Although the Vedas are now said to be four in number this was not the originally recognized number of the compilations. The oldest records refer to only three Vedas, namely, the Rig, Sama and Yajur. Manu speaks of these as the trayi (triad) milked out from the fire, air, and sun, and the Atharva-veda was not even acknowledged in his time. The Rigveda (Sanskrit: ऋग्वेद ṛgveda, from ṛc 'praise' and veda 'knowledge') is an ancient Indian collection of Vedic Sanskrit hymns.It is one of the four sacred canonical texts of Hinduism known as the Vedas. The Rigveda is the oldest known Vedic Sanskrit text. Its early layers are one of the oldest extant texts in any Indo-European language. In Hinduism, VEDAS means wisdom, knowledge or vision, and it manifests the language of the Gods in human speech. Hinduism is the oldest religion available in the world, ” The Vedas” are considered the earliest literary record of Indo-Aryan civilization, and the most sacred books of India.
- Hindu Vedas
- What Are The 4 Vedas Of Hinduism Temples
- What Are The 4 Vedas Of Hinduism Belief
- What Are The 4 Vedas Of Hinduism Similarities
- What Are The 4 Vedas Of Hinduism Buddhism
- What Are The Vedas Answers
Contrary to popular belief, The Vedas were not an invention of Hinduism. Rather, they were a precursor of (and an inspiration for) the Hindu religion, birthed from a much earlier religious group.
The basis of these sacred texts is astonishingly primeval and mysterious — with an unknowable origin and unknowable authors. Yet, they have had an immense influence on major world religions of today, primarily Hinduism.
Whenever I have read any part of the Vedas, I have felt that some unearthly and unknown light illuminated me. In the great teaching of the Vedas, there is no touch of the sectarianism. It is of ages, climes, and nationalities and is the royal road for the attainment of the Great Knowledge. When I am at it, I feel that I am under the spangled heavens of a summer night.
—Henry David Thoreau
In this article, we will explore the 4 sacred texts, their origin, and purpose:
So, where did these sacred texts come from, and why are they so fundamental?
What Is A Sacred Text Definition?
Sacred texts and scriptures are texts that religious traditions use as the center of their teachings, beliefs, and practice.
These texts help practitioners connect with the divinity, promote religious truths, and guide individual and religious practice.
What are the sacred texts of the 5 major religions?
- Buddhist Sacred Texts: The Sutras
- Christian Sacred Text: The Bible
- Hindu Sacred Texts: The Vedas
- Islamic Sacred Texts: The Quran and Hadith
- Jewish Sacred Texts: The Tanach, Mishnah, Talmud and Midrash
The Origin Of The Vedas
The Vedas are some of the world’s earliest recorded texts. They were orally formed by Aryan nomads (referred to as the “noble ones”) during the Vedic Period (1,500 – 500 BCE) in ancient India, but not officially recorded (in a physical text) until centuries later.
The word “Veda” in Sanskrit means sacred wisdom, knowledge, or vision. This sacred wisdom is transcribed in the Vedas as a collection of poetry and prose, containing many hymns, mantras, chants, prayers, spells, and commentaries.
But who is the author of this sacred wisdom?
According to the ancients, there is no acclaimed human author. In fact, the information was channeled by the risis (the seers, the sages) from the very breath of “Source.” They referred to this “Source” as Paramātman: the “Primordial Self,” the “Self Beyond,” or the “Absolute Atman.”
The sages saw the Vedas, but they did not compose them.
For this, the Vedas are the most sacred text of Hinduism; the “language of the Gods.” They are the very basis of not only Hindu religious practices, but their social, legal, and domestic obligations, as well.
The Vedas are the very source of every Hindu tradition and sect.
As shared by spiritual teacher, author of Mindvalley’s Be a Modern Master Program Deborah King:
Sacred study [of the Vedas] reveals the practice, and practice helps you implement the powerful spiritual truths that can transform your life.
