The Vedas

"This book is an overview of The Vedas, the holy book of Hindus. The most important Hymns are quoted in full; extracts are also included from the Brahmanas, the part of The Rig Veda that guides the Brahmans, the highest class of priests, in Vedic ceremonies. Also included is a section on the Arya Samaj, a later westernized version that is shown to be inaccurate, covered in the Appendix."--The foreward.

Your essential guide to the Vedas When were the Vedas written, and why? Who were the people who composed them? Where did they come from, how did they live? Questions, conjectures and debates go hand in hand with the Vedas, the sacred keystone texts of Hinduism. Now, noted historian Roshen Dalal sifts through centuries of information and research to present, in a straightforward and succinct manner, an account of the Vedas that is authoritative yet accessible, thus appealing to both scholars and lay readers. In this book, key insights into the Vedas are complemented by a celebration of the poetry that lies within the texts. Using socio-economic data and archaeological and linguistic research, the author introduces us to the Vedic era, enabling us to understand the culture and philosophy that produced these ancient and sublime texts. • Based on original research and numerous authoritative sources, including auxiliary texts and early commentaries • Appendices featuring selected hymns from all four Vedas, and listing all the hymns that make up the Rig Veda • Conveniently cross-referenced with a wealth of information

In this unprecedented guide to the Vedas, Frits Staal, the celebrated author of Agni- The Vedic Ritual of the Fire Altarand Universals- Studies in Indian Logic and Linguisticsexamines almost every aspect of these ancient sources of Indic civilisation. Staal extracts concrete information from the Oral Tradition and Archaeology about Vedic people and their language, what they thought and did, and where they went and when. He provides essential information about the Vedas and includes selections and translations. Staal sheds light on mantras and rituals, that contributed to what came to be known as Hinduism. Significant is a modern analysis of what we can learn from the Vedas today- the original forms of the Vedic sciences, as well as the perceptive wisdom of the composers of the Vedas. The author puts Vedic civilisation in a global perspective through a wide-ranging comparison with other Indic philosophies and religions, primarily Buddhism. For Staal, originally a logician, the voyage of discovering the Vedas is like unpeeling an onion but without the certainty of reaching an end. Even so, his book shows that the Vedas have a logic all their own. Accessible, finely-argued, and with a wealth of information and insight, Discovering the Vedas is for both the scholar and the interested lay reader.

Astronomer B. G. Sidharth shows that the earliest portions of the Rig Veda can be dated as far back as 10,000 B.C. He provides evidence that "advanced" astronomical concepts such as precession and heliocentrism are encoded in the Vedas, which make complete sense only if these astronomical keys are known.

Popularly Hinduism is believed to be the world’s oldest living religion. This claim is based on a continuous reverence to the oldest strata of religious authority within the Hindu traditions, the Vedic corpus, which began to be composed more than three thousand years ago, around 1750–1200 BCE. The Vedas have been considered by many as the philosophical cornerstone of the Brahmanical traditions (āstika); even previous to the colonial construction of the concept of “Hinduism.” However, what can be pieced together from the Vedic texts is very different from contemporary Hindu religious practices, beliefs, social norms and political realities. This book presents the results of a study of the traditional education and training of Brahmins through the traditional system of education called gurukula as observed in 25 contemporary Vedic schools across the state of Maharasthra. This system of education aims to teach Brahmin males how to properly recite, memorize and ultimately embody the Veda. This book combines insights from ethnographic and textual analysis to unravel how the recitation of the Vedic texts and the Vedic traditions, as well as the identity of the traditional Brahmin in general, are transmitted from one generation to the next in contemporary India.

