Shad Vedangas (षड्वेदाङ्गानि)

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It is said that Bhagavan Vishnu incarnated as Maharshi Veda Vyasa in Dvapara yuga and divided the Vedas. Maharshi Vyasa's brought about uniformity in the religious observances by performing rites and rituals, religious ceremonies, sacrifices and vratas (vows) without any flaw. As Vedas have different aspects of understanding to them, various types of expositions of Vedas came into existence and each became a subject to be learnt before understanding the Vedas. Maharshi Yaska, who gave Nirukta to the world, also expounded on the basis of legends and ancient lore.

Manu, the Law giver of ancient Bharatavarsha, laid down certain instructions as to how the teaching of Vedas should be conducted.

परिचय || Introduction

वेदाङ्ग || Vedaangas help us construct, chant and understand Veda mantras and श्लोक || slokas. These are called अङ्ग || Angas (appendices) of Vedas.

"शिक्षा कल्पो व्याकरणं निरुक्तं छन्दसां चयः । ज्योतिषामयनं चैव वेदंगानि षडेव तु ॥"

According to the above sloka Vedaangas are six in number namely शिक्षा ॥ Siksa, कल्प || Kalpa,व्याकरन || Vyakarana, निरुक्तम् || Niruktam, चण्ड || Chandas, and ज्योतिषं || Jyotisham.

शिक्षा ॥ Siksha

शिक्षा ॥ Siksha deals mainly with स्वरज्ञानम् ॥ swaragnanam (phonetics) and it is the science disciplining the efforts of ear, nose and vocal cords to utter the accurate sound as defined by Vedic mantras. Siksha deals with the origin of sound and teaches one about the production of शुध्दोच्चारणम् ॥ shuddhoccharanam (accurate sound) with ease. In Vedic literature accurate pronunciation of sound (vowels and consonants) is of great importance else the meaning is completely altered, hence Vedas have स्वरप्राधान्यम् ॥ swarapraadhanyam.

The Siksha attached to तैत्रिय उपनिषद् || Taittriyopanishad extends the applicability as follows :

"अथ शिक्षां व्याख्यास्यामः, वर्णः, स्वरः, मात्रा, बलम्, साम, सन्तान, इत्युक्तः शिक्षाध्याः" - "Let us comment about Siksha. Siksha study involves Varna, Swara, Maatra, Balam, Saama, Santana". Where

Varna ॥ वर्णः अकारादिः - Varnas are the letters including Vowels and Consonants
Swara ॥ स्वरस्तु उदात्तादिः - Swaras or Accents are of three kinds उदात्त || udatta (acute accent), आनुदात्त || aanudatta (accentless), स्वरित || swarit (normal accent).
Maatra ॥ मात्रा ह्रस्वादिकाः - Prosodically or metrically short (ह्रस्वा) long (दीर्घ) prolated (प्लुतः)
Balam ॥ बलम् उच्चारणस्थानं ताल्वादिकम् - Part of body from where sound is produced
Saama ॥ साम निषादादिः - 7 Musical notes enumerated as 1. निषाद || nisada; 2. रिसभ || ṛiṣabha 3. गान्धार || gandhara 4. सद्ज || ṣaḍja 5. मध्यम || madhyama 6. धैवता || dhaivata 7. पञ्चम || pancama
Santana ॥ सन्तानो विकर्षणादिः

Classical Sanskrit literature differs from Vedic literature, as it is not highly regulated by the उच्चारणम् ॥ uccharanam (utterance). Hence शिक्षा ॥ Siksha is of vital importance as an ancillary for vedas, because अशुध्दोच्चारणम् ॥ ashuddhoccharanam (wrongly uttered) mantras bring about a meaning change which can cause great harm to the यजमणि || yajamani (the performer of the yagna).

An example of such wrong utterance :

"मन्त्रो हीनः स्वरतो वर्णतो वा मिथ्या प्रयुक्तो न तमर्थमाह ।"

"स वाग्वज्रो यजमानं हिनस्ति यथेन्द्रशत्रुः स्वरतोपराधात् ॥"

If a mantra is devoid of a वर्ण || varna or letter, or has wrongly utterances or स्वर || swaras, then it does not the give the meaning it is intended to and produces a false meaning. This incorrectly and improperly uttered mantra becomes a वाक्वज्र || vakvajra (word weapon) and is capable of destroying the यजमणि || yajamani (performer of the yagna). Example is the famous story of Indra's enemy, Vrittrasura whose origin was due to स्वरापराध ॥ swarapradha (wrong swara utterance) of a mantra.