The 4 Sacred Texts
The Vedas are split into 4 separate sacred texts (a separate book for mantras, songs, rituals, and spells), but are often compiled into a book referred to as the Chathurveda Samhitha.
Hindu Vedas
Chathurveda Samhitha is made up of three words — Chathur: four, Veda: knowledge, and Samhitha: collection.
The Rigveda: the book of mantra
The Rigveda is the oldest and most prominent of the Vedas. In fact, Ancient Hindus used the Rigveda as their main source of spiritual information.
In Sanskrit, the word “Rigveda” means The Knowledge of the Verses.
The Rigveda is comprised of 1,028 important hymns (sūktas), including the popular Purusha Sukta and Creation Hymns. And these hymns are organized into 10 different books, called “circles” or “mandalas.”
The older books contain hymns that are more focused on the praise of deities (gods and goddesses). While the younger books are more concerned with philosophical questions, the virtue of dāna (generosity, charity) in society, and other metaphysical issues.
The Samaveda: the book of song
The Samaveda is the second most important Veda, and is a liturgical collection of songs or melodies.
Samaveda hymns are a musical version of the informative hymns of the Rigveda. The Rigveda is the word, and the Samaveda is the colorful meaning.
The Yajurveda: the book of ritual
The Yajurveda is the book of prose mantras. It is a collection of ritual offering formulas and serves as a sort of “guidebook” for priests who carry out sacrificial acts. It is said to be similar in value to the Egyptian Book of the Dead.
The Yajurveda contains the “Black” (Krishna) book and the “White” (Shukla) book.
The Black Yajurveda is categorized as the unorganized, unclear collection of verses. And the White Yajurveda is categorized as the well organized, clear, and easier understood collection of verses.
The Atharvaveda: the book of spell
The Atharvaveda is the most recent of the 4 sacred texts and plays an important role in Vedic history.
In it we find a series of magical spells, charms, and incantations to assist in everything from protecting against disease to attracting lovers.
What is the sacred text of Confucianism?
The most revered sacred text of Confucianism is Lun Yu (Analects).
Confucius didn’t write Lun Yu. In fact, his second generation of student wrote the text based on Confucius’ teachings. It captures many of the core meanings of the religion.
What is the oldest sacred text?
The oldest sacred text in the world is one of the four Vedas – the Rigveda.
Composed between 1700 and 1100 BCE, the Rigveda is now the oldest religious text still in use today.
So, which of the Vedas do you see most expressed in Hindu culture? Share it with us in a comment below!
bhagavad-gita, mahabharata, ramayana, upanisad, upanishad, vedanta sutra, vedas
Hindu Sacred Books
The concept of Hinduism being a single monolithic religion is recent, dating back only to the 19th century. Many scholars liken Hinduism to a family of religions, with all affiliated members bearing a family resemblance. Thus any definition of Hinduism is somewhat arbitrary and requires qualification. One such definition is “the followers of Vaidika Dharma,” or those who follow the religious teachings outlined in the Vedas and their corollaries.
Hindu religious literature is divided into two main categories:
- Shruti – that which has been heard
- Smriti – that which has been remembered
Key Points
- Hinduism has no single scripture but many.
- They include the Vedas and their corollaries sometimes called collectively “the Vedic scriptures.”
- There are two main divisions:
- shruti – that which is heard (revealed truth)
- smriti – that which is remembered (realised truth)
- Sanskrit is the language of most canonical texts, but many subsidiary texts are written in the vernacular.
Shruti is canonical, consisting of revelation and unquestionable truth, and is considered eternal. It refers mainly to the Vedas themselves. Mod ets2 map jowo v7.
Smriti is supplementary and may change over time. It is authoritative only to the extent that it conforms to the bedrock of shruti.
There are different opinions about the relative validity and importance of each. Some Hindus stress the foundational importance ofshruti, whereas others say that in making truths accessible, smriti is more important today. Belief in universal truth suggests to some Hindu thinkers that any teaching that corresponds to real knowledge can also be accepted as “Veda.” Hence there are numerous writings considered to be “Vedic,” including many vernacular works. It is important to note that:
- The divide between Shruti and Smriti is often contested.
