 Ved means knowledge. Vedas contain not just spiritual wisdom, but sufficient insight in practical life. Vedas propound the concept of universal brotherhood.
Vedas are eternal and without beginning and end are the laws laid down by God. We are the subjects; He is the king. He has appointed many officials. The task of administering the entire creation has been entrusted to many Devatas such as Indra, Vayu, Varuna, Agni, Yama, Easaana, Kubera, Nivruti etc. They must have a code of laws to govern all the beings in the fourteen worlds. This is contained in the Vedas. On analysing the Vedas, we can determine how we should conduct ourselves and how the Devatas enforce the rules. In our work-a-day world, the resolution of mundane disputes is done by judges. The lawyers analyse the issue involved as per the law of land and the judges give the decision. Likewise, Jaimini has determined the meaning and implications of the Vedic laws which govern the actions of men. Vedas believe in non-violence and prohibit all kinds of animal killings and appeal for compassion for all living beings. Vedas are first and most vocal advocates of green technology and save environment. Why Vedas are called oldest - Vedas contain oldest knowledge provided to the humankind by the Bharat. As per the estimates by the historians, Vedas trace back at least a few thousand years before the birth of Christ. The language of Vedas is highly developed as these were revealed at the time when humankind has been in the early ages. Why Vedas are called Divine – Vedas have been heard during deep meditation by the enlightened rishis (ancient Hindu scientists) from the Supreme Being. Hence the Vedas are called Shruti (heard) and Aporushyeya or of divine origin. As modern scientists have only discovered laws of nature. Likewise, ancient rishis and seers have discovered the Vedas and mantras. The Vedas also contain certain great truths or ‘Paramataatparya’ which have to be accepted in toto. Why Vedas are called comprehensive Manual of life - The Vedic laws regulate the social, legal, domestic and religious customs and rites of the Hindus even to the present day. Vedas guides the actions of the person from the moment of the birth to the moment he breathes his last and thereafter to ensure his salvation. It does not stop at individual salvation. Vedic codes guides about the conduct to various sections of society, the king, women etc. All the Vedas have a common goal, viz. to ensure the well-being of the universe and to help everyone towards material and spiritual progress. Mention is also made of how the soul enters the body, what happens eventually to the body, how the soul enters another body again etc. Further, the Vedas also deal with various kinds of medical treatment to ensure bodily health, and methods to pacify enemies and to avert the harm contemplated by them. What are the methods of Vedic Worship – Apart from yajnas and method of worship, the Vedas also mention many methods of meditation and prayer (Upasana), of Dhayana or meditating in solitude etc. Even one mantra is sufficient for an evolved soul to realise the truth. But a normal common soul has to resort to a multitude of karmas, observances, chanting and meditation to reach that state. Each mantra has a special requirement for itself. If this is not followed the potency of the mantra so far as that person is concerned become weak. If a mantra is recited during eclipse, for example, its potency is said to increase. An entire Saakha of the Vedas has been devoted for spelling out the nature and effect of mantras and for the ‘Vedavit’ i.e. one who is proficient in the Veda, to attain self-realisation. Which are the Vedic Gods - Vedic Gods belong to the three regions. Agni, Apah, Prithivi and Soma belong to the terrestrial region. The Gods belonging to atmospheric region are Indra, Vayu, Rudra, Marut, Parjanya. The Gods of celestial region are Surya, Mitra, Varuna, Dyuh, Pushan, Savita, Aditya, Ashvins, Ushas and Ratri. The hymns of the Rigveda were almost all composed in praise of the Vedic gods. The gods here are however personalities presiding over the diverse powers of nature or forming their very essence. They have therefore no definite, systematic and separate characters like the Greek gods or the gods of the later Indian mythical works, the Puranas. The powers of nature such as the storm, the rain, the thunder, are closely associated with one another. In the Puranas the gods lost their character as hypostatic powers of nature, and thus became actual personalities and characters having their tales of joy and sorrow. The Vedic gods may be contrasted with them in this, that they are of an impersonal nature, as the characters they display are mostly but expressions of the powers of nature. How is the Vedic Worship done - In Vedas, Yajna or fire worship and not idol worship is done. Fire stands for the awakening the soul. Thus, the supreme importance of all the Vedas is to make us realise by our own experience that all is Brahman and thus lead us to a state of bliss. Yajna or performance of Vedic ritual is one of the most important of the Vedic injunctions. Yajna is offering oblations to various divinities instead of to one God, but ultimately, surrendering the fruit of the action to one God. Serving the divinities who are amongst God’s creations by yajna earns for us God’s grace. God manifested through many divinities to regulate the management of universe. Performance of Yajna without the expectation of personal reward would lead to clarity of vision and purity of the mind. The chanting of mantras in a yajna is like writing the address on the postal envelope. Only if oblations are made with the chanting, would Agni carry the message to the Devas. Mantras are the forms in sound (Shabda Roopa) of the Devas. The sacrificial fire converts the oblation to a subtle state before carrying to Devas. This transformation is due to the power of the mantras. For each ritual, there is a separate mantra, Devata, sacrificial object, time etc. The Devas do not have physical bodies and hence can’t consume material food. In mantras, there are what are called “Beej Aksharas” (Seed words). Just as a huge tree is contained in a small seed, these Aksharas are packed with limitless power. If these Aksharas are repeated several hundred thousand times with single minded concentration, we can absorb and feel the great power what it contains. Devata in return of Yajnas performed grant well-being. But no bliss is equal to what the Atman experiences. Veda (karma Kanda) exists for the sole purpose of preparing one for Vedanta (Upanishads or Jnana Kanda). By the process of systematic purification through Veda Karmas, he attains a state where he can seek and tread the path of Vedanta which leads to ‘Mukti’. Therefore, first comes Karma. Devata worship is certainly necessary in the beginning to get material benefits. But it should be understood that this is only the first step towards the realisations that Devata that is worshipped and worshipper are not essentially different. If karmas are performed without expectation of results and solely for the glorification of God, it gives mental purity and leads to a place beyond the reach of three gunas (attributes). The performance of sacrifice, doing penance, giving in charity, renovating temples, digging wells for supply of water, social service, marriage rites and such duties are meant to lead to mental purity (Chitta Shuddhi) and study the wavering mind (Chitta Virtti Nirodha). The aim of the Vedas is to help one obtain Moksha whilst living in this world itself. What are the steps in Vedas - First is the study and recitation of the Vedas, then the yajnas and other rituals which he has to study and perform and the mantras relating to these. Next comes an enquiry into the purpose of yajnas and lastly, an enquiry into the Parmatama Tatva and bringing it within the range of actual experience. It is called ‘Vedanta’ because it contains the conclusion of the various metaphysical truths, viz. the realisation of the self which is the purport of the Vedas. In other words, it is the end of the Veda’s quest. It also appears at the end of the Vedas. What are the Sections of Vedas – Vedas have four parts – Samhitas, Brahmanaas, Aranyakas and Upanishads. If the Samhita is likened to a tree., the Brahmanaas are its flowers and Aranyakas are its fruit, in an unripen state, the Upanishads are the ripe fruits. Rig Veda and Sama Veda are wholly in verses. Although Yajur Veda has mantras in prose, they come interspersed with verses.
What contain the Vedas -
Reference - The Vedas – by Pujasri Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi
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