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Vedic literature includes extensive volumes of texts which can be classified as the Auxiliary and Subsidiary Texts of the Vedas.  To clarify the Vedas and in understanding them, over a period of time, different explanatory shastras have evolved to explain the subtle concepts presented in Vedas and they are grouped under Veda vaangmayam.

Vedic literature includes extensive volumes of texts which can be classified as the Auxiliary and Subsidiary Texts of the Vedas.  To clarify the Vedas and in understanding them, over a period of time, different explanatory shastras have evolved to explain the subtle concepts presented in Vedas and they are grouped under Veda vaangmayam.

Understanding vedic literature itself developed into many branches covering different aspects of the subject.  While some have developed independently (such as Jyotisha to explain muhurtas in vedic rituals, Ayurveda the science of all round health) others summarize (such as Kalpa which is a manual of material from different vedas) and a few others are simplified (like the Puranas in story format) for easy understanding (including the Mahabharata). They are sub classified as      

Understanding vedic literature itself developed into many branches covering different aspects of the subject.  While some have developed independently (such as Jyotisha to explain muhurtas in vedic rituals) others summarize (such as Kalpa which is a manual of material from different vedas) and a few others are simplified (like the Puranas in story format) for easy understanding (including the Mahabharata). Vaidika vaangmayam include various texts collectively making up a huge volume of literature      

#  वेदाङ्गम् || Vedaangas

#  वेदाङ्गम् || Vedaangas

#  वेदउपङ्गम् || Veda-Upangas  

#  वेदउपङ्गम् || Veda-Upangas  

#  उपवेदः || Upa-Vedas

#  उपवेदः || Upa-Vedas

#  पञ्चमवेदम् || Panchamavedam

#  पुराणम् || Puranas

# पुराणम् || Puranas

# उपपुराणम् || Upa-Puranas

# उपपुराणम् || Upa-Puranas

All these along with the other Parishistas make up a huge volume of literature which we collectively call as vaidika vaangmayam.

# Parishistas  

== वेदाङ्गम् || Vedaangas ==

== वेदाङ्गम् || Vedaangas ==

The word अङ्ग ॥ Anga is used in the sense of "उपकारकः ॥ Upakaraka (useful tool)", and with reference to understanding vedajnana or the knowledge of vedas, these six shastras are extremely useful, hence they are called Vedaangas. <blockquote>"शिक्षा कल्पो व्याकरणं निरुक्तं छन्दसां चयः । "ज्योतिषामयनं चैव वेदंगानि षडेव तु  ॥"</blockquote>According to the above sloka Vedaangas are six in number namely Siksha, Kalpa, Vyakarana, Niruktam, Chandas, Jyotisha.  

The word अङ्ग ॥ Anga is used in the sense of "उपकारकः ॥ Upakaraka (useful tool)", and with reference to understanding vedajnana or the knowledge of vedas, these six shastras are extremely useful, hence they are called Vedaangas. <blockquote>"शिक्षा कल्पो व्याकरणं निरुक्तं छन्दसां चयः । "ज्योतिषामयनं चैव वेदंगानि षडेव तु  ॥"</blockquote>According to the above sloka Vedaangas are six in number namely Siksha, Kalpa, Vyakarana, Niruktam, Chandas, Jyotisha.<ref>[http://vedicheritage.gov.in/vedangas/ Vedangas] Introduction</ref>

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|<nowiki>6.कल्प || Kalpa</nowiki>

|<nowiki>6.कल्प || Kalpa</nowiki>

| Science or manual of sacrificial rituals, both Vedic and domestic.

| Science or manual of sacrificial rituals, both Vedic and domestic.

|}<blockquote>"छन्दः पादौ तु वेदस्य हस्तौ कल्पोऽथ उच्यते । ज्योतिषामयनं चक्षुर्निरुक्तं श्रोत्रमुच्यते ॥"</blockquote><blockquote>"शिक्षा घ्राणं तु वेदस्य मुखं व्याकरणं स्मृतम्  । तस्मात् साङ्गमधीत्यैव ब्रह्मलोके महीयते  ॥"</blockquote>In Paninineeyasiksha these six vedaangas are divided as given in the above sloka which means - "Chandas forms the feet of  the Vedapurusha, while Kalpas are the hands, Jyotisha are the eyes, Nirukta forms the ears, Siksha is the nose, while the face (speech) is formed by Vyakaranam.  Only by studying vedas (Vedapurusha) along with vedangas (different parts) will one attain the brahmaloka".<ref>The [http://svbf.org/journal/vol1no3/vedas.pdf Vedangas] (Organs of the Vedas) by Dr. S. Yegnasubramanian</ref>

