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The Vedas
The Vedas are considered the most
sacred and treasured texts of India. The Vedas are a collection of
hymns that were received by the ancient rishis (sages) as shruti,
divine revelation. As hymns and mantras, these works were actively
recited out loud to both praise and invoke the powers of the
spiritual realms, and had been verbally passed on for many
generations before written down on delicate palm leaves. These Vedic
mantras were utilized in yagas and yajnas (ritual sacrifices and
ceremonies) for promoting the well being of individuals, society and
the world.
As the oldest texts in any Indo-European language, it’s astounding
that within these works the foundations of yoga are established,
with yoga being defined as "yoking" and as a "discipline." The Vedas
provided the spiritual core and philosophical foundations for the
future development of both yoga and Hinduism.
There are four texts that compose the Vedas: Rig-Veda, Sama-Veda,
Yajur-Veda and Atharva-Veda.
The Rig-Veda is the oldest, dating back to 1500 B.C.E., and
is the most revered and important of the four. The Rig-Veda’s
collection of inspired hymns and mantras were used to invoke
courage, happiness, health, peace, prosperity, success, and wisdom.
In the Rig-Veda we learn the now famous Gayatri mantra, which is
still used today for its potent spiritual qualities. We also find
the first use and definition of the word yoga. These verses provide
the foundation and material for the remaining Vedas.
The Sama-Veda is purely a devotional collection of melodies (saman)
used to elevate one’s consciousness. The hymns in the Sama-Veda are
combined with musical notes, and their content was heavily drawn
from the Rig-Veda, providing no distinctive lessons of their own.
This use of music combined with mantras formed the foundation for
the Bhakti yoga practice of kirtan, devotional chanting.
The Yajur-Veda is devoted entirely to the worship of the
deities and the instruction for the technical aspects of ceremonies.
The Yajur-Veda served as a handbook for the Vedic priests who
executed sacrificial acts through simultaneously chanting the hyms
and mantras while following the sacrificial formula (yajus).
The Atharva-Veda consists of spells and charms to dispel
evil, disease and misfortune. Its hymns are of a more diverse
character than the Rig-Veda and were composed of a simpler language
making them more accessible to the general population.
The Vedas expounded a diverse set of practices, ideas and concepts;
among them was an primitive form of yoga as well as one of the
world’s oldest, diverse and complex spiritual philosophies. Six main
schools of philosophy emerged from these teachings. These Darshanas
(viewpoints) all systematically represent the core ideas illuminated
in the Vedas. They are: Nyaya (logic), Vaiseshika (analysis of the
universe), Samkhya (classification of the universe), Yoga (union
with the Divine), Mimansha (ritual interpretation of the Vedas), and
Vedanta (inquiry into the Self).
Because all of these philosophical systems draw from the same
source, they are seen to complement rather than compete with each
other. Over time, Vaisheshika, Nyaya, and Mimamsa have become
somewhat obsolete and are not actively practiced. Samkhya, Vedanta,
and Yoga continue to have a strong importance and influence in
Indian thought and many of the practices that evolved out of these
Darshanas continue to be practiced today.
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