"वृत्रासुर जननम् || Vrittrasura Jananam : त्वष्टा॥ Tvastha angered by Indra's killing of his son विश्वरूप || Vishwaroopa, initiates an आभिचारिकं यागं || aabhaicharikam yagam (a yagam performed to cause harm to an intended person) to procure a son to kill Indra. The ऋत्विज || ritvijas were to utter the mantra "इन्द्रशत्रुर्वर्धस्व" with अन्त उदात्तः ॥ Anta Udaatta or Udaatta swara in the end of the mantra (to mean Prosper Oh ! Enemy of Indra) instead they used the आद्य उदात्तः ॥ Aadya Udaatta swara in the beginning of the mantra (meaning Oh! Indra, one who has enemies, Prosper). So instead of asking for the rise and prosperity of a son to take revenge on Indra, the ऋत्विज || ritvijas asked for the prosperity and glory of Indra who destroyed असुर || Asuras. Thus वृत्रासुर || Vrittrasura the son of त्वष्टा ॥ Tvastha was born, an enemy of Indra, but eventually Indra was rewarded with glory in killing वृत्रासुर || Vrittrasura."

Siksha literature is very widely available based on the different शाखा || shaka (divisions) of different vedas. They are पाणिनीयशिक्षा || Panineeya Siksha व्यासशिक्षा || Vyasasiksha, भारद्वाजशिक्षा || Bharadwaaja siksha, याज्ञवलक्यशिक्षा || Yaagnvalkya Siksha, पराशरशिक्षा || Paarasharee siksha, वासिष्टीशिक्षा || Vaasishtee siksha, कात्यायनीशिक्षा || Kaatyayanee siksha, माध्यन्दिनीशिक्षा || Maadhyandinee siksha, केशवीशिक्षा || Keshavee siksha, अमोघानन्दिनीशिक्षा || Amoghaanandinee siksha, माण्डव्यशिक्षा || Maandavya siksha, मल्लशर्मशिक्षा || Mallasharma siksha, स्वराकुशशिक्षा || Svaraakusha siksha, षोडशशिक्षा || Shodasha slokee siksha, नारदीयशिक्षा || Naaradeeya siksha, माण्डुकीयशिक्षा || Mandukeeya siksha, स्वरभक्तिलक्षणशिक्षा || Svarabhaktilaskhana siksha, अवसाननिर्णयशिक्षा || Avasaananirnaya siksha, वर्णरत्न प्रदीपिका शिक्षा || Varnaratna pradeepikaa siksha among many others.

कल्पः ॥ Kalpa

The origin of कल्पः ॥ Kalpa was for the organization of all the extensive rituals described in Vedas (वैदिक कर्मकाण्ड || Vaidika Karmakaanda).

As given by Vishnumitra

"कल्पो वेदविहितानां कर्मणामानुपूर्व्येण कल्पनाशास्त्रम्" - "Kalpa sastra is a guideline for all the actions laid down in Veda (such as yagnas and yaagas)"

There are 4 types of Kalpa sutras

श्रौत सूत्र || Shrouta sutras - explain the दर्शपोउर्नमास यज्ञ || Darshapournamaasa Yagas and others as defined by श्रुति || Shruti
धर्म सूत्र || Dharma sutras - extensively gives the धार्मिक || dharmika rules for general people and the rulers
गृह्य सूत्र || Grhya sutras - explains the यज्ञ || yaagas to be followed by the ब्राह्मण || brahmana, क्षत्रिय || kshatriya and वैश्य || vaishyas
सुल्ब सूत्र || Sulba sutras - शास्त्र || Shastra for measurements, includes the रेखागणितं || rekhaganitam (geometrical principles) laid down for vedic constructions.

श्रौत सूत्र || Shrouta Sutras vividly describe the procedures for दर्शपोउर्नमास यज्ञ || Darshapournamaasa yagna and other यज्ञ || yagnas such as अग्निहोत्रं || Agnihotram, पशुययज्ञ || Pashuyagam, and सोमयज्ञ् || Somayagam among others as set forth in Shruti literature. Thus, it can be said that in श्रौत सूत्र || Shrouta Sutras the explanations given in different वैदिक ब्राह्मण || Vaidika Braahamanas regarding श्रौताग्नि यज्ञ || Shroutagni yagaas are dealt with in an orderly manner.

