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The Vedas (Samskrit: वेद véda, "knowledge") are a large body of sacred ancient texts which have originated in [[Bharatvarsha|भारतवर्ष || Bharatavarsha]] or the Indian subcontinent. Composed in Vedic samskrit, these texts constitute the oldest layer of samskrit literature and the oldest scriptures of the world. The great Vedic commentator, of the thirteenth century, [[Sayanacharya (सायनाचार्यः)|Sayana]] has given a definition of the Veda-<blockquote>"

The Vedas (Samskrit: वेद véda, "knowledge") are a large body of sacred ancient texts which have originated in [[Bharatvarsha|भारतवर्ष || Bharatavarsha]] or the Indian subcontinent. Composed in Vedic samskrit, these texts constitute the oldest layer of samskrit literature and the oldest scriptures of the world. The great Vedic commentator, of the thirteenth century, [[Sayanacharya (सायनाचार्यः)|Sayana]] has given a definition of the Veda-<blockquote>"

इष्टप्राप्ति - अनिष्टपरिहर्योर - अलौकिकम् - उपयम् यो ग्रन्थो वेदयति स वेदः ||</blockquote><blockquote>"

इष्टप्राप्ति - अनिष्टपरिहर्योर - अलौकिकम् - उपयम् यो ग्रन्थो वेदयति स वेदः ||"</blockquote><blockquote>"

ishtaprapti-anishtapariharyor-alaukikam-upayam yo grantho vedayati  sa vedah ||</blockquote>Meaning : The  scripture,  which  describes  the  divine  method  for obtaining what is desirable and for giving up what is undesirable, is called Veda.  

ishtaprapti-anishtapariharyor-alaukikam-upayam yo grantho vedayati  sa vedah ||"</blockquote>Meaning : The  scripture,  which  describes  the  divine  method  for obtaining what is desirable and for giving up what is undesirable, is called Veda.  

This definition presents the purpose of the Veda. According to another definition, as per the sage [[Apastamba|अपस्तम्ब || Apastamba]]  <blockquote>"

This definition presents the purpose of the Veda. According to another definition, as per the sage [[Apastamba|अपस्तम्ब || Apastamba]]  <blockquote>"

मन्त्र - ब्रह्मन्योर् - वेदनामधेयम् ||</blockquote><blockquote>"

मन्त्र - ब्रह्मन्योर् - वेदनामधेयम् ||"</blockquote><blockquote>"

mantra-brahmanyor-vedanamadheyam ||</blockquote>Meaning : 'The Veda is the name given to the Mantras and the Brahmanas’.This definition describes the form of the 'Veda' because it could be divided mainly into these two great divisions--the Mantras and the Brahmanas. Accordingly, मन्त्र || Mantra part is the main part of the Veda and whatever is not Mantra is ब्राह्मण || Brahmana. Here it is interesting to know that many  ancient  definitions  of  Veda,  showing  its  significance,  form  or contents are given in ancient Indian texts. Generally speaking the word वेद || Veda signifies highest, sacred, eternal  and  divine  knowledge  as  well  as  the  texts embodying  that knowledge.  

mantra-brahmanyor-vedanamadheyam ||"</blockquote>Meaning : 'The Veda is the name given to the Mantras and the Brahmanas’.This definition describes the form of the 'Veda' because it could be divided mainly into these two great divisions--the Mantras and the Brahmanas. Accordingly, मन्त्र || Mantra part is the main part of the Veda and whatever is not Mantra is ब्राह्मण || Brahmana. Here it is interesting to know that many  ancient  definitions  of  Veda,  showing  its  significance,  form  or contents are given in ancient Indian texts. Generally speaking the word वेद || Veda signifies highest, sacred, eternal  and  divine  knowledge  as  well  as  the  texts embodying  that knowledge.  

== परिचय || Introduction ==

== परिचय || Introduction ==

Voltaire regarded Vedas to be exceptional, he remarked that:<blockquote>"

Voltaire regarded Vedas to be exceptional, he remarked that:<blockquote>"

''"The Veda was the most precious gift for which the West had ever been indebted to the East."''</blockquote>Rigveda manuscripts were selected for inscription in UNESCO's Memory of the World Register in 2007.

