Vedas are the most ancient and
true wisdom on earth
तस्माद्यज्ञात्सर्वेहुतः ऋचः सामानि जज्ञिरे | छन्दां सि जज्ञिरे तस्माद्य जुस्तस्मादजायत || YV 31.7
Tsmaadyjyatsrvehuth richah samani jjyire,
Chhndaan si jjyire tsmaady justsmaadjaayt. YV 31.7
Meaning: Adorable God created the Rig Veda, Sam Veda, Atharva Veda and Yajur Veda.Not many people are aware of the Vedas and those who do are often mistaken that it as a religious book similar to the Bible or Koran. On the contrary, the Vedas are books of knowledge, they are not religiously affiliated nor do they belong to a particular race or country. They are universally applicable to all human beings. Physically, the Vedas are 4 ancient books that contain spiritual, material, and societal knowledge. The knowledge within these books; however, was revealed when humankind began life on earth, and passed down verbally generation after generation. Indians have protected the Vedas from the beginning. It is well known fact that Indian civilization was well advanced when Europeians were in stoneage and lived in caves by hunting. That was because of the knowledge of the Vedas.
Vedas are Four:
| Veda | No. of Mantras | Seer/
Rishi |
Subject Matter |
| Rig Veda | 10,589 | Agni | Gyan/Knowledge |
| Yajur Veda | 1,975 | Vayu | Karma/Duties |
| Sam Veda | 1,875 | Aditya | Upaasna/Meditation |
| Atharv Veda | 5,977 | Angira | Physical and Medicinal Sciences |
The name of each book is Rig Veda, Yajur Veda, Sam Veda and Atharv Veda. The Veda name, number of mantras, seer that Veda was revealed to and the subject matter of each Veda is depicted in the chart above. While there are 4 Vedas, the knowledge within them is not separate. All four books have information that is linked to each other covering topics from God and Souls to material sciences and human responsibility. Format of the Vedas is poetical and stanzas are called mantras. Only the verses in the actual Vedas are called mantras because they are called shruti, which means heard, as they are passed down verbally. All hymns from other Sanskrit literature are called shalokas, sutras etc. After being passed down phonically from the beginning of time, the Vedas were eventually written down first on palm leaves then on paper. System of memorizing the Vedas is so perfect that not even a single syllable can be altered.
Vedas are the oldest book found in the human library. It will be unjust of the creator of the universe to create this wonderful creation and not to provide the road map for human journey on this earth. Thus God being just, gave the knowledge of the Vedas for mankind. Knowledge of the Vedas is beyond time and place, it was true in the beginning and it is true now.
Mons Leon Delbos says:
“There is a no monument of Greece or Rome more previous than the Rig Veda.”
Professor Max Muller says:
“In the history of the world, the Vedas fill a gap which no literary work in any other language could fill.”
Guigualt says:
“The Rig Veda is the most sublime conception of the great highways of humanity.”
When the Yajur Veda was presented to Voltaire, he expressed his belief that “the Veda was the most precious gift for which the West had ever been indebted to the East.”
In the words of Yajur Veda, this truth must be propagated to all:
“Yathemam vacham kalyanim avadani janebhyah”: YV 26.2
Meaning: Just as I speak (reveal) this auspicious holy Word of the Veda for all people (without any discrimination of high or low), so should you too communicate it to all people of the world whoever, whatever, wherever they be.
The language of the Vedas is Vedic Sanskrit, which is different than the regular Sanskrit. No other Sanskrit book comes close to the Vedas Sanskrit language.
Three Eternal Entities
There are three eternal entities in Vedas — God, Soul and Matter:
God: Vedas dictate Parmatma/God according to its true self i.e. Blissful, Formless, Unborn, Omnipresent, Omniscient, Omnipotent, Just, Kind, Sustainer, Nurturer, Holy, Infinite, flawless, Eternal and the Creator of the universe.
