Changes

=== Revelation of Vedas by Brahma ===

=== Revelation of Vedas by Brahma ===

Bhagavata Purana (Skanda 12 Adhyaya 6) refers to the revelation of the Vedas from Brahma (, at the time of srshti. Suta Maharshi describes how Parameshti Brahma was meditating with a well composed mind on Brahman (Self), and from whose inner space of the heart arose a sound (Nada). <blockquote>ततोऽभूत्त्रिवृदॐकारो योऽव्यक्तप्रभवः स्वराट्-यत्तल्लिङ्गं भगवतो ब्रह्मणः परमात्मनः ३९ (Bhag. Pura. 12.6.39)<ref name=":02">Bhagavata Purana ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%B6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AD%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%97%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D/%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4% Skanda 12 Adhyaya 6])</ref></blockquote>From that nada arose the Omkara which consists of three matras (अ, उ, म्) the source of which is unmanifest yet shines (in the heart) by itself. This Omkara ([[Pranava (प्रणवः)|Pranava]]) is the special identification mark (ल्लिङ्गं) of Brahman. <blockquote>स्वधाम्नो ब्राह्मणः साक्षाद्वाचकः परमात्मनः स सर्वमन्त्रोपनिषद्वेदबीजं सनातनम् ४१ (Bhag. Pura. 12.6.41)</blockquote>It (Pranava or Om) directly and comprehensively expresses the Paramatman, The Brahman itself (ब्राह्मणः साक्षाद्वाचकः) which is its source. It is the eternal seed of all the Mantras, Vedas and Upanishads. <blockquote>तेनासौ चतुरो वेदांश्चतुर्भिर्वदनैर्विभुः सव्याहृतिकान्सॐकारांश्चातुर्होत्रविवक्षया ४४</blockquote><blockquote>पुत्रानध्यापयत्तांस्तु ब्रह्मर्षीन्ब्रह्मकोविदान् ते तु धर्मोपदेष्टारः स्वपुत्रेभ्यः समादिशन् ४५</blockquote><blockquote>ते परम्परया प्राप्तास्तत्तच्छिष्यैर्धृतव्रतैः चतुर्युगेष्वथ व्यस्ता द्वापरादौ महर्षिभिः ४६ (Bhag. Pura. 12.6.44-46)</blockquote>With the help of the sounds (letters and alphabets) Brahma (Vibhu) gave expression to the Four Vedas together with their vyahrtis (bhuh, bhuva, svah) and the Omkara from his four mouths (faces). He further expressed the (activities of) the Chaturhotr viz., Hota, Adhvaryu, Udgata and Brahma (chief [[Rtvik (ऋत्विक्)|rtviks]] of [[Yajna (यज्ञः)|yajnas]]). He taught the Vedas to his sons (Marichi and others), Brahmarshis and made them experts in the pronunciation and intonation (Brahmakovids). They became the promulgators of dharma and taught Vedas to their sons. During the course of the four Yugas, these disciples, who strictly observed all vratas (धृतव्रतैः), handed down the Vedas by tradition to subsequent generations. By maharshis in the Dvarapara yuga the vedas were rearranged.<ref>Shastri, J.L. and Tagare. G. V., (1955) ''The Bhagavata Purana. Part 5.'' Delhi : Motilal Banarsidass Pvt. Ltd. (Pages 2158-2159)</ref>  

