Vedavratas (वेदव्रतानि)

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There are four Vratas (Saṃskāras) for starting the learning of different branches of Veda. Each Vrata can be performed for a year or six months or one month or a fortnight or a single day during Uttarāyaṇam (i.e. six months from fifteenth of January). In case of any inconvenience all the four Vedavratas can be performed before marriage. The Vratas are performed by Ācārya.

Different Gṛhyasūtras have offered different nomenclature for these Vratas. According to Āpastambagṛhyasūtram – the entire Veda is divided into four parts, viz. Prājāpatya, Saumya, Āgneya and Vaiśvadeva. These are the names of four Vratas also. There will be two main events for each Vrata – Upākaraṇam (or Upākarma), which is the beginning of the Vrata and Utsarjana, which is ending the Vratam. Upākarma has to be performed on Pūrṇimā (full moon day) of the month of Śrāvaṇa and Utsarjana of the same Vrata on Pūrṇimā of the month of Pauṣa.

During the rest of the seven months the Brahmacārī has to learn the six Vedāṅgas (limbs of Veda), viz. Śikṣā (Phonetics), Vyākaraṇam (Grammar), Chandas (Prosody), Niruktam (Etymology), Jyotiṣam (Astrology), Kalpa (Procedure of rites and it consists of four branches – Śrautasūtram, which deals with the performance of Yajñas / Sacrifices, Gṛhyasūtram, that deals with Saṃskāras etc., Dharmasūtram, that deals with all walks of life and Śulbasūtram, that deals with geometrical matters of a Yajña).

In the study of Veda there are two traditions - Sārasvatapāṭha and Anukramapāṭha. Presently it is Sārasvatapāṭha, which is complicated, that is in vogue.