Changes

* [[Brahmana (ब्राह्मणम्)|Brahmanas]] (explanation of mantras and rituals)

* [[Brahmana (ब्राह्मणम्)|Brahmanas]] (explanation of mantras and rituals)

* [[Aranyaka (आरण्यकम्)|Aranyakas]] (texts which give philosophical interpretation of the rituals)

* [[Aranyaka (आरण्यकम्)|Aranyakas]] (texts which give philosophical interpretation of the rituals)

* [[Upanishads (उपनिषदाः)|Upanishads]] (texts discussing meditation, philosophy and spiritual knowledge)

* [[Upanishads (उपनिषदः)|Upanishads]] (texts discussing meditation, philosophy and spiritual knowledge)

A collective study of Vedas and later text suggests that the compendium of ''Samhitas'' and associated Vedic texts were far larger than currently available. However, most have been lost at some point or over a period of Indian history.

A collective study of Vedas and later text suggests that the compendium of ''Samhitas'' and associated Vedic texts were far larger than currently available. However, most have been lost at some point or over a period of Indian history.

==  परिचय || Introduction ==

==  परिचयः || Introduction ==

The Samhitas are considered to be basic revealed texts. These are recited in chain like arrangements of words, with no break, no punctuation, and order not be disturbed by arbitrary human meddling<ref name=":22222">Insights Into the Taittiriya Upanishad, Dr. K. S. Narayanacharya, Published by Kautilya Institute of National Studies, Mysore, Page 75 (Glossary)</ref>  

The Samhitas are considered to be basic revealed texts. These are recited in chain like arrangements of words, with no break, no punctuation, and order not be disturbed by arbitrary human meddling<ref name=":22222">Insights Into the Taittiriya Upanishad, Dr. K. S. Narayanacharya, Published by Kautilya Institute of National Studies, Mysore, Page 75 (Glossary)</ref>  

==== स्तुतिपराः || Eulogical  ====

==== स्तुतिपराः || Eulogical  ====

The first group is in praise of the deities like Agni, lndra, Varuna, Mitra, Marut, Rudra, Ushas, Surya, Bhumi, and Soma,. 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 ब्रह्मन् ॥ Brahman, the Only One Supreme Reality. The famous mantra on this point occurs in this Samhita. <blockquote>एकं सद्विप्रा बहुधा वदन्त्यग्निं यमं मातरिश्वानमाहुः ॥४६॥ ||  (Rig. Ved. 1.164.46)<ref>Rig Veda ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%8B%E0%A4%97%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B5%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%A6%E0%A4%83_%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%82%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%82_%E0%A5%A7.%E0%A5%A7%E0%A5%AC%E0%A5%AA Mandala 1 Sukta 164])</ref></blockquote>Meaning : Truth is one, learned call it by various names.

The first group is in praise of the deities like Agni, lndra, Varuna, Mitra, Marut, Rudra, Ushas, Surya, Bhumi, and Soma,. 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 ब्रह्मन् ॥ Brahman, the Only One Supreme Reality. The famous mantra on this point occurs in this Samhita. <blockquote>एकं सद्विप्रा बहुधा वदन्त्यग्निं यमं मातरिश्वानमाहुः ॥४६॥ (Rig. Ved. 1.164.46)<ref>Rig Veda ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%8B%E0%A4%97%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B5%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%A6%E0%A4%83_%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%82%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%82_%E0%A5%A7.%E0%A5%A7%E0%A5%AC%E0%A5%AA Mandala 1 Sukta 164])</ref></blockquote><blockquote>''ekaṁ sadviprā bahudhā vadantyagniṁ yamaṁ mātariśvānamāhuḥ ॥46॥''</blockquote>Meaning : Truth is one, learned call it by various names.

==== उपासनापराः ॥ Philosophical ====

==== उपासनापराः ॥ Philosophical ====

The second group is concerned with philosophical speculations like the origin of the Universe and the real nature of human beings. Although the Samhita contains mantras in praise of the devatas, the concept of Vedanta is present at least in a rudimentary form. However, advocacy of worship of devatas with form and qualities - सगुणोपासना || Sagunopasana - is predominant. Various Rigveda mantras show एकदेवतावादः || eka-devata-vada or monotheism and not polytheism.  