Bhagavata Purana (Skanda 12 Adhyaya 6) refers to the revelation of the Vedas from Brahma, at the time of srshti. Suta Maharshi describes how Parameshti Brahma was meditating with a well composed mind on [[Brahman (ब्रह्मन्)|Brahman]] (Self), and from whose inner space of the heart arose a sound (Nada). <blockquote>ततोऽभूत्त्रिवृदॐकारो योऽव्यक्तप्रभवः स्वराट्-यत्तल्लिङ्गं भगवतो ब्रह्मणः परमात्मनः ॥ ३९ (Bhag. Pura. 12.6.39)<ref name=":02">Bhagavata Purana ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%B6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AD%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%97%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D/%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4% Skanda 12 Adhyaya 6])</ref></blockquote><blockquote>tato'bhūttrivr̥daoṁkāro yo'vyaktaprabhavaḥ svarāṭ-yattalliṅgaṁ bhagavato brahmaṇaḥ paramātmanaḥ 39 (Bhag. Pura. 12.6.39)</blockquote>From that nada arose the Omkara which consists of three matras (अ, उ, म्) the source of which is unmanifest yet shines (in the heart) by itself. This Omkara ([[Pranava (प्रणवः)|Pranava]]) is the special identification mark (ल्लिङ्गं) of Brahman. <blockquote>स्वधाम्नो ब्राह्मणः साक्षाद्वाचकः परमात्मनः स सर्वमन्त्रोपनिषद्वेदबीजं सनातनम् ॥ ४१ (Bhag. Pura. 12.6.41)</blockquote><blockquote>svadhāmno brāhmaṇaḥ sākṣādvācakaḥ paramātmanaḥ sa sarvamantropaniṣadvedabījaṁ sanātanam ॥ 41 (Bhag. Pura. 12.6.41)</blockquote>It (Pranava or Om) directly and comprehensively expresses the Paramatman, The Brahman itself (ब्राह्मणः साक्षाद्वाचकः) which is its source. It is the eternal seed of all the Mantras, Vedas and Upanishads. <blockquote>तेनासौ चतुरो वेदांश्चतुर्भिर्वदनैर्विभुः सव्याहृतिकान्सॐकारांश्चातुर्होत्रविवक्षया ॥ ४४ tenāsau caturo vedāṁścaturbhirvadanairvibhuḥ savyāhr̥tikānsaoṁkārāṁścāturhotravivakṣayā ॥ 44</blockquote><blockquote>पुत्रानध्यापयत्तांस्तु ब्रह्मर्षीन्ब्रह्मकोविदान् ते तु धर्मोपदेष्टारः स्वपुत्रेभ्यः समादिशन् ॥ ४५ putrānadhyāpayattāṁstu brahmarṣīnbrahmakovidān te tu dharmopadeṣṭāraḥ svaputrebhyaḥ samādiśan ॥ 45</blockquote><blockquote>ते परम्परया प्राप्तास्तत्तच्छिष्यैर्धृतव्रतैः चतुर्युगेष्वथ व्यस्ता द्वापरादौ महर्षिभिः ॥ ४६ ''te'' paramparayā prāptāstattacchiṣyairdhr̥tavrataiḥ caturyugeṣvatha vyastā dvāparādau maharṣibhiḥ ॥ 46 (Bhag. Pura. 12.6.44-46)</blockquote>With the help of the sounds (letters and alphabets) Brahma (Vibhu) gave expression to the Four Vedas together with their vyahrtis (bhuh, bhuva, svah) and the Omkara from his four mouths (faces). He further expressed the (activities of) the Chaturhotr viz., Hota, Adhvaryu, Udgata and Brahma (chief [[Rtvik (ऋत्विक्)|rtviks]] of [[Yajna (यज्ञः)|yajnas]]). He taught the Vedas to his sons (Marichi and others), Brahmarshis and made them experts in the pronunciation and intonation (Brahmakovids). They became the promulgators of dharma and taught Vedas to their sons. During the course of the four Yugas, these disciples, who strictly observed all vratas (धृतव्रतैः), handed down the Vedas by tradition to subsequent generations. By maharshis in the Dvarapara yuga the vedas were rearranged.<ref>Shastri, J.L. and Tagare. G. V., (1955) ''The Bhagavata Purana. Part 5.'' Delhi : Motilal Banarsidass Pvt. Ltd. (Pages 2158-2159)</ref>  

=== महर्षिवेदव्यासेन संहितीकरणम् ॥ Codification by Maharshi Vedavyasa ===

=== महर्षिवेदव्यासेन संहितीकरणम् ॥ Codification by Maharshi Vedavyasa ===

It is believed that the potency of the Vedas started decaying towards the end of Dvapara Yuga, as men have decreasing lifespan, less energy, and poorer intellect. At the behest of Brahma, Rudra and other deities, to protect Dharma, MahaVishnu descended in the form of the son of Maharshi Parashara and Satyavati, and He divided the Veda into four parts. He was considered as an amsha (part) of Shri Vishnu himself for fulfilling a specific purpose in this world. Bhagavata Purana extols as follows.<blockquote>पराशरात्सत्यवत्यामंशांशकलया विभुः अवतीर्णो महाभाग वेदं चक्रे चतुर्विधम् ४९ (Bhag. Pura. 12.6.44-46)</blockquote>In the Kali Yuga (कलियुगम्) only a part of the glory and effulgence of the Vedas is to be left over from total extinction. This divine arrangement could be put through the agency of Vedavyasa (वेदव्यासः), the son of Maharshi Parashara (पराशरः). He was known as Dvaipayana (द्वैपायनः) as he was born in an island (द्वीपः ॥ Dveepa). The word व्यास || Vyasa means an essay or composition. It also means dealing with a matter subject wise and classifying it suitably. As Krishna Dwaipayana (in Vaivasvata Manvantara) did all these tasks for the proper study and understanding of the Vedas, he became famous as महर्षिः वेदव्यासः ॥ Maharshi Veda Vyasa. His contribution to the codification of the Vedas brought him fame as Veda Vyasa.<ref name=":1" />  

