12/08/2021
🕉 FOUR VEDAS IN HINDUISM 🕉
(ဗေဒင် ၄-ပုံ)
Vedas are the most ancient layer of Sanskrit literature and the most ancient scriptures of Hinduism. Vedic literature is one of the biggest values in ancient Indian culture. The concept and ritual of the Vedic tradition are codified by the Vedas and thus shape the foundation of traditional Hinduism. There are four Vedas: the Ṛgveda (Rigveda), the Sāmaveda, the Yajurveda, and the Atharvaveda. Scholars estimate period of Vedas that the Ṛgveda most likely was composed between 1500 and 1200 BCE and other Vedas were composed between 1200 and 900 BCE.
The Vedas are immeasurable, unrivalled, and filled with Bliss. Hindus believe that the Vedas are eternal in the higher realms of the world of Brahman because they manifest at the beginning of every cycle of creation for the welfare of the world. Then the Vedas help humans to know their essential nature, and return from their embodied, limited state as bound souls (jīvas) to their eternal state as liberated souls. Therefore the Vedas are very significant in Hindu tradition.
The Sanskrit word “Veda” is derived from the root “Vid”, which means “to know”. The Sanskrit term “Veda” as a common noun means “knowledge”. Thus knowledge of the Supreme is Veda.
Manu has declared, “Everything is derived from the Vedas.” Hence, the Vedas are not manmade (apauruśeya), but one had heard. Thus the Vedas are called “Śruti” (what is heard) and are also called “Smṛti” (what is remembered) due to distinguishing from other religious texts.
Today the Vedas are four but originally they were only three: the Ṛgveda, the Sāmaveda, and the Yajurveda. They were known as the Triple Vedas (vedatraya). The fourth one named Atharvaveda was subsequently added. Each Veda has four subdivisions – the Saṃhitās, the Āranyakas, the Brāhmaṇas, and the Upaniṣads. Historically, the Saṃhitās were the earliest composition followed by the Brāhmans. The Āranyakas and the Upaniṣads belong to the later Vedic period, although it is possible that parts of them might have been composed earlier.
The Ṛgveda is the oldest extant Indic text. The meaning of the word Ṛgveda is praise knowledge. It is a collection of 1028 Vedic Sanskrit hymns named Suktas and 10,600 verses in all. It is a set of 10 books (maṇḍalas). Actually the Ṛgveda is the “Reciting Hymns” or the “Book of Hymns”. This Veda is structured based on clear principles and 1028 hymns also deal with deities like Agni, Indra, Soma and other Gods and are credited and devoted to Guru Ṛṣi (sages). The Ṛgveda has been a reminder of the ancient cultural heritage and point of pride for Hindus, with some hymns still in use in major rites of passage ceremonies. Still, to some experts, the literal acceptance of most of the textual essence is long gone.
The Sāmaveda is the performing sacrifices. It is the “Chanting Songs” or the “Book of Song”. It consists of 1549 verses (except for 75 mantras, all of which have been taken from Ṛgveda). This Veda has served as the principal roots of the classical Indian music and dance tradition, and proudly the tradition boasts itself as the oldest in the world.
The Yajurveda consists of prose verses (mantras). It is famous as the “Book of Rituals”. That is because it is a compilation of ritual offering formulas or the prose mantras to be chanted or muttered repeatedly by a priest while an individual performed ritual actions such as those before the “Agni-yajña” (worship-fire).
The Atharvaveda is the text belonging to poets of Atharvan and Angirasa, Vedic sages which dates back to 1000 – 800 BCE. It has about 760 hymns, 600 verses (mantras), 20 books, and about 150 of the hymns are in common with the Ṛgveda. This Veda consists of hymns many of which were charms and magic spells which are meant to be pronounced by the person who seeks some benefit. Sometimes, this Veda is called the “Veda of Magical formulas”.
The Vedas, in specific the Upaniṣads, will eventually form the fundamental understanding of the Sanātana Dharma (eternal order) and also have guidance and meaning in the lives of the believers. Since this was too great to be comprehended by human beings, it manifests as “Avatās” such as Brāhma (the creator), Viṣṇu (the preserver), and Śiva (the destroyer), as well as a number of other deities all of whom were actually Brahman.
The purpose of human life is to recognize one’s higher self (Ātman) and fulfil the dharma (duty) granted to one with the proper karma (action) in order to liberate one’s self from the cycle of rebirth and death (saṃsāra) which was characterized by the pain and loss one experienced in the physical world. After person’s self (Ātman) becomes pure, it return to the Brāhma (the creator). It is called liberation from the cycle of rebirth and death (mokṣa).