The second group is concerned with philosophical speculations like the origin of the Universe and the real nature of human beings. Although the Samhita contains mantras in praise of the devatas, the concept of Vedanta is present at least in a rudimentary form. However, advocacy of worship of devatas with form and qualities - सगुणोपासना || Sagunopasana - is predominant. Various Rigveda mantras show एकदेवतावादः || eka-devata-vada or monotheism and not polytheism.  

It begins with a sukta to Agni and concludes with a sukta to the same deity. Agni sukta (01.01.01)<ref name=":03">Sri Sri Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi Swamiji, (2000) ''[http://www.kamakoti.org/hindudharma/part19/chap6.htm Hindu Dharma (Collection of Swamiji's Speeches between 1907 to 1994)]''Mumbai : Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan</ref>

It begins with a sukta to Agni and concludes with a sukta to the same deity. Agni sukta (01.01.01)<ref name=":03">Sri Sri Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi Swamiji, (2000) ''[http://www.kamakoti.org/hindudharma/part19/chap6.htm Hindu Dharma (Collection of Swamiji's Speeches between 1907 to 1994)]''Mumbai : Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan</ref>

Rushi : Madhucchanda Visvamitra, Devata : Agni, Chandas: Gayatri goes as follows<blockquote>अग्निसूक्तम् in प्रथमं मण्डलम्।</blockquote><blockquote>९ मधुच्छन्दा वैश्वामित्रः । अग्निः।  गायत्री। </blockquote><blockquote>अ॒ग्निमी॑ळे पु॒रोहि॑तं य॒ज्ञस्य॑ दे॒वमृ॒त्विज॑म् । होता॑रं रत्न॒धात॑मम् ॥१</blockquote><blockquote>अ॒ग्निः पूर्वे॑भि॒र्ऋषि॑भि॒रीड्यो॒ नूत॑नैरु॒त । स दे॒वाँ एह व॑क्षति ॥२</blockquote><blockquote>अ॒ग्निना॑ र॒यिम॑श्नव॒त् पोष॑मे॒व दि॒वेदि॑वे । य॒शसं॑ वी॒रव॑त्तमम् ॥३</blockquote><blockquote>अग्ने॒ यं य॒ज्ञम॑ध्व॒रं वि॒श्वत॑: परि॒भूरसि॑ । स इद् दे॒वेषु॑ गच्छति ॥४</blockquote><blockquote>अ॒ग्निर्होता॑ क॒विक्र॑तुः स॒त्यश्चि॒त्रश्र॑वस्तमः । दे॒वो दे॒वेभि॒रा ग॑मत् ॥५</blockquote><blockquote>यद॒ङ्ग दा॒शुषे॒ त्वमग्ने॑ भ॒द्रं क॑रि॒ष्यसि॑ । तवेत् तत् स॒त्यम॑ङ्गिरः ॥६</blockquote><blockquote>उप॑ त्वाग्ने दि॒वेदि॑वे॒ दोषा॑वस्तर्धि॒या व॒यम् । नमो॒ भर॑न्त॒ एम॑सि ॥७</blockquote><blockquote>राज॑न्तमध्व॒राणां॑ गो॒पामृ॒तस्य॒ दीदि॑विम् । वर्ध॑मानं॒ स्वे दमे॑ ॥८</blockquote><blockquote>स न॑: पि॒तेव॑ सू॒नवे ऽग्ने॑ सूपाय॒नो भ॑व । सच॑स्वा नः स्व॒स्तये॑ ॥९</blockquote>As seen in the above example, the Vedic mantras are notated with lines above and below the letters which indicate the svara or tone of the particular letter in which it has to be uttered. The Gayatri mantra is among the famous Hindu mantras. It is found in Rig Veda Samhita.  