It is believed that the potency of the Vedas started decaying towards the end of Dvapara Yuga, as men have decreasing lifespan, less energy, and poorer intellect. At the behest of Brahma, Rudra and other deities, to protect Dharma, MahaVishnu descended in the form of the son of Maharshi Parashara and Satyavati, and He divided the Veda into four parts. He was considered as an amsha (part) of Shri Vishnu himself for fulfilling a specific purpose in this world. Bhagavata Purana extols as follows.<blockquote>पराशरात्सत्यवत्यामंशांशकलया विभुः अवतीर्णो महाभाग वेदं चक्रे चतुर्विधम् ॥ ४९ parāśarātsatyavatyāmaṁśāṁśakalayā vibhuḥ avatīrṇo mahābhāga vedaṁ cakre caturvidham ॥ 49 (Bhag. Pura. 12.6.49)</blockquote>In the Kali Yuga (कलियुगम्) only a part of the glory and effulgence of the Vedas is to be left over from total extinction. This divine arrangement could be put through the agency of Vedavyasa (वेदव्यासः), the son of Maharshi Parashara (पराशरः). He was known as Dvaipayana (द्वैपायनः) as he was born in an island (द्वीपः ॥ Dveepa). The word व्यास || Vyasa means an essay or composition. It also means dealing with a matter subject wise and classifying it suitably. As Krishna Dwaipayana (in Vaivasvata Manvantara) did all these tasks for the proper study and understanding of the Vedas, he became famous as महर्षिः वेदव्यासः ॥ Maharshi Veda Vyasa. His contribution to the codification of the Vedas brought him fame as Veda Vyasa.<ref name=":1" />  

Maharshi Veda Vyasa collected all the mantras in existence during his period, edited, codified and organized them into four groups which he taught to his four chief disciples as given below :<blockquote>तत्रर्ग्वेदधरः पैलः सामगो जैमिनिः कविः । वैशंपायन एवैको निष्णातो यजुषामुत ॥ २१ ॥<br>अथर्वाङ्‌गिरसामासीत् सुमन्तुर्दारुणो मुनिः ।(Bhag. Pura. 1.4.21) <ref name=":0">Shrimad Bhagavata Puranam ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%B6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AD%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%97%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D/%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A7%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%A7/%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%AA Skanda 1 Adhyaya 4])</ref></blockquote><blockquote>tatrargvēdadharaḥ pailaḥ sāmagō jaiminiḥ kaviḥ । vaiśaṁpāyana ēvaikō niṣṇātō yajuṣāmuta ॥ 21 ॥atharvāṅ‌girasāmāsīt sumanturdāruṇō muniḥ । (Bhag. Pura. 1.4.21)</blockquote>

Maharshi Veda Vyasa collected all the mantras in existence during his period, edited, codified and organized them into four groups which he taught to his four chief disciples as given below :<blockquote>तत्रर्ग्वेदधरः पैलः सामगो जैमिनिः कविः । वैशंपायन एवैको निष्णातो यजुषामुत ॥ २१ ॥<br>अथर्वाङ्‌गिरसामासीत् सुमन्तुर्दारुणो मुनिः ।(Bhag. Pura. 1.4.21)<ref name=":0">Shrimad Bhagavata Puranam ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%B6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AD%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%97%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D/%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A7%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%A7/%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%AA Skanda 1 Adhyaya 4])</ref></blockquote><blockquote>tatrargvēdadharaḥ pailaḥ sāmagō jaiminiḥ kaviḥ । vaiśaṁpāyana ēvaikō niṣṇātō yajuṣāmuta ॥ 21 ॥atharvāṅ‌girasāmāsīt sumanturdāruṇō muniḥ । (Bhag. Pura. 1.4.21)</blockquote>

{| class="wikitable" | colspan="2" ' CLASSIFICATION OF THE VEDAS

{| class="wikitable" | colspan="2" ' CLASSIFICATION OF THE VEDAS

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