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Vedas
VedasThe Vedas, one of the foundations of Hindu religion and mythology, are a collection of ancient sacred texts. They are considered to be divine communications from the god Brahma* to seers called rishis. Composed between 1500 and 1000 b.c., the Vedas were passed on orally for hundreds of years before being written down in Sanskrit, an ancient Indo-European language. The Vedas consist of hymns and verses directed toward various gods and goddesses as well as ceremonial texts, magical spells, and curses. Many of the hymns, or mantras, are chanted or recited during religious rituals. Although the Vedas are not true myths or stories about the gods, they contain information that serves as the basis for mythology seer one who can predict the future ritual ceremony that follows a set pattern incantation chant, often part of a magical formula or spell Four collections of texts make up the Vedas. The Rig-Veda is the oldest and most important collection; the other three are the Sama-Veda, the Yajur-Veda, and the Atharva-Veda. The first three, known as the trayi-vidya (threefold knowledge), are concerned with public religious belief and ritual. The last collection, the Atharva-Veda, is more private in nature, dealing mainly with folk beliefs, such as magical spells and incantations. Because of their ancient authority and sacredness, the Vedas remain a central element in Hinduism. See also Brahma; Hinduism and Mythology; Rig-Veda. |
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"Vedas." Myths and Legends of the World. 2001. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Vedas." Myths and Legends of the World. 2001. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-3490900502.html "Vedas." Myths and Legends of the World. 2001. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-3490900502.html |
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Vedas
Vedas Ancient and most sacred writings of Hinduism. They consist of series of hymns and formulaic chants that constituted a Hindu liturgy. There are four Vedas: Rig Veda, containing a priestly tradition originally brought to India by Aryans; Yajur Veda, consisting of prayers and sacred formulas; Sama Veda, containing melodies and chants; and Atharva Veda, a collection of popular hymns, incantations and magic spells. The Vedas were composed between c.1500 and 1200 bc.
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"Vedas." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Vedas." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-Vedas.html "Vedas." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-Vedas.html |
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Vedas
Vedas (more comprehensively, Veda). The four collections which lie at the foundation of Hindu scripture, Ṛg Veda, Sāma Veda, Yajur Veda, Atharva Veda. They constitute the foundation of revealed (śruti) scripture.
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JOHN BOWKER. "Vedas." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. JOHN BOWKER. "Vedas." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O101-Vedas.html JOHN BOWKER. "Vedas." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions. 1997. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O101-Vedas.html |
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