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The Vedas are a collection of hymns and other ancient religious texts written in India between about 1500 and 1000 BCE. It includes elements such as liturgical material as well as mythological accounts, poems, prayers, and formulas considered to be sacred by the Vedic religion. Origin & Authorship of the Vedas. The origin of the Vedas can be traced back as far as 1500 BCE, when a large group. The “Upanishads” form the later portions of the “Vedas,” the basis of the popular Hindu religions. “Upanishad” is said to denote the knowledge of the impersonal self, the science of absolute being, and any treatise imparting that knowledge. This well-known translation by F.
The Vedas
There are four Vedas, the Rig Veda, Sama Veda, Yajur Veda and Atharva Veda.The Vedas are the primary texts of Hinduism.They also had a vast influence on Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism.Traditionally the text of the Vedas was coeval with the universe.Scholars have determined that the Rig Veda, the oldest of the four Vedas, wascomposed about 1500 B.C., and codified about 600 B.C.It is unknown when it was finally committed to writing, but this probably was at some point after 300 B.C.
The Vedas contain hymns, incantations, and rituals from ancientIndia. Along with the Book of the Dead,the Enuma Elish,the I Ching,and the Avesta, they are amongthe most ancient religious texts still in existence.Besides their spiritual value, they also give a uniqueview of everyday life in India four thousand years ago.The Vedas are also the most ancient extensive texts inan Indo-European language, and as such are invaluablein the study of comparative linguistics.
Rig Veda
The Rig-Veda
translated by Ralph Griffith [1896]
A complete English translation of the Rig Veda.
Rig-Veda (Sanskrit)
The complete Rig Veda in Sanskrit, in Unicode Devanagari script and standard romanization.
Vedic Hymns, Part I (SBE 32)translated by Ralph Griffith [1896]
A complete English translation of the Rig Veda.
Rig-Veda (Sanskrit)
The complete Rig Veda in Sanskrit, in Unicode Devanagari script and standard romanization.
Hymns to the Maruts, Rudra, Vâyu and Vâta,tr. by F. Max Müller [1891]
A masterpiece of linguistics and comparative mythology: translations and deep analysis of the Vedic Hymns to the Storm Gods.
Vedic Hymns, Part II (SBE 46)
Hymns to Agni,tr. by Hermann Oldenberg [1897]
The Vedic Hymns to Agni.
A Vedic Reader for Students (excerpts)
by A.A. Macdonell [1917]
An introduction to the Dramatis Personæ of the Rig Veda.
by A.A. Macdonell [1917]
An introduction to the Dramatis Personæ of the Rig Veda.
Sama Veda
The Sama-Veda
translated by Ralph Griffith [1895]
A collection of hymns used by the priests during the Soma sacrifice.Many of these duplicate in part or in whole hymns from the Rig Veda.This is a complete translation.
translated by Ralph Griffith [1895]
A collection of hymns used by the priests during the Soma sacrifice.Many of these duplicate in part or in whole hymns from the Rig Veda.This is a complete translation.
Yajur Veda
The Yajur Veda (Taittiriya Sanhita)
translated by Arthur Berriedale Keith [1914]
A complete translation of the Black Yajur Veda.The Yajur Veda is a detailed manual of the Vedic sacrificial rites.
The Texts of the White Yajurveda
translated by Ralph T.H. Griffith [1899]
A complete translation of the White Yajur Veda.
translated by Arthur Berriedale Keith [1914]
A complete translation of the Black Yajur Veda.The Yajur Veda is a detailed manual of the Vedic sacrificial rites.
The Texts of the White Yajurveda
translated by Ralph T.H. Griffith [1899]
A complete translation of the White Yajur Veda.
Atharva Veda
The Atharva Veda also contains material from theRig Veda, but of interest are the numerous incantations andmetaphysical texts, which this anthology (part of theSacred Books of the East series) collects and categorizes.The Atharva Veda was written down much later than the rest of theVedas, about 200 B.C.; it may have been composed about 1000 B.C.