''"The Veda was the most precious gift for which the West had ever been indebted to the East."''"</blockquote>Rigveda manuscripts were selected for inscription in UNESCO's Memory of the World Register in 2007.

'''Indologists Hegemony'''

'''Indologists Hegemony'''

Interestingly, Sayana’s and others' commentary of the Vedas and not of ancient authentic vedic scholars like Maharishi [[Yaska]] or the more recent Swami Dayananda Saraswati, Sri Aurobindo or Shri Tulsi Ram’s works are used as  primary sources by the Indologist or their trained or sponsored Indian scholars. Their work has been commented upon by Shri Aurobindo (page 3, the Secret of the Veda, 1998), thus<blockquote>"

Interestingly, Sayana’s and others' commentary of the Vedas and not of ancient authentic vedic scholars like Maharishi [[Yaska]] or the more recent Swami Dayananda Saraswati, Sri Aurobindo or Shri Tulsi Ram’s works are used as  primary sources by the Indologist or their trained or sponsored Indian scholars. Their work has been commented upon by Shri Aurobindo (page 3, the Secret of the Veda, 1998), thus<blockquote>"

''“Indian scholar Sayana and we have in our own day the interpretation constructed after an immense labour of comparison and conjecture by modern European scholarship. Both of them present one characteristic in common, the extraordinary incoherence and poverty of sense which their results stamp upon the ancient hymns. When we come to read the hymns as a whole we seem to be in the presence of men who, unlike the early writers of other races, were incapable of coherent and natural expression or of connected thought. ”''</blockquote>The EIC through Indology, a medium used to serve the colonial agenda, translated our works not only to digest our knowledge systems but to create a narrative that show the colonized as ‘uncivilized’ and the white man’s on a mission to save the ‘pagan’. For example, Sayana was deemed a scholar and his works are very popular and freely available on the Internet. Significantly his commentary on the Rigveda was edited by Max Mueller, though under his name is done by ‘collective authorship’ , by Sayana, his brother, students and Max Mueller himself. Max Mueller, the self-styled Indologist, an employee of the colonial East India Company who bore the expenses for published the first volume (1849).

''“Indian scholar Sayana and we have in our own day the interpretation constructed after an immense labour of comparison and conjecture by modern European scholarship. Both of them present one characteristic in common, the extraordinary incoherence and poverty of sense which their results stamp upon the ancient hymns. When we come to read the hymns as a whole we seem to be in the presence of men who, unlike the early writers of other races, were incapable of coherent and natural expression or of connected thought. ”''"</blockquote>The EIC through Indology, a medium used to serve the colonial agenda, translated our works not only to digest our knowledge systems but to create a narrative that show the colonized as ‘uncivilized’ and the white man’s on a mission to save the ‘pagan’. For example, Sayana was deemed a scholar and his works are very popular and freely available on the Internet. Significantly his commentary on the Rigveda was edited by Max Mueller, though under his name is done by ‘collective authorship’ , by Sayana, his brother, students and Max Mueller himself. Max Mueller, the self-styled Indologist, an employee of the colonial East India Company who bore the expenses for published the first volume (1849).

The euphoria over the digital revolution and the perceived increase in ‘knowledge' is a chimera, as the increase in information has also seen a parallel decline in knowledge-gathering. Consequently, opinions and beliefs not backed by evidence from primary sources is seen as intellectual rigor. In this alarming situation, it becomes necessary to reclaim our values based on the eternal culture of sanatana dharma that stands as a guidepost for the people of Bharat. At the same time, this endeavor helps support the movement for reclaiming our position of विश्वगुरु || Vishwaguru that guides the world towards renewal and progress.

The euphoria over the digital revolution and the perceived increase in ‘knowledge' is a chimera, as the increase in information has also seen a parallel decline in knowledge-gathering. Consequently, opinions and beliefs not backed by evidence from primary sources is seen as intellectual rigor. In this alarming situation, it becomes necessary to reclaim our values based on the eternal culture of sanatana dharma that stands as a guidepost for the people of Bharat. At the same time, this endeavor helps support the movement for reclaiming our position of विश्वगुरु || Vishwaguru that guides the world towards renewal and progress.