Rishi : Madhucchanda Visvamitra, Devata : Agni, Chandas: Gayatri goes as follows<blockquote>अग्निसूक्तम् in प्रथमं मण्डलम्।</blockquote><blockquote>९ मधुच्छन्दा वैश्वामित्रः । अग्निः।  गायत्री। </blockquote><blockquote>अ॒ग्निमी॑ळे पु॒रोहि॑तं य॒ज्ञस्य॑ दे॒वमृ॒त्विज॑म् । होता॑रं रत्न॒धात॑मम् ॥१</blockquote><blockquote>अ॒ग्निः पूर्वे॑भि॒र्ऋषि॑भि॒रीड्यो॒ नूत॑नैरु॒त । स दे॒वाँ एह व॑क्षति ॥२</blockquote><blockquote>अ॒ग्निना॑ र॒यिम॑श्नव॒त् पोष॑मे॒व दि॒वेदि॑वे । य॒शसं॑ वी॒रव॑त्तमम् ॥३</blockquote><blockquote>अग्ने॒ यं य॒ज्ञम॑ध्व॒रं वि॒श्वत॑: परि॒भूरसि॑ । स इद् दे॒वेषु॑ गच्छति ॥४</blockquote><blockquote>अ॒ग्निर्होता॑ क॒विक्र॑तुः स॒त्यश्चि॒त्रश्र॑वस्तमः । दे॒वो दे॒वेभि॒रा ग॑मत् ॥५</blockquote><blockquote>यद॒ङ्ग दा॒शुषे॒ त्वमग्ने॑ भ॒द्रं क॑रि॒ष्यसि॑ । तवेत् तत् स॒त्यम॑ङ्गिरः ॥६</blockquote><blockquote>उप॑ त्वाग्ने दि॒वेदि॑वे॒ दोषा॑वस्तर्धि॒या व॒यम् । नमो॒ भर॑न्त॒ एम॑सि ॥७</blockquote><blockquote>राज॑न्तमध्व॒राणां॑ गो॒पामृ॒तस्य॒ दीदि॑विम् । वर्ध॑मानं॒ स्वे दमे॑ ॥८</blockquote><blockquote>स न॑: पि॒तेव॑ सू॒नवे ऽग्ने॑ सूपाय॒नो भ॑व । सच॑स्वा नः स्व॒स्तये॑ ॥९</blockquote>As seen in the above example, the Vedic mantras are notated with lines above and below the letters which indicate the svara or tone of the particular letter in which it has to be uttered. The Gayatri mantra is among the famous Hindu mantras. It is found in Rig Veda Samhita.  

:: ॐ भूर्भुवस्व: | तत्सवितुर्वरेण्यम् | भर्गो देवस्य धीमहि | धियो यो न: प्रचोदयात् (Rig Veda 3.62.10)

:: ॐ भूर्भुवस्व: | तत्सवितुर्वरेण्यम् | भर्गो देवस्य धीमहि | धियो यो न: प्रचोदयात् (Rig Veda 3.62.10)

:: ''Oṁ Bhūr Bhuva~Swah', Tat savitur varenyam, Bhargo devasya dhīmahi, Dhiyo yo nah prachodayāt (Rig Veda 3.62.10)''  

:: ''Oṁ Bhūr Bhuva~Swah', Tat savitur varenyam, Bhargo devasya dhīmahi, Dhiyo yo nah prachodayāt (Rig Veda 3.62.10)''  

# वैयक्तिकऋषिः॥ Vaiyaktikarishi is the category which includes all the rishis who praised the deities and practiced particular rituals to attain मन्त्रसिद्धिः ॥ mantrasiddhi.<ref name=":32" />

# वैयक्तिकऋषिः॥ Vaiyaktikarishi is the category which includes all the rishis who praised the deities and practiced particular rituals to attain मन्त्रसिद्धिः ॥ mantrasiddhi.<ref name=":32" />

=== विषयम् || Vishayam (Content) ===

=== विषयः || Vishaya (Content) ===

The Yajurveda is a ritual Veda for it is essentially a guide-book for the Adhvaryu priest who had to do practically all ritualistic works in a sacrifice. His works vary from the selection of a plot of land for the sacrificial altar down to offering oblations to the sacred fires. Just as the Samaveda-Samhita is the song-book of the ''Udgata'' priest, so the Yajurveda-Samhitas are the mantra-books for the ''Adhvaryu'' priest.  

