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The word वेद || Veda means to know implying that the subject of the Vedas is Knowledge. Here knowledge does not mean facts about the external world like physics or chemistry. It means the knowledge of the eternal, sacred, spiritual wisdom. It is about the nature of man himself. It tells him who he really is. It is the knowledge of the Changeless and Supreme Reality behind the ever changing objective world of men and matter.

The word [[Veda (वेद)|वेद || Veda]] means to know implying that the subject of the Vedas is Knowledge. Here knowledge does not mean facts about the external world like physics or chemistry. It means the knowledge of the eternal, sacred, spiritual wisdom. It is about the nature of man himself. It tells him who he really is. It is the knowledge of the Changeless and Supreme Reality behind the ever changing objective world of men and matter.

== परिचय || Introduction ==

== परिचय || Introduction ==

The samskrit word वेद (véda) "knowledge, wisdom" is derived from the root विद् (vid) - "to know".  

The samskrit word वेद (véda) "knowledge, wisdom" is derived from the root विद् (vid) - "to know".  

The samskrit term veda as a common noun means "knowledge", but can also be used to refer  

The samskrit term veda as a common noun means "knowledge", but can also be used to refer to fields of study unrelated to spiritual knowledge, e.g. in अगद-वेद || agada-veda (medical science), सस्य-वेद || sasya-veda (science of agriculture) or सर्प-वेद || sarpa-veda (science of snakes), already found in the early Upanishads.

to fields of study unrelated to spiritual knowledge, e.g. in अगद-वेद || agada-veda (medical science), सस्य-वेद || sasya-veda (science of agriculture) or सर्प-वेद || sarpa-veda (science of snakes), already found in the early Upanishads.

Nine terms found in literature that are synonymous with the term "Veda" namely

Nine terms found in literature that are synonymous with the term "Veda" namely

== Dating सनातन धर्म || Sanatana Dharma ==

== Dating सनातन धर्म || Sanatana Dharma ==

The Vedas are among the oldest sacred texts known to mankind. Although many Western scholars

The Vedas are among the oldest sacred texts known to mankind. Although many Western scholars have given their versions about the age of Vedas, it is generally accepted that Vedas are the oldest known texts available as is [[Sanatana Dharma (सनातन धर्म)|Sanatana Dharma]].  The Vedic period was blooming with the composition of the mantra texts, with discussions and debates on the Samhitas and Brahmanas, with the exposition of Dharmic principles by Suta and Sounaka rishis, with the establishment of the various shakhas all over भारतखण्ड || Bharatakhanda which was as far as Afghanistan or खण्डहार || Khandahar on the west and Indonesia in the South East. It flourished well and was given the grammatical structure by Panini, in the 2nd Century B.C.   

have given their versions about the age of Vedas, it is generally  

accepted that Vedas are the oldest known texts available as is Sanatana Dharma.  The Vedic period was blooming with the composition of the  

mantra texts, with discussions and debates on the Samhitas and Brahmanas, with the exposition of Dharmic principles by Suta and Sounaka rishis, with the establishment of the various shakhas all over भारतखण्ड || Bharatakhanda which was as far as Afghanistan or खण्डहार || Khandahar on the west and Indonesia in the South East. It flourished well and was given the grammatical structure by Panini, in the 2nd Century B.C.   

The modern researchers are still struggling to fix the exact period of the Vedas and there is no final conclusion as yet. Their conclusions differ as widely as 25000 years B.C. to 1000 years B.C. However, the general consensus among most of the Indian scholars is to consider the Mohenjadaro-Harappa culture i.e. about 3000 B.C. to be the later phase of Vedic culture. This brings us to conclude that the date of the Rig-Veda, considered as the earliest in human history, is around 10,000 B.C.  

The modern researchers are still struggling to fix the exact period of the Vedas and there is no final conclusion as yet. Their conclusions differ as widely as 25000 years B.C. to 1000 years B.C. However, the general consensus among most of the Indian scholars is to consider the Mohenjadaro-Harappa culture i.e. about 3000 B.C. to be the later phase of Vedic culture. This brings us to conclude that the date of the Rig-Veda, considered as the earliest in human history, is around 10,000 B.C.  

Another step was to prepare treatises known as अनुक्रमणि || Anukramanis in which the names of ऋषि || Rishi, देवता || Devata, छन्दः || Chandas  are mentioned in reference to each hymn of the Vedas. Chandas means meter which also helps in avoiding loss of content by enforcing number of syllables.    

Another step was to prepare treatises known as अनुक्रमणि || Anukramanis in which the names of ऋषि || Rishi, देवता || Devata, छन्दः || Chandas  are mentioned in reference to each hymn of the Vedas. Chandas means meter which also helps in avoiding loss of content by enforcing number of syllables.    

That these methods have been effective, is testified to by the preservation of the most ancient Indian religious text, the Rigveda, as redacted into a single text during the Brahmana period, without any variant readings within that school. The Vedas, Vedic rituals and its ancillary sciences called the Vedangas, were part of the curriculum at ancient Bharata universities such as at Taxila, Nalanda and Vikramashila.   

That these methods have been effective, is testified to by the preservation of the most ancient Indian religious text, the Rigveda, as redacted into a single text during the Brahmana period, without any variant readings within that school. The Vedas, Vedic rituals and its ancillary sciences called the Vedangas, were part of the curriculum at ancient [[Bharatvarsha|Bharata]] universities such as at Taxila, Nalanda and Vikramashila.   

== References ==

== References ==

# Narayanacharya, K. S. (2011). ''Veda Sanskritiya Parichaya, Part I''. Hubli:​Sahitya Prakashana​.

# Narayanacharya, K. S. (2011). ''Veda Sanskritiya Parichaya, Part I''. Hubli:​Sahitya Prakashana​.

#http://ignca.nic.in/vedic_portal_introduction.htm

#http://ignca.nic.in/vedic_portal_introduction.htm