- The divide is not discrete but can be represented as a continuum, with some texts more canonical than others.
Most key texts are written in classical Sanskrit, considered the sacred language of the gods. The script itself is termed “devanagari” – literally “from the cities of the gods.” (For more information on Sanskrit, please see Sanskrit and Sanskriti). Many subsidiary texts, particularly by medieval bhakti writers, are in local vernaculars, such as Tamil, Brajbasi, Gujarati, and Bengali.
The content of Vedic scripture is divided into three main sections, though the third one, upasana-kanda, is sometimes omitted:
- Karma-kanda – largely dealing with ritual sacrifice aimed at enjoyment (world-accepting)
- Jnana-kanda – philosophical texts aimed at knowledge through renunciation (world-denying)
- Upasana kanda – texts focusing on worship of God and service to him (world-accommodating/transcending)
These three largely correspond to the three main paths – Karma-yoga, Jnana-yoga, and Bhakti-Yoga (see Four Main Paths).
The most important books in the shruti and smriti are listed below. They are here grouped into ten categories to aid memorisation. The main texts within both shruti and smriti are explored in this section.
For popular purposes in the UK, the Ramayana, the Mahabharata, the Puranas and the Bhagavad-gita are most commonly used.
Ten Principal Texts
- Main shruti texts (3)
- The Four Vedas
- The 108 Upanishads
- The Vedanta Sutra
- Main smriti texts (4)
- The Itihasas (histories or epics)
- The Bhagavad-gita (philosophy)
- The Puranas (stories and histories)
- The Dharma Shastra (law books)
- Other texts (4)
- The Vedangas (limbs of the Vedas)
- The Upavedas (following the Vedas)
- Sectarian texts (e.g. agamas, tantras)
- Vernacular literature
Notes:
- The Epics are the Ramayana and Mahabharata
- The “other texts” are usually classified as smriti. Some consider the Vedangas to be shruti.
- The sectarian texts mainly deal with ritual procedures, and include the Vaishnava Pancharatra, the Shaiva Agamas and Tantras, and the Shakta Devi Shastra and Tantra
Sacred texts are sources of:
- Philosophical concepts
- Information on personal values
- Practical injunctions
- Story and myth
- Prayers and mantras
- Details of worship/liturgy
- Various arts and sciences
Related Practices
- Sacred texts are treated with respect; they are never placed directly on the floor, nor touched with feet or dirty hands.
- Prayers are often recited before using or consulting them.
- Texts are often wrapped in silk cloth.
- Sometimes they are placed in a shrine and offered worship.
- Ancient texts were etched on leaves, such as palm.
- Books are used for recitation, personal study, theological training, pravachan (see Other Forms of Worship) and consultation on matters of spiritual and secular law.
Related Values and Issues
What Are The 4 Vedas Of Hinduism Temples
- The differences between belief, opinion and truth
- The need for authority
What Are The 4 Vedas Of Hinduism Belief
Personal Reflection
- In what ways does secular literature fulfill a similar role to scripture e.g. as a means to information?
- Are there any parallels in the need to accept the opinion, advice or judgment of others? How should it be accepted?
- How important is it for a teacher to make any topic accessible to students (as smriti attempts to do)? What are the benefits and possible pitfalls in doing this?
What Are The 4 Vedas Of Hinduism Similarities
Glossary Terms
What Are The 4 Vedas Of Hinduism Buddhism
- Veda – knowledge, from the root vit, “to know”
- Vedic – often refers to the period of compilation of the Rig Veda (i.e. the Vedic period). Hindus themselves often use the term to describe anything connected to the Vedas and their corollaries (e.g. Vedic culture).
Meaning and Purpose
What Are The Vedas Answers
- How do we determine the meaning and purpose of life?
- Does written authority play a role?