Vedas...!!!

Vedas



 

The oldest literature of Indian thought is the Veda, a collection of
religious and philisophical poems and hymns composed over several generations
beginning as early as 3000 BC. The Veda was composed in Sanskrit, the
intellectual language of both ancient and classical Indian civilizations. Four
collections were made, so it is said that there are four Vedas. The four as a
group came to be viewed as sacred in Hinduism.
Some Vedic hymns and poems address philosophic themes, such as the henotheism
that is key to much Hindu theology. Henotheism is the idea that one God takes
many different forms, and that although individuals may worship several
different gods and goddesses, they really revere but one Supreme Being.
There are four Vedas:


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The Rig-Veda
Its traditional date goes back to 3000 BC, something
which the German scholar Max Mueller accepted. As a body of writing, the
Rig-Veda (the wisdom of verses) is nothing short of remarkable. It contains 1028
hymns (10,589 verses which are divided into ten mandalas or book-sections)
dedicated to thirty-three different gods. The most often addressed gods were
nature gods like Indra (rain god; king of heavens), Agni (fire god), Rudra
(storm god; the 'howler'), Soma (the draught of immortality, an alcoholic brew).

The Sama-Veda
The Sama-Veda or the wisdom of chants is basically a
collection of samans or chants, derived from the eighth and ninth books of the
Rig-Veda. These were meant for the priests who officiated at the rituals of the
soma ceremonies. There are painstaking instructions in Sama-Veda about how
particular hymns must be sung; to put great emphasis upon sounds of the words of
the mantras and the effect they could have on the environment and the person who
pronounced them.
The Yajur-Veda
The Yajur-Veda or the wisdom of sacrifices lays down
various sacred invocations (yajurs) which were chanted by a particular sect of
priests called adhvaryu. They performed the sacrificial rites. The Veda also
outlines various chants which should be sung to pray and pay respects to the
various instruments which are involved in the sacrifice.
The Atharva-Veda
The Atharva-Veda (the wisdom of the Atharvans) is
called so because the families of the atharvan sect of the Brahmins have
traditionally been credited with the composition of the Vedas. It is a
compilation of hymns but lacks the awesome grandeur which makes the Rig-Veda
such a breathtaking spiritual experience.

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