Of the available Shrouta sutras the important ones are - अश्वलयन || Ashvalayana, शाखायन || Shaakhayana , मानव || Maanava , बौधायन || Boudhayana, आपस्तम्भ || Aapasthamba, हिरन्यकेषि || Hiranyakeshi, जैमिनीय || Jaimineeya, कात्यायन || Kaatyayana, वैतान || Vaitaana, लात्यायन || Laatyayana, द्राह्यान || Draahyaana श्रौत सूत्र || Shrouta sutras.

धर्म सूत्र || Dharma Sutras expound the rules of Dharma and the actions (activities) to be performed by a person in general as well as the king or the ruler. A complete set of rules to be followed by the different people of different occupations and for those in the four आश्रम || ashramaas (ब्रह्मचार्य || brahmacharya, गृहस्थ || grihastha, वानप्रस्थ || vaanaprastha and सन्यास || sanyas) are described in these sutras. Thus it can be said that the topics related to the spiritual world, this material world, society and social activities, and all righteous activities are described in a holistic manner. Available important Dharma sutras include वासिष्ट || Vasishta, गौतम || Goutama, बौधायन || Boudhayana, आपस्तम्भ || Aapasthamba, मानव || Maanava धर्म सूत्र || Dharma sutras.

गृह्य सूत्र || Grhya Sutras extensively discuss the यज्ञ || yagas to be performed by the ब्राह्मण || brahmana, क्षत्रिय || kshatriya and वैश्य || vaishya people. Most importantly the षोडस संस्कार || Shodasa samskaras (from गर्भदानं || Garbhaadhanam to अन्त्येष्टि || Antyeshti) that are performed for a person from birth till death are expounded vividly in these sutras. Thus, how a ग्र्हस्थ || grhasta should lead his life and the procedure in which he has to conduct different धार्मिक || dharmic activities are completely described here. The seven kinds of गृह्य यज्ञ || Grhya yagnas to be performed are:

पितृ यज्ञ || Pitru Yagnam
पार्वण यज्ञ || Paarvana Yagnam
अष्टक यज्ञ || Astakaa Yagnam
श्रावणी यज्ञ || Shraavani yagnam
आष्वेयुजी यज्ञ || Aashweyujee yagnam
आग्रहायणी यज्ञ || aagrahaayanee Yagnam
चैत्रॆय यज्ञ || Chaitreeya Yagnam

Apart from these seven, there are पञ्चयज्ञ || Panchayagnas (five Yagnas) namely

देव || Deva,
भूत || Bhuta,
पितृ || Pitru,
ब्रह्म || Brahma
मनुष्य यज्ञ || Manushya yagnas.

Available important Grhya sutras include अश्वलयन || Ashvalayana , शाखयन || Shaakhayana , मानव || Maanava , बौधायन || Boudhayana, आपस्तम्भ || Aapasthamba गृह्य सूत्र || Grhya sutras.

सुल्ब सूत्र || Sulba Sutras explain the different systems of measurements. Aspects of measurements of various वेदेनिर्मान विधि || vedenirmanavidhi (altars and the procedure to construct them) Example, होम शाला || homa shala, यज्ञ शाला || yagashala are discussed. Thus, वैदिक कर्मकाण्ड || Vaidika Karmakaanda is the topic for सुल्ब सूत्र || Sulbasutras, wherein geometry or the रेखागनितं || Rekhaganitam is applied. Only those Sulbasutras associated with यजुरवेद || Yajurveda are available extensively indicating that यजुरवेद || Yajurveda is the main base for कर्मकाण्ड || karmakaanda. कात्यायन || Kaatyayana, मानव || Maanava , बौधायन || Boudhayana, आपस्तम्भ || Aapasthamba, मैत्रेयी || Maitreyi, वारह || Vaaraha, वाधुला सुलब सूत्र || Vaadhula sulba sutras are the important ones in this category.

व्याकरणम् ॥ Vyakarana

Vyakaranam is described as the वेद पुरुष || Veda purusha's face.

