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== परिचय || Introduction ==

== परिचय || Introduction ==

महर्षि वेद व्यास || Maharshi Veda Vyasa collected all the Mantras in existence during his period, edited, codified and organized them into four groups in the form that we see below   

महर्षि वेद व्यास || Maharshi Veda Vyasa collected all the Mantras in existence during his period, edited, codified and organized them into four groups in the form that we see below   

# ऋग्वेद || The Rigveda

# ऋग्वेदम् || The Rigveda

# यजुर्वेद || The Yajurveda

# यजुर्वेदम् || The Yajurveda

# सामवेद || The Samaveda  

# सामवेदम् || The Samaveda  

# अथर्ववेद || The Atharvaveda

# अथर्वणवेदम् || The Atharvaveda

Of these, the first three were the principal original division, also called त्रयी विद्या || trayī vidyā, that is, "the triple science" of reciting hymns (Rigveda), performing sacrifices (Yajurveda), and chanting songs (Samaveda).    

Of these, the first three were the principal original division, also called त्रयी विद्या || trayī vidyā, that is, "the triple science" of reciting hymns (Rigveda), performing sacrifices (Yajurveda), and chanting songs (Samaveda).    

== ऋग्वेद || Rigveda ==

== ऋग्वेदम् || Rigveda ==

According to the ancient tradition, the whole Rig Samhita has been divided into 10 Mandalas. The मण्डल || Mandalas are subdivided into अनुवाक || Anuvakas, the Anuvakas into सूक्त || Sooktas and Sooktas into mantras as follows.

According to the ancient tradition, the whole Rig Samhita has been divided into 10 Mandalas. The मण्डल || Mandalas are subdivided into अनुवाक || Anuvakas, the Anuvakas into सूक्त || Sooktas and Sooktas into मन्त्र mantras as follows.

{| class="wikitable"

{| class="wikitable"

! Rig-Veda    Samhita ►

! Rig-Veda    Samhita ►

|}Rig Veda contains 10552 mantras (about 10, 170 rks according to some other scholars) spread over 1028 Sooktas and 85 Anuvakas in 10 Mandalas. The topics dealt with in the Rig Veda Samhita can be classified into 3 groups. Only one Shaka (school) of the Rigveda is available today called as  '''शाकल ||''' '''Shaakala.''' Patañjali referred to twenty­ one Śākhā-Saṁhitās of the Ṛigveda; the '''आश्वलायन ||''' '''Āśvalāyana-Saṁhitā''' being one of them (Ref 2).

|}Rig Veda contains 10552 mantras (about 10, 170 rks according to some other scholars) spread over 1028 Sooktas and 85 Anuvakas in 10 Mandalas. The topics dealt with in the Rig Veda Samhita can be classified into 3 groups. Only one Shaka (school) of the Rigveda is available today called as  '''शाकल ||''' '''Shaakala.''' Patañjali referred to twenty­ one Śākhā-Saṁhitās of the Ṛigveda; the '''आश्वलायन ||''' '''Āśvalāyana-Saṁhitā''' being one of them (Ref 2).

The first group is in praise of the deities like अग्नि || Agni, इन्द्र || lndra, वरुण || Varuna, मित्र || Mitra and others. The Vedic deities numbering 33 are assigned to the three regions of the universe  viz. पृथ्वी || Prithvi (earth), द्यौस् || Dyaus (heaven) and अन्तरिक्ष || Antariksha (intermediary space). Although these deities appear as personifications of forces of nature, they are actually different facets of Brahman, the Only One Supreme Reality. The famous mantra on this point occurs in this Samhita. <blockquote>एकम् सत् विप्रः बहुध वदन्ति || ‘ekam sat viprah bahudha vadanti’ (Rig. Ved. 1.164. 92) </blockquote><blockquote>Truth is one, learned call it by various names  </blockquote>The second group is concerned with philosophical speculations like the origin of the Universe and the real nature of human beings. Although the Samhita is a book of laudatory hymns still all the later ideas of Vedanta including Jnana and Bhakti are found therein at least in a rudimentary form. However, advocacy of worship of God with form and qualities - सगुनोपसन || Sagunopasana - is predominant.

स्तुतिविभागम् The first group is in praise of the deities like अग्निः || Agni, इन्द्रः || lndra, वरुणः || Varuna, मित्रः || Mitra and others. The Vedic deities numbering 33 are assigned to the three regions of the universe  viz. पृथ्वी || Prithvi (earth), द्यौस् || Dyaus (heaven) and अन्तरिक्षम् || Antariksha (intermediary space). Although these deities appear as personifications of forces of nature, they are actually different facets of Brahman, the Only One Supreme Reality. The famous mantra on this point occurs in this Samhita. <blockquote>एकम् सत् विप्रः बहुध वदन्ति || ‘ekam sat viprah bahudha vadanti’ (Rig. Ved. 1.164. 92) </blockquote><blockquote>Truth is one, learned call it by various names  </blockquote>उपासनाविभागम् The second group is concerned with philosophical speculations like the origin of the Universe and the real nature of human beings. Although the Samhita is a book of laudatory hymns still all the later ideas of Vedanta including Jnana and Bhakti are found therein at least in a rudimentary form. However, advocacy of worship of God with form and qualities - सगुणोपासन || Sagunopasana - is predominant.