Soul is never born and never dies. It is known from the body it gets. It stays in the cycle of birth and death between human and non-human based on its deeds done in human life. Human life’s main purpose is to get liberation from this cycle of birth and death. The liberation is called Moksha. In Moksha, soul is blissful and enjoys company of Omnipotent Go
Matter keeps on changing its shape though it does not change in quantity. Wood, on burning, changes into carbon, moisture and gases. Vegetation grows from seed with the help of earth, water, sun and air. Again, it changes its shape when eaten and digested.
Purpose of Creation:
Purpose of creation is to provide opportunity to souls to enjoy and elevate herself to Moksha/liberation. Take an example of a wooden table. There is a maker of the table, wood was used to make it and somebody will use it. So the maker is 1) efficient cause, 2) matter (wood) is material cause, and 3) user (person) is first cause. Similarly for creation 1) God, the all-knowing, all-pervading entity is the efficient cause, 2) the matter in its most primordial form is the material cause, 3) the tiny individual conscious souls who are infinite in number are the first cause(s).
Vedas are Mother
स्तुता मया वरदा वेदमाता प्र चोदयन्तां पावमानी द्विजानाम| आयुः प्राणं प्रजां पशुं कीर्तिं द्रविणं ब्रह्म्वर्च्सम | मह्यं दत्त्वा व्रजत ब्रहम्लोकम || AV 19.71.1
Stuta maya varadaa vedamaataa pra chodayantaam Paavamaanee dvijaanaam. Ayuh praanam prajaam pashum keertim dravinam brahmavarchasam. Mahyam dattvaa vrajata brahmalokam.AV 19.71.1
Meaning: Honored, celebrated and worshiped by me is Mother Knowledge, Veda, purifier, sanctifier and inspirer of the inspired and inspiring Dvijas, enlightened men of culture, education and piety, the Mother who, having given me good health, full age, prana, progeny, wealth, hor and fame, substantial power and stability, and the light and luster of Divinity, retires to Brahmaloka, the Eternal Mind of Brahma.
Harmony with Science
Vedas are in complete harmony with science, i.e. they dictate chronological order of creation. First lands were formed, then the vegetation grew; then insects, birds, 4 legged animals and finally humans were created. Vedas have no mention that humans came from monkeys. In the later chapter “Science in Vedas” one example is where Vedas say that the earth is round and it circles around the sun.
Logical and Rational Approach
Vedas condemn superstitions, idol worship, worshiping individuals, tombs, trees, stones etc. The fact is nothing can go against the natural laws. Upasna (worship) is due only to the creator of the universe, who is All pervading, Just, All knowing, Eternal and formless. His real name is Om (ओउम्).
Gurudom
Vedas do not prescribe to the present form of gurudom. While a sincere guru (teacher) is must to teach and learn. On the other hand, so called gurus, who pretend to be the middlemen between their disciples and God; have their disciples worship and shower them with wealth, are fraud. No human can be an agent of God. God is our Father, and is accessible by all.
Seek Truth
Vedas highly dictate to seek truth, through reading, listening, analyzing, examining. There is no room for blind faith in the Vedas. All individuals are responsible for the decisions they make, consequences are not only limited to this life, but also the lives their after. Therefore, a critical, rational and scientific thinking and decision making is the key for real success.
In Vedas there are non unfounded statements of going to heaven or hell for believing or not believing in something. Rather, there is appeal for unity and working hand in hand for the good of all living beings.
Need For Vedas
Nothing can sprout, without a root. Vedas are the foundation of knowledge. Without knowledge, ignorance prevails. As a result there would be no civilization, no knowledge of right or wrong and no advancements.
Most important Vedic knowledge for mankind is of God and soul. This knowledge is millions of time better than any other material knowledge. Because only with the true spiritual knowledge, one can make one’s journey more favorable and without it one is bound to be doomed for ever. The irony is not much of emphasis is given to gain this knowledge.
The bottom line is no body learns anything without being taught. There is a French film ‘The Wild Child’. The film opens with the statement: “This story is authentic, it opens in 1798 in a French forest.” The story is about 11—12 year old child who was found in a forest. He was just like an animal until they brought him to civilization and started coaching him.