व्याक्रियन्ते शब्दाः अनेन इति व्याकरणम् ।

Is the व्युत्पत्ति अर्धम || vyutpatti ardham or the subjective definition of word. This shastra only deliberates on the शुद्ध्यशुद्ध्योः || shuddhyashuddhyo (accurate and inaccurate) usages of words in संस्कृत वाङ्ग्मय || Samskrita vaangmaya or literature. It is grammar of संस्कृत श्लोक || samskrita slokas and it deals with the formation of words, different forms of the words and their combination, usage and semantic nuances. Although, ऋगवेद || Rigvedic references to grammar are available, it is only the तैत्रिय संहिता || Taittiriya samhita that outlines the story of origin of grammar. In महर्षि यस्क || Maharshi Yaska's निरुक्त || Nirukta, different technical or conventional terms related to grammar are available in abundance.

It was महर्षि पाणिनि || Maharshi Panini who has given अष्टध्यायी || Ashthadhyayi the most profound and brilliant treatise on grammar to the intellectual world, wherein he describes all the previous grammarians belonging to a time period before him. Also called शब्दानुशासनम् || Shabdaanusashanam it was the अष्टध्ययि || Asthadhyayi which brought about the regularization of grammatical rules of the vedic usages also.

व्याकरणम् ॥ Vyakarana is divided into प्राचीन व्याकरणम् || Praacheena vyakaranam and नव्य व्याकरणम् || navya vyakaranam. Later age grammarians recognize the eight व्याकरण शास्त्र प्रवर्तक || vyakarana shastra pravartakas as follows

इन्द्रश्चन्द्रः काशकृत्स्नापिशाली शाकटायनः ।

पाणिन्यमरजैनेन्द्राः जयन्त्यष्टौ च शाब्दिकाः ॥

इन्द्र || Indra, चन्द्र || Chandra, काश || Kaasha, कृत्स्नपिशली || kritsnapishali, शकटयन || shakatayana, पाणिनि || panini, अरजैनेन्द्र || arajainendra, जयन्त || jayanta are the eight preachers of शब्द || shabda (word) or grammar.

निरुक्तम् ॥ Nirukta

महर्षि यस्क || Maharshi Yaska's निरुक्तम् || Nirukta is another treasure that has been produced in भारतवर्ष || Bharatavarsha and given to the world. it is an excellent treatise that deals with etymology or the objective definition of words. निरुक्तम् || Nirukta is written in prose form while all other shastras are built in the सूत्र || sutra format. सायनाचार्य || Saayanaacharya while giving the preface of ऋग्वेद भाष्यं || Rigveda Bhasyam speaks thus about निरुक्तम् || Niruktam :

"अथावबोधे निरपेक्षतया पदजातं यत्रोक्तं तन्निरुक्तम्" ||

When other वेदाङ्ग || Vedangas extol the material aspects or तत्व || tattvas of Vedas, निरुक्तम् || nirukta propounds the supernatural or the uncommon aspects or तत्व || tattvas of the Vedas.

यस्काचार्य || Yaskaacharya has accepted 4 जाति || Jaatis (race) types of भेदचतुस्तयं || Bhedachatustayam (words) :

नाम जाति || Naama Jaati : सत्व प्रधानं || Satva pradhaanam or Significance attributed to existence of a thing as in Ghata pot, Money Dhanam
आख्यत जाति || Aakhyata Jaati : भाव प्रधानं || Bhaava pradhaanam or Significance attributed to action or kriya as in Read patathi, Do karoti
उपसर्ग जाति || Upasarga Jaati : नानाविधा विशेष अर्थ प्रधानं || Naanavidha visesha artha pradhaanam, Significance attributed to a special meaning of one word as in आहार || Aahara, सम्हार || samhaara, विहार || vihaara
निपात जाति || Nipaata Jaati : उपमार्थे पद पुराणार्थं || Upamaarthe pada puranaartham, Significance of comparision and for appropriate chandas as in eva, na, cha

Without the existence of निरुक्त || Niruktam understanding the Vedic terminology is extremely difficult. Yaskaacharya in his preface to Niruktam says

" "समाम्नायः समाम्नातः स व्याख्यातव्यः""

" "इदमन्तरेण मन्त्रेष्वर्थप्रत्ययो न विद्यते इति" - "Through this means that without this the meaning of mantras cannot be obtained"."