The Hymns of the Atharvavedatranslated by Ralph T.H. Griffith [1895-6]
The unabridged Atharva Veda translation by Ralph Griffith.
The Atharva-Veda
translated by Maurice Bloomfield [1897]
(Sacred Books of the East, Vol. 42)
The Sacred Books of the East translation of the Atharva-veda.Selected hymns from the Atharva-veda.
Upanishads
The Upanishads are a continuation of the Vedic philosophy,and were written between800 and 400 B.C. They elaborate on how the soul (Atman)can be united with the ultimate truth (Brahman) throughcontemplation and mediation, as well as the doctrine ofKarma-- the cumulative effects of a persons' actions.The Upanishads(Sacred Books of the East, vols. 1 and 15):
The Upanishads, Part I (SBE 1)
Max Müller, translator [1879]
The Chandogya, Talavakara, Aitreya-Aranyaka, the Kaushitaki-Brahmana, and the Vajasaneyi Samhita Upanishads
The Upanishads, Part II (SBE 15)
Max Müller, translator [1884]
Katha, Mundaka, Taittirîyaka, Brihadâranyaka, Svetâsvatara, Prasña, and Maitrâyana Brâhmana Upanishads.
Max Müller, translator [1879]
The Chandogya, Talavakara, Aitreya-Aranyaka, the Kaushitaki-Brahmana, and the Vajasaneyi Samhita Upanishads
The Upanishads, Part II (SBE 15)
Max Müller, translator [1884]
Katha, Mundaka, Taittirîyaka, Brihadâranyaka, Svetâsvatara, Prasña, and Maitrâyana Brâhmana Upanishads.
Thirty Minor Upanishads
by K. Narayanasvami Aiyar [1914]
Thirty shorter Upanishads, principally dealing with Yogic thought and practice.
by K. Narayanasvami Aiyar [1914]
Thirty shorter Upanishads, principally dealing with Yogic thought and practice.
From the Upanishads
Charles Johnston, translator [1889]
Translations from the Katha, Prasna and Chhandogya Upanishads.
Charles Johnston, translator [1889]
Translations from the Katha, Prasna and Chhandogya Upanishads.
Puranas
The Puranas are post-Vedic texts which typicallycontain a complete narrative of the history of the Universefrom creation to destruction, genealogies of the kings,heroes and demigods, and descriptions of Hindu cosmologyand geography.There are 17 or 18 canonical Puranas, divided into three categories,each named after a deity: Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.There are also many other works termed Purana, known as 'Upapuranas.'
The Vishnu Purana
by H.H. Wilson [1840]
A primary text of the Vaishnava branch of Hinduism, and one of the canonical Puranas of the Vishnu category.Among the portions of interest are a cycle of legends of theboyhood deeds of Krishna and Rama.H.H. Wilson was one of the first Europeans to translate a Hindusacred text from the original Sanskrit.His style and annotations are exceptional and very readable.
The Garuda Purana
translated by Ernest Wood and S.V. Subrahmanyam [1911]
A Vishnu Purana with Dantesque descriptions of the afterlife, and details of Hindu funeral rites.
by H.H. Wilson [1840]
A primary text of the Vaishnava branch of Hinduism, and one of the canonical Puranas of the Vishnu category.Among the portions of interest are a cycle of legends of theboyhood deeds of Krishna and Rama.H.H. Wilson was one of the first Europeans to translate a Hindusacred text from the original Sanskrit.His style and annotations are exceptional and very readable.
The Garuda Purana
translated by Ernest Wood and S.V. Subrahmanyam [1911]
A Vishnu Purana with Dantesque descriptions of the afterlife, and details of Hindu funeral rites.
The S'rimad Devî Bhâgawatam
translated by Swami Vijnanananda (Hari Prasanna Chatterji) [1921]
One of the Upapuranas, devoted to the Devi (Goddess).
