veda
/'veidə/
Definition
- Proper noun:
- The Vedas: The most ancient and authoritative sacred scriptures of Hinduism, composed in early Sanskrit. They are considered śruti ("that which is heard"), meaning they are divinely revealed and not of human origin. Traditionally, the Vedic corpus comprises four main collections.
Usage
- The word "Veda" is almost always used in its plural form, "the Vedas," to refer to the entire body of these scriptures.
- It is a proper noun and is often capitalized.
- It is used in religious, historical, and academic contexts to discuss the foundational texts of Hindu philosophy, ritual, and culture.
Examples
- Proper noun:
- Scholars study the Vedas to understand the earliest forms of Hindu thought and practice.
- The hymns of the Rig Veda are among the oldest known religious texts in any Indo-European language.
- Traditional Vedic education begins with the memorization of the Vedas.
Advanced Usage
- "Vedic" (adjective): Pertaining to the Vedas or the period of Indian history during which they were composed (c. 1500–500 BCE).
- Vedic Sanskrit is the language of the Vedas.
- Vedic rituals are detailed in the Brahmana texts.
Variants and Related Words
- The four Vedas: Refers to the primary division of the texts:
- Rigveda: A collection of hymns, the oldest and most important Veda.
- Samaveda: A collection of melodies and chants derived mostly from the Rigveda.
- Yajurveda: A collection of ritual formulas and prose mantras used by priests during sacrifices.
- Atharvaveda: A collection of spells, charms, and incantations, as well as philosophical speculations.
- Vedic literature: Encompasses the four Vedas (Samhitas) as well as the later explanatory texts: the Brahmanas, Aranyakas, and Upanishads.
Synonyms
- Śruti (Sanskrit): Literally "what is heard," the term for revealed scriptures, primarily the Vedas.
- Samhita: Refers specifically to the core collection of mantras within each Veda.
Related Concepts
- Brahmana: Prose texts attached to each Veda, explaining the rituals and their meanings.
- Aranyaka: "Forest texts," later philosophical and ritual discussions.
- Upanishad: The concluding, philosophical portions of the Vedic literature, focusing on the nature of reality and the self (Atman).
Noun
-
(from the Sanskrit word for `knowledge') any of the most ancient sacred writings of Hinduism written in early Sanskrit; traditionally believed to comprise the Samhitas, the Brahmanas, the Aranyakas, and the Upanishads
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