|}<blockquote>छन्दः पादौ तु वेदस्य हस्तौ कल्पोऽथ उच्यते । ज्योतिषामयनं चक्षुर्निरुक्तं श्रोत्रमुच्यते ॥</blockquote><blockquote>शिक्षा घ्राणं तु वेदस्य मुखं व्याकरणं स्मृतम्  । तस्मात् साङ्गमधीत्यैव ब्रह्मलोके महीयते  ॥</blockquote>In Paninineeyasiksha these six vedaangas are divided as given in the above sloka which means - "Chandas forms the feet of  the Vedapurusha, while Kalpas are the hands, Jyotisha are the eyes, Nirukta forms the ears, Siksha is the nose, while the face (speech) is formed by Vyakaranam.  Only by studying vedas (Vedapurusha) along with vedangas (different parts) will one attain the brahmaloka".<ref>The [http://svbf.org/journal/vol1no3/vedas.pdf Vedangas] (Organs of the Vedas) by Dr. S. Yegnasubramanian</ref>

== वेद उपाङ्गम् || Veda-Upaangas ==

== वेद उपाङ्गम् || Veda-Upaangas ==

<blockquote>"कणादेन तु संप्रक्तं शास्त्रं वैशेषिकं महत् । गौतमेन तथा न्यायं सांख्यं तु कपिलेन वै ॥"</blockquote>Meaning : The great Vaiseshika shastra has been given by Kanada, while the Nyaya shastra was elucidated by Goutama rushi, and Saankhya shastra was by Kapila rushi.

<blockquote>"कणादेन तु संप्रक्तं शास्त्रं वैशेषिकं महत् । गौतमेन तथा न्यायं सांख्यं तु कपिलेन वै ॥"</blockquote>Meaning : The great Vaiseshika shastra has been given by Kanada, while the Nyaya shastra was elucidated by Goutama rushi, and Saankhya shastra was by Kapila rushi.

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== उपवेदम् || Upavedas  ==

== उपवेदम् || Upavedas  ==

* They are called the subsidiary Vedas. They are four in number one attached to each Veda viz.

They are called the subsidiary Vedas. They are four in number one attached to each Veda<ref>[http://vedicheritage.gov.in/upaveda/ Upavedas] Introduction</ref> viz.

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Vedangas developed as ancillary studies for the Vedas, but its insights into meters, structure of sound and language, grammar, linguistic analysis and other subjects influenced post-Vedic studies, arts, culture and various schools of Hindu philosophy. The Kalpa Vedanga studies, for example, gave rise to the Dharma-sutras, which later expanded into Dharma-shastras.

Vedangas developed as ancillary studies for the Vedas, but its insights into meters, structure of sound and language, grammar, linguistic analysis and other subjects influenced post-Vedic studies, arts, culture and various schools of Hindu philosophy. The Kalpa Vedanga studies, for example, gave rise to the Dharma-sutras, which later expanded into Dharma-shastras.

== पुराणानि ॥Puranas and Upapuranas ==

== पुराणानि ॥Puranas and Upapuranas ==

The Puranas is a vast genre of encyclopedic Indian texts about a wide range of topics particularly legends and traditional lore. Several of these texts are named after major devatas  such as Vishnu, Shiva and Devi. There are 18 Maha Puranas (Great Puranas) and 18 Upa Puranas (Minor Puranas), containing over 400,000 verses.

The Puranas is a vast genre of encyclopedic Indian texts about a wide range of topics particularly legends and traditional lore. Several of these texts are named after major devatas  such as Vishnu, Shiva and Devi. There are 18 Maha Puranas (Great Puranas) and 18 Upa Puranas (Minor Puranas), containing over 400,000 verses.<ref>[http://www.vcscsd.org/content/balabhavan/18-Puranas.pdf 18 Puranas English Translation]</ref>

The 18 MahaPuranas listed in Agni Puranam are as follows

The 18 MahaPuranas listed in Agni Puranam are as follows

|Bhaargava

|Bhaargava

|}

|}

The Puranas have been influential in the development of Bharateeya samskriti. They are considered Vaidika (congruent with Vedic literature) or pertaining to vedas.

The Puranas have been influential in the development of Bharateeya samskriti. They are considered Vaidika (congruent with Vedic literature) or pertaining to vedas.  

 

The Bhagavata Purana has been among the most celebrated, popularly studied and the principles practiced with reverence presently by people all over the world. The Puranic literature has become more popular with the Bhakti movement in India.  Both Dvaita and Advaita scholars have given bhasyas or commentaries on the various vedantic philosophies of the Maha Puranas.

The Bhagavata Purana has been among the most celebrated, popularly studied and the principles practiced with reverence presently by people all over the world. The Puranic literature has become more popular with the Bhakti movement in India.  Both Dvaita and Advaita scholars have given bhasyas or commentaries on the various vedantic philosophies of the Maha Puranas.

== References ==

== References ==