The Devî Gita
translated by Swami Vijnanananda (Hari Prasanna Chatterji) [1921]
The Song of the Goddess.An excerpt from the S'rimad Devî Bhâgawatam (above)
The Prem Sagur
(Prem Sagar) by Lallu Lal, translated by W. Hollings [1848]
English translation of a popular Hindi retelling of theKrishna cycle, based on the tenth book of the Bhagavata Purana.
The Transmigration of the Seven Brahmans
translated by Henry David Thoreau [1931]
An excerpt from the Harivamsa, a Puranic text, translated by the American transcendentalist philosopher.
Kundalini: The Mother of the Universe
by Rishi Singh Gherwal [1930]
Includes an English translation of the Lalita Sahasranama, the 'Thousand Names of the Goddess,' from the Brahmanda Purana.
translated by Swami Vijnanananda (Hari Prasanna Chatterji) [1921]
One of the Upapuranas, devoted to the Devi (Goddess).
The Devî Gita
translated by Swami Vijnanananda (Hari Prasanna Chatterji) [1921]
The Song of the Goddess.An excerpt from the S'rimad Devî Bhâgawatam (above)
The Prem Sagur
(Prem Sagar) by Lallu Lal, translated by W. Hollings [1848]
English translation of a popular Hindi retelling of theKrishna cycle, based on the tenth book of the Bhagavata Purana.
The Transmigration of the Seven Brahmans
translated by Henry David Thoreau [1931]
An excerpt from the Harivamsa, a Puranic text, translated by the American transcendentalist philosopher.
Kundalini: The Mother of the Universe
by Rishi Singh Gherwal [1930]
Includes an English translation of the Lalita Sahasranama, the 'Thousand Names of the Goddess,' from the Brahmanda Purana.
Other Primary Texts
The Laws of Manu
George Bühler, translator [1886]
(Sacred Books of the East, vol. 25)
Manu was the legendary first man, the Adam of the Hindus. This is a collection of laws attributed to Manu.
The Sacred Laws of the Âryas, Part I (SBE 2)
George Bühler translator [1879]
(Sacred Books of the East, Vol. 2)
Hindu law books written by the sages Âpastamba and Gautama, in the first millenium B.C.
The Sacred Laws of the Âryas, Part II (SBE 14)
George Bühler translator [1879]
(Sacred Books of the East, Vol. 14)
Hindu law books written by the sages Vasishtha and Baudhâyana,in the first millenium B.C.
The Institutes of Vishnu (SBE 7)
Julius Jolly, translator [1880]
(Sacred Books of the East, Vol. 7)
This Hindu law book contains descriptions of yogic practises, and a moving hymn to the Goddess Prajapati.
The Minor Law Books (SBE 33)
Julius Jolly, translator [1880]
(Sacred Books of the East, Vol. 33)
Later Hindu law books written by Narada and Brihaspati about 600 CE.
George Bühler, translator [1886]
(Sacred Books of the East, vol. 25)
Manu was the legendary first man, the Adam of the Hindus. This is a collection of laws attributed to Manu.
The Sacred Laws of the Âryas, Part I (SBE 2)
George Bühler translator [1879]
(Sacred Books of the East, Vol. 2)
Hindu law books written by the sages Âpastamba and Gautama, in the first millenium B.C.
The Sacred Laws of the Âryas, Part II (SBE 14)
George Bühler translator [1879]
(Sacred Books of the East, Vol. 14)
Hindu law books written by the sages Vasishtha and Baudhâyana,in the first millenium B.C.
The Institutes of Vishnu (SBE 7)
Julius Jolly, translator [1880]
(Sacred Books of the East, Vol. 7)
This Hindu law book contains descriptions of yogic practises, and a moving hymn to the Goddess Prajapati.
The Minor Law Books (SBE 33)
Julius Jolly, translator [1880]
(Sacred Books of the East, Vol. 33)
Later Hindu law books written by Narada and Brihaspati about 600 CE.
