WHAT ARE VEDAS?

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WHAT ARE VEDAS?

 

The Vedas are the recordings of sages to whom the mantras were

revealed. They proclaim the transcendental Truth, which is not

changed by time or place. They indicate the means to prosperity and

security for the denizens of the three worlds. Veda is derived from

the root " Vid " , which means, " to know " . The Veda teaches how to

achieve purity of heart, getting rid of impurities.

 

 

The Vedas have been declared to be infinite and hence beyond the

comprehension of common people. In the beginning there was only one

Veda. To study it considerable time and effort were needed. Vyasa

divided it into different parts to enable people to study as well as

practice the teachings of the Veda. Out of the countless number of

hymns, Vyasa gathered some Rks and compiled them in the Rg Veda,

collected some yajus to form the Yajur Veda and some Samans to make

up the Sama Veda.

 

 

The Rg Veda is mainly devoted to hymns in praise of various

deities. The Yajur Veda consists of mantras for worshipping the

deities. The mantras of the Yajur Veda are used in the performance of

yagas and yajnas and in doing acts of charity. Each Veda has three

sections: Brahmanas, Aranyakas and Upanishads.

 

 

The Vedic mantras were utilized in yagas and yajnas (ritual

sacrifices) for promoting the well being of society and the world.

They were intended to secure timely rains so that the crops may be

good and there may be prosperity all round. The mantras, which form

part of the Karma Kanda (the path of rituals), were regarded as

conducive to the promotion of general well being and happiness.

 

 

The great sages who listened to these mantras as revelations from

the Divine found the key to them in eight basic letters. All the

Vedic mantras with their musical rendering were remembered by

reflecting on the eight letters: " A, Ka, Cha, Ta, Tha, Pa, Ya, Sa. "

The great seers fostered the Vedas by the use of these letters.

 

 

Each of the Vedas had several saakhas (branches) and upasaakhas

(sub-branches) . Out of the 20 branches and 21 sub-branches of the Rg

Veda, only three have survived today. Likewise out of 96 branches of

Yajur Veda only two have survived the ravages of time. Sama Veda,

which had 1000 branches, retains today only three branches.

 

 

What is meant by Veda? One meaning is eruka (awareness). Another is

thelivi (intelligence) . A third meaning is viveka (discrimination) .

All those who wish to develop discrimination should be deeply

interested in the Vedas.

 

 

The Vedas have emphasized that man will be truly human only when he

lives up to human values and practices the good life. The Vedas have

a universal outlook, embracing all that is noble and sacred. They

have taught the principle of samatwa (equality) in respect of

everything. They have proclaimed the concept of oneness. They taught

men to face joy and sorrow with equal serenity.

 

 

The Vedas have been mainly concerned with the Pravritti Marga (the

Path of Action). All the different branches of knowledge--physics,

chemistry, botany, economics, music, etc.--are covered by the Vedas.

These are concerned with the external world. Hence the Vedas have

been considered dualistic. Only the Upanishads have taught the

Nirvritti Marga (the Path of Knowledge) by going within oneself. This

means that, of the four Purusharthas, the four main goals of man-

Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha--the Vedas have been concerned with

only the first three.

 

 

The Upanishads declared that the nature of the Supreme can be

grasped only by the Path of Knowledge. That knowledge is found in

Vedanta. The Upanishads come at the end of the Vedas. The essence of

all the Vedas is to be found in them. While Veda is dualistic,

Vedanta is Advaita (nondualistic) . It is only when you understand the

essence of the Vedas as expounded in the Upanishads and put into

practice the message of the Vedanta, you will realize the true

meaning of Advaita (Non-dualism) .