About Book: The book explores the relation between the Divine Reality and the ritualistic worship practised by Hindus. The first chapter describes interpretations of the symbols used by Rishis in Rig Vedic hymns and of important slokas of Isha Upanishad and also describes the Vedic and Sankhyaic Paradigms, which are frameworks for the knowledge embodying Creation. In the following three chapters, discussions of the origins of the Vedas and the evolution of Vedic auxiliary texts are provided. In most Hindu households, worshippers seldom discuss the spiritual significance of mantras and sthothrams making it appear that the Gods they worship are different from reality. The fifth and following chapters are interpretations of the Lalitha and Vishnu sahasranaamas, Ganapathi Vaibhavam, Sri Rudra and Gajendra Moksham including their spiritual context. About the Author: Sridhar Chitta is a retired Professor of Electronics and Communication Engineering after several years of service in industries in India, the Middle East and Canada. When discussing spiritual matters with friends and colleagues, he noted their lack of awareness of the spiritual context of daily worship and felt a strong desire to write a book that discusses the connection. Sri Aurobindo's scholarly interpretation of the Vedas and Upanishads made a deep impression on him and led him to explore the spiritual significance of the sahasranaamas and sthothrams of Hindu Devathas. After spending more than 5 years researching and listening to a few hundred discourses, he began writing The Knowledge in the Vedas in 2018. He presently resides in Hyderabad, India and continues to explore spirituality. He has also authored Fundamentals of Electric Theory and Circuits, marketed by Wiley, India.

The Vedas, the sacred books of the Hindus constitute thousands of hymns or songs of lyrical character. These hymns are mainly addressed to the deities, Indra, Varuna, Ashvins, Vishnu, Rudra, and others who are invoked to receive oblations. The collection of hymns has a four-fold division viz. Rk, Yajus, Saman and Atharva. The Rgveda, the first and foremost of the Vedas is assigned to hotr who invokes the deities, the Yajurveda to Adhvaryu who directs, the Samaveda to Udgatr who sings songs of praise, the Atharva to Brahma who supervises the ritual. Thus the Vedas primarily center round the religious activities of the Indo-Aryans. In this little work, all the researches on the ancient Vedic literature have been arranged in such an order as will enable everyone to have an idea of their contents without going through the voluminous works published on the subject. In analyzing the four Vedas a considerable help has been taken from Colebrook's splendid essay and works of other oriental scholars of the West, the foremost of which is "the Oriental Sanskrit Text" of Dr. Muir. In the interpretation of the various texts for ascertaining the religious faith of the Vedic Aryans, the views of the Indian scholars have been followed as much as possible. It is not at all possible to do justice to all the most important questions connected with the study of the Veda which is absolutely necessary to students of religion in such a little work as this. But it has, however, slightly touched upon the important questions and tried to put in a nut-shell the opinions of various scholars regarding them.

The Arctic Home in the Vedas: A New Key to the Interpretation of Many Vedic Texts and Legends by BalGangadhar Tilak: Explore the intriguing connections between ancient Vedic texts and the Arctic region with "The Arctic Home in the Vedas" by Bal Gangadhar Tilak. In this thought-provoking work, Tilak presents a compelling argument that suggests the existence of an ancient Aryan homeland in the Arctic. Drawing upon Vedic texts and legends, Tilak offers a fresh interpretation of the scriptures, shedding new light on the geographical and cultural origins of the Vedic civilization. Key Aspects of the Book "The Arctic Home in the Vedas": Vedic Interpretation: Delve into Tilak's interpretation of Vedic texts and legends, as he connects them to the Arctic region, proposing an alternative perspective on the historical and cultural context of the Vedic civilization. Geographical Analysis: Explore Tilak's analysis of ancient geographical references in Vedic literature, as he presents evidence to support the notion of an Arctic homeland for the Aryans. Paradigm-Shifting Ideas: Engage with Tilak's groundbreaking theories and their implications for our understanding of ancient civilizations, cultural migrations, and the interplay between mythology and historical narratives. Bal Gangadhar Tilak, a prominent Indian philosopher, scholar, and independence activist, authored "The Arctic Home in the Vedas." Tilak's work in Vedic studies and his profound insights into ancient Indian texts have had a lasting impact on Indian scholarship and nationalism. Through his writings, Tilak aimed to reinterpret and revive the cultural and historical heritage of India, contributing to the intellectual discourse surrounding ancient civilizations and the Vedic tradition.

Three thousand years ago, deep inside the forests of India, a great ‘thought revolution’ was brewing. In those forest labs, the brightest thinker–philosophers contemplated the universe, reflected on ancient texts called the Vedas and came up with startling insights into questions we still don’t have final answers to, like: • What is the universe made of? • How do I know I’m looking at a tree when I see one? • Who am I? My body, my mind, my intelligence, my emotions, or none of the above? And where did they put those explosive findings? In a sprawling body of goosebumpy and fascinating oral literature called the Upanishads! Intimidated? Don’t be! For this joyful, fun guide to some of India’s longest-lasting secular wisdoms, reinterpreted for first-time explorers by Roopa Pai, is guaranteed to keep you turning the pages. Why haven’t you read it yet?

