthashrama

After the completion of the householder’s duty and at fifty years of age, man entered into the third stage of life, the Vanaprasthashrama. At this stage the individual lives as a recluse and resides in the forest. He must satisfy his hunger by eating roots or fruits available in the forest. The hermit must maintain celibacy, sleep on the floor, residing under a tree without any attachment to where he happens to reside.The qualities and virtues he needed to cultivate as a hermit were self restraint, friendliness, charity and compassionate attitude towards all creates. The presence of wife along with him was optional. It is a life devoted to meditation and contemplation, a life of enquiry and searching.

The Sanyasashrama

In the last stage, after twenty five years of conditioning in the Vanaprasthashrama, the man enters the Sanyasashrama, that is, life of an ascetic, casting off all attachment with the world. At the time of entering this ashrama, a person takes the vow that ” I have completely, from tho day, bidden farewell to AL the desires and anxieties regarding son, wealth and the world.” As regards the practice he should beg once in a day without any desired to get large quantity of alms. By restraint of his senses, destruction of love and hatred and by abstention from injuring creatures, he becomes fit for immortality. By passing through this stage, all the sins of man are washed away and destroyed. The man at this stage was mainly concerned with his own realization of spirituality.

It can be concluded that the ashramas are, as a school of life at various phases of human existence, devised and organized, towards the attainment of “moksha” in accordance with the theory of the ultimate nature of human beings.

VEDANGAS – THE LIMBS OF THE VEDAS

Vedangas are the six forms i.e., the six auxiliary disciples of Vedas. It is said to be the six limbs of the Purusha called Veda. 

  1. Shiksha (Education) – Nose 
  2. Kalpa (Ritual) – Arms
  3. Vyakarana (Grammar) – Mouth 
  4. Nirukta (Etymology) – Ears 
  5. Chhanda (Metrics) – Feet 
  6. Jyotisha (Astronomy) – Eyes 

SHIKSHA

It is referred to as the nose of the body. Shiksha is related to giving instructions through recitation. It consists of instructions for correct pronunciation and accent of the Samhita texts. It mainly focuses on phonetics and gives the rules for the sound of syllables and pronunciation. Phonetics decides the sound changes while recitation and hence becomes very important for Vedic language. The aim is to attain 

  • Akshara suddhi – syllable purity
  • Swara suddhi – tone and pitch purity
  • Maatraa suddhi – durational purity
  • Balam – the force of articulation
  • Samam – evenness
  • Santana – continuity

KALPA

Kalpa is the arm of the Vedas. It speaks about rules for the right method of performing the rituals. These rules are followed in ceremonies such as weddings, naming functions, and other ceremonies. It has its origin from the brahmana texts of the Veda. These are written in sutra style, referring to sacrifices. Kalpa sutras are divided into 

  • Srautasutras – contains rules for performing different sacrifices and rituals.
  • Smarthasutras – further partitioned into 
    • Grihyasutras – gives domestic rites and rituals for the three castes namely – Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaisyas, and the responsibilities for the household life.
    • Dharmasutras – gives rules for behaviour and talks about the four stages of life

VYAKARANA

Vyakarana is called the grammar for the Vedas. It is essential for the formation of sentences, phrases, and words. It is the mouth of the Vedas. It is necessary for understanding the Vedas. It is related to the next Vedanga, Nirukta. It is written by scholars named Panini and Yaska. It consists of 4000 sutras which belong to the four padas of the eight chapters. The four divisions are 

  • Siva sutras – deals with phonetics and intonation
  • Ashtadhyayi – deals with sentence structure and construction
  • Dhatupadha – deals with root words
  • Ganapadha – deals with a group of nouns and phrases

NIRUKTA

Nirukta is the ear of the Veda purusha. It means etymology and tells why a word is chosen for the context and the meaning of the used word. It is generally called the Kosa or the dictionary. It deals with the interpretation of obscure and difficult words and provides insights into the hidden meaning delivered in the content. Hence, the study of Nirukta becomes essential to understand the concealed meaning and linguistic significance of the texts.

CHHANDA

It is regarded as the feet of the Veda Purusha. The word Chhanda is derived from the term Chad meaning to cover. It deals with the metrics to be used in the Vedic hymns. A sloka generally consists of four quarters called paadas. Based on the number of syllables in each paada, there are different meters.

  • Gayatri – 8 syllables
  • Trishtup – 11 syllables
  • Jagati – 12 syllables

JYOTISHA

Jyotisha is the eyes of the Vedas and it means astronomy or astrology. It gives knowledge about auspicious dates and times for the ceremonies and rituals to be performed. This is determined based on the position of the sun, the moon, the planets, and other heavenly bodies. It is believed that the rituals succeed when performed under the influence of a particular graha, nakshatra, or thithi. This is calculated using some mathematical calculations and hence mathematics forms an integral part of it.

VEDAS

The word Veda means Knowledge. Vedas are the earliest piece of literature that was written in the Sanskrit language. These were handed down from one generation to the other orally by the pandits who learned this from their ancestors. Even if there were no facilities to preserve the Vedas through the art of writing, it is preserved by transmitting to the generations orally. In Hindu culture, Vedas are considered spiritual and everlasting revelations. Vedas come under Shruti which means what is being heard. There are four Vedas, each of which was composed of different ages. However, it is believed that it always existed and sages chanted this in their deep meditative states. The four Vedas are – Rig Veda, Yajur Veda, Sama Veda and Atharva Veda.

