By Victor M Fontane
There are four types of Vedas: Rigveda, Samveda, Yajurveda and Athravaveda. Vedas are a collection of ancient religious texts that form the foundation of Hindu scripture. Rigveda, the oldest, contains hymns and praises dedicated to various deities. Samaveda focuses on musical chants derived from Rigvedic hymns for Vedic rituals. Yajurveda provides prose mantras essential for rituals and ceremonies, with two branches, Shukla and Krishna. Atharvaveda includes spells and charms and covers diverse topics such as medicine and daily rituals. Each Veda has its own Samhita, Brahmanas, Aranyakas, and Upanishads. Together, these Vedas form the basis of Hindu philosophy and religious practices.
Vedas are derived from the Sanskrit word “vid” meaning “to know“. Vedas are the oldest scriptures of Hinduism that were composed in Vedic Sanskrit. Vedas are sruti meaning “what is heard“, that is the Vedas are believed to have been directly revealed to ancient sages or seers (Rishis) during meditation. The four Vedas are considered the primary sources of knowledge in Hinduism, and their verses are chanted and preserved through an oral tradition.
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