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== परिचयः || Introduction ==

== परिचयः || Introduction ==

Vedas are texts containing knowledge of आत्मा || Atma, पुरुषः || Purusha and the परमात्मा || Paramatma, have no authorship, no time frame within which they had been authored. They are called अपौरुषेयः ॥ Apaurusheya meaning that they are not authored by any Purusha or human mind. They were revealed to the ऋषि-s || Rishis (Seers) - the द्रष्टा || Drashtas, men of wisdom, during the depths of their meditation.<ref>Introduction to Vedas on [http://vedicheritage.gov.in/introduction/ Vedic Heritage Portal]</ref>

Vedas are texts containing knowledge of आत्मा || Atma, पुरुषः || Purusha and the परमात्मा || Paramatma, have no authorship, no time frame within which they had been authored. They are called अपौरुषेयाः ॥ Apaurusheya meaning that they are not authored by any Purusha or human mind. They were revealed to the ऋषि-s || Rishis (Seers) - the द्रष्टा || Drashtas (men of wisdom), during the depths of their meditation.<ref>Introduction to Vedas on [http://vedicheritage.gov.in/introduction/ Vedic Heritage Portal]</ref>

Their utterances were called मन्त्राः ॥ Mantras which were not the result of any intuition but were the result of Divine Vision which is called मन्त्र-दृष्टिः || Mantra Drshti. Their inner and outer meanings were really known only to those to whom they were revealed. Hence, none can challenge them on grounds of reason or logic. There is no final authority beyond the Vedas; in today’s management jargon the buck stops at the table of the Vedas.

Their utterances were called मन्त्राः ॥ Mantras which were not the result of any intuition but were the result of Divine Vision which is called मन्त्र-दृष्टिः || Mantra Drshti. Their inner and outer meanings were really known only to those to whom they were revealed. Hence, none can challenge them on grounds of reason or logic. There is no final authority beyond the Vedas; in today’s management jargon the buck stops at the table of the Vedas.

The chief overseer who would recite the mantras of अथर्ववेदः ॥ Atharvaveda and was considered as the supervisor over the whole process of yajna.  

The chief overseer who would recite the mantras of अथर्ववेदः ॥ Atharvaveda and was considered as the supervisor over the whole process of yajna.  

== वेदवर्गीकरणम् || Classification of Vedas ==

== वेदवर्गीकरणम् || Classification of Vedas ==

There are four Vedas as compiled by the Great Rishi Veda Vyasa for the ease of understanding them :  

There are four Vedas as compiled by the Great Rishi Veda Vyasa :  

# [[Rigveda|ऋग्वेदः || The Rigveda]]  

# [[Rigveda|ऋग्वेदः || The Rigveda]]  

# [[Yajurveda|यजुर्वेदः || The Yajurveda]]  

# [[Yajurveda|यजुर्वेदः || The Yajurveda]]  

Vedas will have historical implications when the rishis are assumed to be the authors of these vedas. So the primary question of whether these rishis are मन्त्रकर्तारः || authors of mantras or मन्त्रद्रष्टारः || drastas to whom the Vedas were revealed to, needs to be understood clearly.<ref name=":2">Sharma, Pt Sri Jayadevaji (2008) ''Rigveda Samhita Bhashabhashya Volume 1'' Ajmer: Arya Sahitya Mandal Ltd</ref> Only when historicity needs to be verified does dating of vedas becomes important.   

Vedas will have historical implications when the rishis are assumed to be the authors of these vedas. So the primary question of whether these rishis are मन्त्रकर्तारः || authors of mantras or मन्त्रद्रष्टारः || drastas to whom the Vedas were revealed to, needs to be understood clearly.<ref name=":2">Sharma, Pt Sri Jayadevaji (2008) ''Rigveda Samhita Bhashabhashya Volume 1'' Ajmer: Arya Sahitya Mandal Ltd</ref> Only when historicity needs to be verified does dating of vedas becomes important.   

The Vedas are among the oldest sacred texts known to mankind. Although many Western scholars have given their opinions about the age of Vedas, it is generally accepted that Vedas are the oldest known texts available as is [[Sanatana Dharma (सनातन धर्म)|Sanatana Dharma]]. The Vedic period was blooming with the composition of the mantra texts, with discussions and debates on the Samhitas and Brahmanas, with the exposition of Dharmic principles by सूतः ॥Suta and शौनकऋषिः ॥ Shaunaka rishis, with the establishment of the various shakhas all over भारतखण्डः || Bharatakhanda which was as far as Afghanistan or खण्डहारः || Khandahar on the west and Indonesia in the South East. It flourished well and was given the grammatical structure by Panini, in the 2nd Century B.C.   

The Vedas are among the oldest sacred texts known to mankind. Although many Western scholars have given their opinions about the age of Vedas, it is generally accepted that Vedas are the oldest known texts available as is [[Sanatana Dharma (सनातन धर्म)|Sanatana Dharma]]. The Vedic period was blooming with the composition of the mantra texts, with discussions and debates on the Samhitas and Brahmanas, with the exposition of Dharmic principles by सूतः ॥Suta and शौनकऋषिः ॥ Shaunaka rishis, with the establishment of the various शाखाः ॥ shakhas all over भारतखण्डः || Bharatakhanda which was as far as Afghanistan or खण्डहारः || Khandahar on the west and Indonesia in the South East. It flourished well and was given the grammatical structure by Panini, in the 2nd Century B.C.   

The modern researchers are still struggling to fix the exact period of the Vedas and there is no final conclusion as yet. Their conclusions differ as widely as 25000 years B.C. to 1000 years B.C. However, the general consensus among most of the Indian scholars is to consider the Mohenjadaro-Harappa culture i.e. about 3000 B.C. to be the later phase of Vedic culture. Thus, as a common understanding among various scholars about the date of the Rig-Veda, considered as the earliest in human history, is around 10,000 B.C.  

The modern researchers are still struggling to fix the exact period of the Vedas and there is no final conclusion as yet. Their conclusions differ as widely as 25000 years B.C. to 1000 years B.C. However, the general consensus among most of the Indian scholars is to consider the Mohenjadaro-Harappa culture i.e. about 3000 B.C. to be the later phase of Vedic culture. Thus, as a common understanding among various scholars about the date of the Rig-Veda, considered as the earliest in human history, is around 10,000 B.C.