How did the universe come into being? What is the nature of God? Of the human spirit? All who seek understanding will find this book an illuminating presentation of India's oldest and most profound religious and philosophical tradition. The Wisdom of the Vedas was first published in 1931 by Kailas Press under the title India's Outlook on Life. The Theosophical Publishing House published a second edition in 1973, and again in 1980 under the Quest imprint. The present 1992 edition was edited to reflect the modern use of inclusive language, and includes an introduction by Vedic scholar David Frawley. Mr. Frawley explains to the Western reader, "The Vedas are the original scripture or source teaching of the Hindu tradition, from which its many branches of Vedanta, Yoga, and Tantra have emerged through time, and to which they all look back with reverence." The Vedas are also "..the background relative to which the Buddhist religion evolved, and Buddhism also preserves many Vedic terms and practices." The study then, of the Vedas is important to understanding many different Eastern teachings. The author is from India, and has an unusual ability to frame the subtleties of Eastern thought for the Western world.

The hymns we find here are prayers. To be able to invocate, that is, to call upon something greater than ourselves and so break our own boundaries is the beginning of wisdom, the source of hope and the condition of joy.

All of us have heard about the Vedas, but how many of us know what is there in them?In fact, scriptures and classics of any nation are its true heritage, laying a firm foundation for its people to follow.The Vedas are India s and the world s oldest scriptures, believed to have been directly revealed by God.This book gives a clear and concise account on select aspects of the Vedas, which help dispel ignorance, superstition and false beliefs. the Vedas are replete with guidelines to solve varied problems social, economic, political, scientific, mental or any other.The message of the Vedas holds relevance for anybody and everybody - whether a scientist, politician, or educationist,a parent or a pofessional. Understanding and following the essence of the Vedas ensures a happy, healthy, peaceful and prosperous life.Some Glimpses:*Birth and essence of Vedas, Vedic Principles:-The Rig Veda contains hymns in praise of all devatas.It also describes the better way of living.-Yajur spells ritualistic procedure of Yagna.-Sama Veda demonstrates how to conquer the enemy with love and conciliatory words.-Atharva Veda contains many hymns to ward of evil and hardship, and to destroy the enemy.*Scientific knowledge and outlook as demonstred by Vedas.The Sun never sets or rises and it is the earth that rotates.(Sama Veda-121)*Vedic Mathematics *Art of Warfare*Prayers and their Rewards in Vedas*Vedic Religion and Indian Society.

A comparative study between Vedic tradition and the Koran is a helpful step towards cross-cultural appreciation. This study is not only meant to deepen one's own tradition but also hopes to promote harmony, unity and peace between individuals in the world. A basic knowledge of both traditions is awaiting the reader who will be surprised to discover that the Vedic tradition very much parallels the Islamic teachings. Within this book both scriptures are carefully examined with sobriety and scholarship. I truly hope that this study will help those sincere souls who are in search of the absolute truth. Lokantha Swami Director Bhaktivedanta Academy for Spiritual Science, India

A creative and systematic Axiology of Vedic ideas and ideals. It is an independent Axiological study which gives an integral system of values in the Vedas. The attempt made by the Author is novel and adventurous and its findings are profound. The author has made use of the well-known concept of four Purusarthas: Dharma; Artha; Kama and Moksa. This method has enabled the author to grasp the value-core of the Vedas with freshness of vision and he has brought out the main value-affirmations in the Vedas. The present volume is a study of the most ancient book of mankind, but in advanced form. It is an exploration that leads to the development of the Vedic Axiology. Reviews ....invaluable for students of Vedas, and to Indologists. The thought-provoking comments on the topics are presented in rather unusual manner. Dr. Varadachari, Review Projector (India), Vol. 7, Nos. 7–9. ``Nonetheless, this book will be of an immense help both to the student and the researcher, and is, therefore, a must for libraries.'' Dr. S.R. Sehgal, Organiser, January 1, 1989.