Vedas
The Vedas are the oldest and most authoritative scriptures of Hinduism, considered Shruti ("that which is heard")—texts revealed to ancient sages (rishis) in states of deep meditation rather than composed by human intellect. Dating back to at least 1500 BCE (with oral traditions extending much further), they form the bedrock of Indian philosophy, ritual, and spiritual knowledge. Unlike narratives or epics, the Vedas are a vast collection of hymns, mantras, and ritual instructions designed to maintain the cosmic order (Rta).
There are four primary collections: the Rig Veda (hymns of praise and cosmology), the Sama Veda (melodies and chants), the Yajur Veda (ritual formulas), and the Atharva Veda (spells, healing, and daily life). Together, they move from the praise of elemental forces—Agni (fire), Indra (storm), and Surya (sun)—to profound philosophical inquiry. The early portions focus on the power of sound and sacrifice (Yajna) to align human life with the rhythms of the universe.
The structure of the Vedas is layered. The initial Samhitas (hymns) and Brahmanas (ritual commentaries) deal with ceremonial action. However, the final portion of the Vedas—the Upanishads—shifts the focus entirely from outward ritual to inner knowledge (Jnana). These concluding texts (often called Vedanta) introduce the revolutionary concepts of Brahman (the ultimate, formless reality) and Atman (the inner self), famously declaring Tat Tvam Asi ("Thou Art That")—the realization that the individual soul and the universal source are one.
The Vedas do not present a single dogmatic view but a spectrum of thought, ranging from polytheistic worship of nature deities to monistic abstract philosophy. They contain some of the earliest recorded inquiries into the origin of the universe, such as the Nasadiya Sukta (Hymn of Creation), which famously asks whether even the gods know how creation began, or if the Source itself is beyond knowing.
For thousands of years, these texts were preserved solely through oral transmission with a mathematical precision of intonation, ensuring that the sound vibrations remained unaltered. The Vedas remain the ultimate authority in Hindu Dharma, influencing yoga, meditation, law, and the very structure of society. They represent humanity’s earliest attempt to use sound and consciousness to bridge the gap between the finite and the Infinite.
Reference Links:
https://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/index.htm https://www.britannica.com/topic/Veda
https://vedicheritage.gov.in/ https://www.hinduwebsite.com/vedicsection/vedaindex.asp https://archive.org/details/TheHolyVedas