RIG VEDA

The earliest of Vedas is the Rig Veda. It is a set of 1028 hymns in Vedic Sanskrit. Many of those are beautiful descriptions of nature. The prayers in this seek prosperity and well developed and cultured society. It is believed that these compositions are the natural outburst of Vedic rishis when they went through the mental transcendental stage. Some of the prominent rishis of this period are Vasistha, Gautama, Gritasamada, Vamadeva, Vishvamitra and Atri. Indra, Agni, Varun, Rudra, Aditya, Vayu, Aditi, and Ashwini twins are the eminent gods of this Veda whereas Usha (the goddess of dawn), Vak (the goddess of speech), and Prithvi (the goddess of earth) are the notable goddess of the Rig Veda. Do you know that the majority of the hymns spoke of universally recognized higher values of life like truthfulness, honesty, dedication, sacrifice, politeness, and culture? Rig Veda also provides knowledge about the social, political, and financial conditions of ancient India apart from religion.

YAJUR VEDA

The word Yajur means sacrifice or veneration. This Veda is mostly related to Rites and mantras of different sacrifices. It tells the directions and ways to conduct the yajnas. It is a mixture of both prose and poetry. Being a treatise on rituals, it’s the foremost popular of the four Vedas. Yajur Veda has two main divisions called Shukla and Krishna Yajur Veda i.e., Vajasaneyi Samhita and Taitriya Samhita. This mainly talks about the social and religious aspects of India at that time.

SAMA VEDA 

The term Sama means melody or songs. This contains the tunes for the recitation of Hymns. Sama Veda is mainly of 16,000 ragas and raginis which means musical notes. Only 75 verses out of 1875 verses are original and others belong to the Rig Veda. However, the Sama Veda gives the tunes for the recitation of the hymns of the Rig Veda. It may be called the book of Chants (Saman). This book stands as evidence of Indian music during this era.

ATHARVA VEDA

The Atharva Veda is also called the Brahma Veda. It talks about the treatment for ninety-nine diseases. This Veda is originated from the 2 rishis called Atharvah and Angiras. The Atharva Veda is of immense value because it represents the religious ideas at an early period of civilization. It consists of two main branches namely, Paipaddala and Saunaka. This book gives detailed information about the family, social and political life of the later Vedic period. To know the Vedas, it becomes mandatory to know the Vedangas, the limbs of the Vedas. The Vedangas talk about Siksha (education), Vyakarana (grammar), Kalpa (rituals), Nirukta (etymology), Chhanda (metrics), and Jyotisha (astronomy). 

Each Veda is composed of 4 parts: The Mantra-Samhitas or hymns, The Brahmanas or explanations of Mantras or rituals, Aranyakas, and Upanishads. The division of the Vedas into four parts is to suit the four stages during a man’s life.

Hinduism

Hinduism is the world’s oldest religion, dating back more than 4000 years.Hinduism is the thirs largest religion behind Christainity and Islam. Hinduism is unique and it’s not a single religion, it is the compilation of many traditions and philosophies.

Origin of Hinduism

Most scholars believe that Hinduism started between 2300BC to 1500BC in the Indus Valley near modern day pakistan. Many hindu argue that their faith is timeless and always existed unlike other religions. Hinduism has no founder but it is a combination of various beliefs.There are many beliefs in Hinduism i.e. dharma,karma,moksha. Some basic hindu concepts includes-

a. Hinduism fuses many religious ideas,that’s why, it sometimes reffered as ‘way of life’ or a ‘family of religions’.
b. Most form of Hinduism are henotheistic which mean they worship a single deity known as ‘Brahman’

c. Hindu believe in the doctrines of sansara (the continous cycle of life,death and reincarnation) and Karma [the universal law of cause and effect]

d. Most impt ward of Hinduism is ‘Atman’ or the belief in the soul.

e. Goal is to achieve Moksha which ends the cycle of rebirth to becvome part of the absoulte soul.

Hinduism Symbols

There are two symbols associated with Hinduism, one is OM and other is SWASTIKA. The word SWASTIKA mean ‘good fortune’ or ‘being happy’.OM is composed of three sanskrit letters and represent three sounds [a,u and m].

Hinduism Holy Book

The primary sacred texts, known as vedas were composed around 1500 BC. Vedas were the collection of verses and hymns which were written in sanskrit.The vedas composed of ;
Rig veda, Sama veda, Ayurveda, A thar veda, The Upnishads, the Bhagawad Gita, Ramayans and Mahabharta are also considered important texts in Hinduism.
Hinduism has no founder but compilation of of various beliefs. Hinduism contains various doctrines like Dharma, Karma, Moksha. One fundamental principle of Hinduism is ‘as you sow, as you reap’ i.e. people’s action and thoughts directly determine their current life and future life. Major goal of Hinduism is to achieve ‘Moksha’, which ends the cycle of rebirths to became part of absolute soul. Make your soul pure, do your Karma in good faith and follow path of dharma, then you will definitely achieve moksha.