Divine knowledge. It is derived from the Sanskrit root 'vid', meaning 'to know'. The Vedas are the oldest religious texts in Hinduism and therefore constitute its foundation. They are believed to be shruti or 'divinely heard' mantras, revealed by the gods to ancient sages and therefore, perfect.

The Vedas are written in the form of hymns or mantras in an archaic form of Sanskrit. Most of these hymns are believed to have been composed around 1500 - 1000 BC, although some are believed to date back upto 5,000 years. This implies that some hymns were composed even before the arrival of the Aryans in India. They cover various subjects, from nature to everyday life and behavior, and form the basis of all other religious writings. Mythological, Vedic hymns are believed to be eternal and indestructible, existing from the beginning of time. They are said to have survived even the great deluge in which the triad Trimurti   was destroyed. It is believed that the Vedas were orally revealed by Brahma to certain sages, who heard them and passed them down in an oral tradition. They were not written down; in fact this was prohibited. The Mahabharata denounces it and Kumarila Bhatta held that by reading the Vedas, their spiritual significance was nullified. As a result of this, of the 100,000 verses that is believed to have existed in the Dvapara Yuga, most were either lost or altered by the beginning of the Kali Yuga. The Vedas are believed to have been arranged in their present form by Veda Vyasa. He is said to have arranged them under four headings and passed them on to four of his disciples: the Rig Veda to Paila, the Yajur Veda to Vaishampayana, the Sama Veda to Jaimini, and the Atharva Veda to Angirasa.

Each of the four Vedas has four parts: Sanhitas, Brahmanas, Aranyakas, and Upanishads. The Sanhitas, which are the oldest portion, consist of prayers in metrical hymns called mantras. The Brahmanas are written in prose and explain the hymns. The Aranyakas or 'forest books', are treatises for hermits and saints who concentrate on meditation and asceticism, after having retired to the forest Ashram. The Upanishads are philosophical treatises with information on the mystical aspects of the Vedas. The Aranyakas and Upanishads are sometimes considered appendices of the Brahmanas.

Rig is derived from the word 'ric' which literally means 'praise or verse', especially 'a sacred verse recited in praise of a deity'. It describes metrical hymns, which are meant to be recited loudly. The Rig-Veda, 'the wisdom of the hymns', is the oldest Veda. It is divided into 10 books, with 1,028 hymns. Most of the early hymns of the Rig-Veda are about nature Vedanta its personifications, like Agni, Surya, and Indra. The later hymns are addressed to the Supreme Being, as this concept had evolved by then. Each hymn names the sage to whom it was revealed. Most of the Rig Vedic hymns are repeated in the Yajur and Sama Vedas. The Rig-Veda has one Sanhita and two Brahmanas. A spirit of fearless inquiry, astounding in an ancient, nature-worshipping society, is evident in the Creation Hymn in the Rig-Veda, in which no easy explanations are offered, but the very divinity of Divinity is questioned.

Yajur is derived from the word 'yajus', literally 'reverence, veneration or sacrifice'. It describes hymns in prose, which are meant to be recited in a low voice. The Yajur Veda, 'the wisdom of sacrificial formula', is divided Hymns from the Atharva Veda are mixture of witchcraft, poetry and charmsmeant to exorcise evil spirits.

Vedanta 40 chapters. Its hymns are about religious rituals, with instructions on how to perform sacrifices.. Its first Sanhita, the Taittiriya, is called the Krishna (black) Yajur Veda and is the older of the two. The Vajasaneyi, the second Sanhita, is called the shukla (white) Yajur Veda. This came later and though its hymns are similar to those in the Taittiriya, they are organized in a more orderly and systematic manner. Besides these two Sanhitas, the Yajur Veda also has two Brahmanas.

Sama is derived from the word 'saman', literally 'destroying sin'. It describes the hymns of praise in the Sama Veda, which means the book of chants. It has 1,549 verses and is comprised mainly of hymns from the Rig-Veda, which have been set to rhythm. This Veda contains one Sanhita and eight Brahmanas. Classical Indian music is said to have been born from the chants of the Sama Veda.

The Atharva Veda takes its name from Atharvan, the priest who is believed to have first instituted the worship of fire (see Agni). This fourth Veda is of a much later origin than the other three, and is not mentioned in other early writings like the Manusmriti. It is divided into 20 sections or khandas and has 730 hymns, which are entirely different from those of the Rig-Veda, and therefore of the Yajur and Sama Vedas as well. These hymns are a mixture of witchcraft, poetry, and charms to exorcise evil spirits. They are supposed to guide man in his daily life.

Because of their increasing importance, the Vedas came to be personified as living beings, detailed in the Skanda Purana. The Rig-Veda is personified as a short man, fair complexioned, and holding a rosary. The Yajur Veda is personified as a thin man of medium height, yellow complexion, holding a rosary and a thunderbolt. The Sama Veda is described as tall, with a glowing complexion, holding a rosary and a conch shell (see Shankha). The Atharva Veda is pale, red-

Vedaeyed, and holds a rosary and short sword. Apart from the four Vedas, there are the four subsidiaries, called the Upavedas. Although not connected to the main four, they are called Vedas because they constitute the earliest writings on science and philosophy. They are the Ayurveda, Dhanurveda, Gandharvaveda and Arthashastra.

The Ayurveda is a work on medicine that is still in widespread use as an alternative treatment to allopathy. Its study includes a comprehensive system for maintaining good health, and the use of medicines derived from herbs, roots, and fruit. Oil massage, and mud therapy are Ayurvedic treatments that are in vogue even now. The author of this work is said to be Sage Dhanvantari, whose festival is celebrated in the north, two days before Diwali as Dhanteras.

The Dhanurveda teaches the science of archery, and the use of weapons. It lays down rules for warfare, and prohibits using weapons unless for the destruction of evil. The Gandharvaveda is a treatise on dance, music and theatre, ascribed to Sage Narada. It is described as the 'fifth Veda', since Brahma is said to have composed it with elements taken from the four Vedas before revealing it to Sage Narada. Narada then passed it on to Sage Bharata, who combined it with aspects of the Shiva Tandava (see Shiva) to compose a treatise called Natya Shastra. Classical Indian dance and theatre, even today, apply Bharata's aesthetic, artistic and technical principles.

The Arthashastra is a treatise on polity, and administration. It is said to be the work of the Brahmin Kautilya, or Chanakya, the chief advisor of Chandragupta Maurya.

The Vedas are the law. Most beliefs, concepts, and ceremonies are based on information contained in the Vedas, though they have been modified from time to time. Today everyone has complete freedom of choice and only practice what they find relevant or appealing.