The Yajurveda is a ritual Veda for it is essentially a guide-book for the Adhvaryu priest who had to do practically all ritualistic works in a sacrifice. His works vary from the selection of a plot of land for the sacrificial altar down to offering oblations to the sacred fires. Just as the Samaveda-Samhita is the song-book of the ''Udgata'' priest, so the Yajurveda-Samhitas are the mantra-books for the ''Adhvaryu'' priest.  

* It is solely meant for the purposes of sacrificial rituals.

* It is solely meant for the purposes of sacrificial rituals.

=== देवताः छन्दसः ऋत्विक् च ॥ Devatas, Chandas and Rtvik ===

=== देवताः छन्दसः ऋत्विक् च ॥ Devatas, Chandas and Rtvik ===

All the mantras of the Samaveda are sung by the [[Udgatri|'''उद्गाता''' || '''Udgata''']] priest during Somayajna. Unlike Rigveda, deities of Samaveda are predominantly Agni, Indra and [[Soma]].<ref name=":0" />

All the mantras of the Samaveda are sung by the [[Udgatri|'''उद्गाता''' || '''Udgata''']] priest during Somayajna. Unlike Rigveda, deities of Samaveda are predominantly Agni, Indra and [[Soma]].<ref name=":0" />

=== विषयम् || Vishayam (Content) ===

=== विषयः || Vishaya (Content) ===

It is said in Brhaddevata that those who know the Samaveda knows the secret of Vedas.<ref name=":4" />  <blockquote>सामानि यो वेत्ति स वेद तत्त्वम् । sāmāni yō vētti sa vēda tattvam ।</blockquote>In Chandogya Upanishad, proclaims that Udgita is the gist of all of Samaveda. Udgita is the other name of Omkar. Thus, Samaveda proclaims the reverence to Omkar given in all Vedas.<blockquote>साम्न उद्गीथो रसः । sāmna udgīthō rasaḥ ।</blockquote>It is also said here that अङ्गिरस-महर्षिः ॥ Angirasa maharshi, while teaching Vedas to SriKrishna, first taught सामगान-विधिः ॥ Samagana vidhi called "Chalikhya" to Him, in which He attained perfection and played it on His flute.<ref name=":2232222" />

It is said in Brhaddevata that those who know the Samaveda knows the secret of Vedas.<ref name=":4" />  <blockquote>सामानि यो वेत्ति स वेद तत्त्वम् । sāmāni yō vētti sa vēda tattvam ।</blockquote>In Chandogya Upanishad, proclaims that Udgita is the gist of all of Samaveda. Udgita is the other name of Omkar. Thus, Samaveda proclaims the reverence to Omkar given in all Vedas.<blockquote>साम्न उद्गीथो रसः । sāmna udgīthō rasaḥ ।</blockquote>It is also said here that अङ्गिरस-महर्षिः ॥ Angirasa maharshi, while teaching Vedas to SriKrishna, first taught सामगान-विधिः ॥ Samagana vidhi called "Chalikhya" to Him, in which He attained perfection and played it on His flute.<ref name=":2232222" />

The rtvik of Atharvaveda is '''ब्रह्मा || Brahma''' who supervises the conduct of the Yajnas. 

The rtvik of Atharvaveda is '''ब्रह्मा || Brahma''' who supervises the conduct of the Yajnas. 

=== विषयम् || Vishayam (Content) ===

=== विषयः || Vishaya (Content) ===

As the Atharvaveda Samhita (अथर्ववेदसंहिता ) has some special features, it stands apart from the other three Vedas. It deals with worldly things and the yajnas mentioned here are utilized as a means to acquire them. Amidst mundane subjects high philosophical ideas are found in this Veda.   

As the Atharvaveda Samhita (अथर्ववेदसंहिता ) has some special features, it stands apart from the other three Vedas. It deals with worldly things and the yajnas mentioned here are utilized as a means to acquire them. Amidst mundane subjects high philosophical ideas are found in this Veda.   

* It contains numerous Mantras, which according to their subject-matter, can be broadly divided into three categories:<ref name=":4" />  

* It contains numerous Mantras, which according to their subject-matter, can be broadly divided into three categories:<ref name=":4" />