Thus it can be inferred that निरुक्तम् || Niruktam determines the meanings of various वॆदिक मंत्र || vedic mantras and comments on them. Knowledge about the various divine beings is given by Nirukta, hence it's use in various यज्ञ कर्म || yagna karmas is indispensable. Thus only निरुक्तम् || Nirukta experts can understand the different characteristics or identifying marks of various vedic Gods.

Difference between Vyakarana and Nirukta : While व्याकरणम् ॥ Vyakarana discusses the origin of the word, निरुक्तम् || Niruktam determines the meaning, thus it completes the study of vyakarana. While vyakaranam is लक्षण प्रधानं || lakshana pradhanam or defines the attributes of a word, Nirukta is अर्थ प्रधानं || artha pradhanam (independently explains the meaning). With out निरुक्तम् || Niruktam splitting of the word is not possible, while grammar talks about rules for splitting the word, Nirukta defines how to split a word.

Difference between Nighantu and Nirukta : A Dictionary or निघन्टुः || Nighantu is a compilation of usages of Vedic literature whereas निरुक्तम् || Nirukta extensively discusses the different Vedic words and their applications. Derivation of meaning of vedic terms is achieved in Nirukta. A dictionary consists of पञ्चद्याय || Panchadhyayas (5 components) whereas Nirukta deals with द्वदशाद्याय || Dvadashaadhyayas (12 components).

छन्दः ॥ Chandas

Vedas are bound in छन्दः || chandas or in a metre. Since vedas are highly dependent on the sound or the way they are uttered, chandas very important for their accurate utterance. It is the science for determination of metrical forms and qualities of mantras.

The ऋग्वेद || rigveda and सामवेद || samaveda mantras are totally constructed with chandas. यजुर्वेद || Yajurveda has both prose and श्लोक || sloka forms of mantras, and the slokas are all built with appropriate chandas.

वैदिक छन्दः || Vaidikachandas is different from chandas and meters of poems in classical sanskrit. Vaidikachandas is अक्षर प्रधानं || Akshara pradhanam or the number of letters is significant to understand the छन्दः || chandas and not the मात्रा || maatras. The general सूत्र || sutras as applicable to classical sanskrit is not applicable to वैदिक छन्दः || Vaidikachandas.

Pingalacharyas चन्दःसुत्रं ||"Chandahsutram" is a work which gives information about vaidikachandas. The number of letters range from 1 to 104. Based on the number of letters each chandas has a different name.

गायत्री || Gayatri (24 अक्षराणि || aksharani)
अनुस्तुप् || Anustup (32 अक्षराणि || aksharani)
त्रिस्तुप् || Tristup (44 अक्षराणि || aksharani)
जगति || Jagati (48 अक्षराणि || aksharani)
अस्थि || Asthi (64 अक्षराणि || aksharani)
प्रकृति || Prakriti (84 अक्षराणि || aksharani)
विकृति || Vikruti (92 अक्षराणि || aksharani)
अभिकृति || Abhikruti (100 अक्षराणि || aksharani)
उत्कृति || Utkruti (104 अक्षराणि || aksharani)

are among a few as examples.

ज्योतिषम् ॥ Jyotisham

It is study of the Universe,i.e.,astrology or astronomy to determine the configuration and position of stars and planets etc., in order to fix favorable or propitious times for performing यज्ञ || Yagas or Hindu rituals.

ज्योतिष शस्त्रम् || Jyotishshastram is like the eye to the वेद पुरुषः || veda purusha. Without the knowledge of this शस्त्र || shastra, काल || kala (time) cannot be determined, for example - Auspiciousness of the Day, night, fortnight, month, season, and year cannot be determined. Auspicious time for the performance of यज्ञ || yagnas and for travel the time is determined by the knowledge of this shastra. वैदिक संहिता || Vaidika samhitas explicitly deal with the काल || kala (time). as in जीवेम शरदम् शतम् || jeevema sharadam shatam.

व्याकरणम् ॥ Vyakarana and निरुक्तम् || Nirukta are unique to each Veda. Whereas शिक्षा || Siksha, छन्दः || Chandas, कल्प || Kalpa and ज्योतिष || Jyotisa are common for all Vedas.

Commentaries by मेधातिति || Medhatiti, गोविन्दराज || Govindaraja, कल्लुकभट्ट || Kallukabhatta are available to read मनुस्मृति || Manu Smriti.

References

Puranic Encyclopedia