The proclamation contained in various mantras show that it teaches एक देवता वद || eka-devata-vada or monotheism and not polytheism. For example, the Samhita states that God creates the world out of Himself and rules over it; He is omnipresent (present everywhere), omnipotent (all powerful) and omniscient (all knowing), He is ever perfect, infinitely compassionate, easily approachable by the devotees and He grants us immortality. But the idea about actual process of creation of the universe finds a place only in the later Vedantic  literature i.e. the Upanishads.

The proclamation contained in various mantras show that it teaches एक देवता वद || eka-devata-vada or monotheism and not polytheism. For example, the Samhita states that God creates the world out of Himself and rules over it; He is omnipresent (present everywhere), omnipotent (all powerful) and omniscient (all knowing), He is ever perfect, infinitely compassionate, easily approachable by the devotees and He grants us immortality. But the idea about actual process of creation of the universe finds a place only in the later Vedantic  literature i.e. the Upanishads.

The third group deals with several secular subjects like marriage, war etc., which show the nature of society of those times. A just and equitable social order existed. However, social life was conditioned by spiritual consciousness. There was समन्वय || Samanvaya or harmony of life here and hereafter. सत्य || Satya (truth) and धर्म || Dharma (righteousness) are glorified and अमृतत्व || Amritatva (immortality) as the goal of life was accepted.

इतिहासविभागम् The third group deals with several secular subjects like marriage, war etc., which show the nature of society of those times. A just and equitable social order existed. However, social life was conditioned by spiritual consciousness. There was समन्वय || Samanvaya or harmony of life here and hereafter. सत्य || Satya (truth) and धर्म || Dharma (righteousness) are glorified and अमृतत्व || Amritatva (immortality) as the goal of life was accepted.

'''The Brahmanas, Aranyakas and the Upanishads of Rig Veda are'''

'''The Brahmanas, Aranyakas and the Upanishads of Rig Veda are'''

==  सामवेद || Saamaveda ==

==  सामवेद || Saamaveda ==

Samaveda Samhita is the highly commended scripture of Hinduism. However it is not considered as an independent work. All the mantras of the Rig Veda which are useful to उद्गात्रि || '''Udgatri''' priest for chanting in the Yajnas to ensure the grace of the Gods have been brought together in this Veda. The Samaveda Samhita consists of 1549 stanzas, taken almost entirely (except for 75 mantras) from the Rigveda. Just like Rigveda, the early sections of Samaveda typically begin with Agni and Indra hymns but shift to abstract, and their meters too shifts in a descending order. The later sections of the Samaveda have least deviation from substance of hymns they derive from the Rigveda into songs

Samaveda Samhita is the highly commended scripture of Hinduism. However it is not considered as an independent work. All the mantras of the Rig Veda which are useful to उद्गात्रि || '''Udgaatri''' priest for chanting in the Yajnas to ensure the grace of the Gods have been brought together in this Veda. The Samaveda Samhita consists of 1549 stanzas, taken almost entirely (except for 75 mantras) from the Rigveda. Just like Rigveda, the early sections of Samaveda typically begin with Agni and Indra hymns but shift to abstract, and their meters too shifts in a descending order. The later sections of the Samaveda have least deviation from substance of hymns they derive from the Rigveda into songs

The Samaveda samhita comprises two major parts. The first part include four melody collections (gāna, गान) and the second part three verse “books” (ārcika, आर्चिक). A melody in the song books corresponds to a verse in the arcika books. ‘SA’ means a mantra of the Rig Veda, ‘AMA’ means musical notes. Hence a Saman is a mantra of the Rig Veda set to music. The word साम || Saama also means that which brings peace to the mind. Although this Veda is said to have 1000 Shakhas only three are available now.

The Samaveda samhita comprises two major parts. The first part include four melody collections (gāna, गान) and the second part three verse “books” (ārcika, आर्चिक). A melody in the song books corresponds to a verse in the arcika books. ‘SA’ means a mantra of the Rig Veda, ‘AMA’ means musical notes. Hence a Saman is a mantra of the Rig Veda set to music. The word साम || Saama also means that which brings peace to the mind. Although this Veda is said to have 1000 Shakhas only three are available now.

== References ==

== References ==

Wikipedia

From Wikipedia

[http://ignca.nic.in/vedic_heritage_brahmanas.htm http://ignca.nic.in/http://ignca.nic.in/vedic_heritage_brahmanas.htm]

[http://ignca.nic.in/vedic_heritage_brahmanas.htm http://ignca.nic.in/http://ignca.nic.in/vedic_heritage_brahmanas.htm]

http://ignca.nic.in/vedic_portal_rigveda.htm

http://ignca.nic.in/vedic_portal_rigveda.htm