The Satapatha Brahmana
A primary source for Vedic-era mythology, philosophy and magical practices.The complete five part Sacred Books of the EastSatapatha Brahmana translation is now online:
Satapatha Brahmana, Part I (SBE12)
Satapatha Brahmana, Part II (SBE26)
Satapatha Brahmana, Part III (SBE41)
Satapatha Brahmana, Part IV (SBE43)
Satapatha Brahmana, Part V (SBE44)
The Grihya Sutras, Part 1 (SBE 29)A primary source for Vedic-era mythology, philosophy and magical practices.The complete five part Sacred Books of the EastSatapatha Brahmana translation is now online:
Satapatha Brahmana, Part I (SBE12)
Satapatha Brahmana, Part II (SBE26)
Satapatha Brahmana, Part III (SBE41)
Satapatha Brahmana, Part IV (SBE43)
Satapatha Brahmana, Part V (SBE44)
Hermann Oldenberg, tr. [1886]
The Grihya Sutras, Part 2 (SBE 30)
Hermann Oldenberg, tr. [1892]
Ancient Hindu household rites, including fertility, marriage, purity, initiations, and funerals.
The Epics
The Mahabharata and Ramayana are the national epics of India.They are probably the longest poems in any language.The Mahabharata, attributed to the sage Vyasa,was written down from 540 to 300 B.C. The Mahabharata tellsthe legends of the Bharatas, a Vedic Aryan group.The Ramayana, attributed to the poet Valmiki, was writtendown during the first century A.D., although it is based onoral traditions that go back six or seven centuries earlier.The Ramayana is a moving love story with moral and spiritualthemes that has deep appeal in India to this day.
In addition, a key Hindu sacred text, the Bhagavad Gita,is embedded in Book Six of the Mahabharata.
Mahabharata
The Mahabharatatranslated by Kisari Mohan Ganguli[1883-1896]
Digitizing this unabridged translation of the Mahabharata was a joint venture between sacred-texts and Project Gutenberg.
The Mahabharata in Sanskrit
The text of the Mahabharata with parallel Devanagari and Romanization Unicode.
The text of the Mahabharata with parallel Devanagari and Romanization Unicode.
The Ramayana
Rámáyan Of Válmíki
translated by Ralph T. H. Griffith [1870-1874]
The first complete public domain translation of the Ramayana to be placed online.
translated by Ralph T. H. Griffith [1870-1874]
The first complete public domain translation of the Ramayana to be placed online.
The Ramayana in Sanskrit
The text of the Ramayana with parallel Unicode Devanagari and Romanization.
The text of the Ramayana with parallel Unicode Devanagari and Romanization.
Abridged Versions
The Ramayana and Mahabharata
R. Dutt translator [1899]
A very readable abridged version of these epics.
R. Dutt translator [1899]
A very readable abridged version of these epics.
Indian Idylls
Sir Edwin Arnold, translator [1883]
More stories from the Mahabharata, rendered in poetry.
Sir Edwin Arnold, translator [1883]
More stories from the Mahabharata, rendered in poetry.
Love and Death
by Sri Arobindo [1921]
The popular story of Ruru and Priyumvada from the Mahabharata.
by Sri Arobindo [1921]
The popular story of Ruru and Priyumvada from the Mahabharata.
Bhagavad Gita
The Bhagavad Gita, usually considered part of thesixth book of the Mahabharata (dating from about 400 or 300 B.C.),is a central text of Hinduism, a philosphical dialogbetween the god Krishna and the warrior Arjuna.This is one of the most popular and accessible of all Hindu scriptures,required reading for anyone interested in Hinduism.The Gita discusses selflessness, duty, devotion, and meditation, integratingmany different threads of Hindu philosophy.
The Bhagavadgîtâ (SBE 8)
with the Sanatsugâtîya and the Anugîtâtranslated by Kâshinâth Trimbak Telang,(Sacred Books of the East, Vol. 8) [1882]
A scholarly prose translation of the Bhagavad Gitawith two other similar, less well known, works from the Mahabharata.
with the Sanatsugâtîya and the Anugîtâtranslated by Kâshinâth Trimbak Telang,(Sacred Books of the East, Vol. 8) [1882]
A scholarly prose translation of the Bhagavad Gitawith two other similar, less well known, works from the Mahabharata.
