Vedas- The Scripture of The Hindus (An Old and Rare Book)

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Veda (from the Sanskrit root Vid to know) means the sum of knowledge; or according to another etymology, the knowledge which cortains the evidence of its truth within itself that is revelation. But this term, although in some instances it really implies the whole learning (the eighteen Vidyas or sciences) of the Hindus, is specially applied to the four principal books of their sacred writings These are Rick, Yajush, Saman and Atharvan. The Rig-veda, (from the radical rich to laud), is intended to be read on occasions when encomiastic prayers and hymns to the elemental deities are prescribed by the law; the Yajush (Yaj to sacrifice), relates chiefly to oblations and sacrifices and contains prayersadapted for certain rites to be performed at the full and change of the moon and hymns and directions regarding oblations to the manes the Samaveda contains the songs of lyrical character to be recited with melody; and the Atharva Veda, which is considered to be a late date and is seldom included in the term "The Vedas', consists of various hymns and incantations, the greater part of which are intended for the destruction and perdition of enemies. Or more particularly the Rig-Veda is an assemblage of the ancient religious hymns, as such, arranged chiefly according to their authors and divinities to whom they are addressed; the Sama-Veda is a liturgical collection of single verses and brief passages, almost all of them parts of hymns which are contained in the Rig-Veda, employed in certain Soma ceremonies and chanted by priests called Samagas or Chhandogas; the Yayur-Veda is also liturgical, made up of the utterances of the adhvaryu priests in the performance of their sacrifices, in part metrical and mainly extracted from the hymns of the Rig-Veda, in part prosaic.

The Vedas are the earliest works on our theology bequeathed by the great Rishis to whom the whole is indebted for the original and earliest conception of God and that recorded in a language which still reigns supreme over other classical languages of the world.

According to the tradition they were coeval with creation which had itself taken place according to the laws of a pre-existing Veda.

They were however scattered; and some legends state they were lost; and it was not till after many years that a Rishi or sage arranged them and gave them the form in which they are now known. This arrangement procured to the editor the name of Vyasa or arranger". He is said to have lived in the second yuga and hence is his surname "Dwaipayana" that is, he who belongs to the second age or yuga of the world. Various sages assisted him in his labour and when he had divided the whole of the fragments of the vedas in to four parts he taught them severally to four different pupils. Paila learnt the Rig-Veda, Vaishampayana was instructed in the Yajur-veda, whilst the Saman was taught the Jaimini and Sumantu had to promulgate the Atharva. However in the course of time the pupils of these four sages altered somethings in arrangement of several Vedas which had been handed down to them, and thereby they became founders of different schools which are Sakhas; these are very numerous as may be collected by the fact that there are not less than a thousands, Sakhas of the Sama-Veda. But the difference, between these various schools of the Veda theology, is not material; it briefly rests, upon a mere transposition of the various hymns which constitute their Sanhitas or collection of sacred songs and has consequently no influence on the doctrine which they contain.

Each of these four Vedas is divided in to two parts, the Sanhita and the Brahmana. The complete collection of the hymns, prayers and invocations belonging to one veda is entitled its Sanhita. The Brahmanas comprise precepts which inculcate religious duties maxims which explain these precepts and arguments which relate to theology. Under this head are also comprehended the various upanishads which belong to it. The four Upavedas and the six Vedangas or supp-lementary parts of the Vedas with the Upangas or subordinate parts constitute in great measure that kind of literature which enables one better to understand the tenor of the sacred Trayi (the name under which the three Vedas are collectively understood; it mean Triad).