The Bhagavad Gita in Sanskrit
A Unicode presentation of the Gita in Romanized Sanskrit.
A Unicode presentation of the Gita in Romanized Sanskrit.
Srimad-Bhagavad-Gita
by Swami Swarupananda [1909]
A modern English prose translation of the Gita with commentary.
by Swami Swarupananda [1909]
A modern English prose translation of the Gita with commentary.
The Bhagavad Gita
A modern prose translation of the Gita, sanctioned by the International Gita Society.
A modern prose translation of the Gita, sanctioned by the International Gita Society.
The Srutis are called the Vedas, or the Amnaya. The Hindus have received their religion through revelation, the Vedas. These are direct intuitional revelations and are held to be Apaurusheya or entirely superhuman, without any author in particular. The Veda is the glorious pride of the Hindus, nay, of the whole world!
The term Veda comes from the root 'Vid', to know. The word Veda means knowledge. When it is applied to scripture, it signifies a book of knowledge. The Vedas are the foundational scriptures of the Hindus. The Veda is the source of the other five sets of scriptures, why, even of the secular and the materialistic. The Veda is the storehouse of Indian wisdom and is a memorable glory which man can never forget till eternity.
The Vedas are the eternal truths revealed by God to the great ancient Rishis of India. The word Rishi means a Seer, from dris, to see. He is the Mantra-Drashta, seer of Mantra or thought. The thought was not his own. The Rishis saw the truths or heard them. Therefore, the Vedas are what are heard (Sruti). The Rishi did not write. He did not create it out of his mind. He was the seer of thought that existed already. He was only the spiritual discoverer of the thought. He is not the inventor of the Veda.
THE UNIQUE GLORY OF THE VEDAS
The Vedas represent the spiritual experiences of the Rishis of yore. The Rishi is only a medium or an agent to transmit to people the intuitional experiences that he received. The truths of the Vedas are revelations. All the other religions of the world claim their authority as being delivered by special messengers of God to certain persons, but the Vedas do not owe their authority to any one. They are themselves the authority as they are eternal, as they are the Knowledge of the Lord.
Lord Brahma, the Creator, imparted the divine knowledge to the Rishis or Seers. The Rishis disseminated the knowledge. The Vedic Rishis were great realised persons who had direct intuitive perception of Brahman or the Truth. They were inspired writers. They built a simple, grand and perfect system of religion and philosophy from which the founders and teachers of all other religions have drawn their inspiration.
The Vedas are the oldest books in the library of man. The truths contained in all religions are derived from the Vedas and are ultimately traceable to the Vedas. The Vedas are the fountain-head of religion. The Vedas are the ultimate source to which all religious knowledge can be traced. Religion is of divine origin. It was revealed by God to man in the earliest times. It is embodied in the Vedas.
The Vedas are eternal. They are without beginning and end. An ignorant man, may say how a book can be without beginning or end. By the Vedas, no books are meant. Vedas came out of the breath of the Lord. They are not the composition of any human mind. They were never written, never created. They are eternal and impersonal. The date of the Vedas has never been fixed. It can never be fixed. Vedas are eternal spiritual truths. Vedas are an embodiment of divine knowledge. The books may be destroyed, but the knowledge cannot be destroyed. Knowledge is eternal. In that sense, the Vedas are eternal.
DIVISIONS OF THE VEDAS
The Veda is divided into four great books: the Rig-Veda, the Yajur-Veda, the Sama-Veda and the Atharva-Veda. The Yajur-Veda is again divided into two parts, the Sukla and the Krishna. The Krishna or the Taittiriya is the older book and the Sukla or the Vajasaneya is a later revelation to sage Yajnavalkya from the resplendent Sun-God.
The Rig-Veda is divided into twenty-one sections, the Yajur-Veda into one hundred and nine sections, the Sama-Veda into one thousand sections and the Atharva-Veda into fifty sections. In all, the whole Veda is thus divided into one thousand one hundred and eighty recensions.
Each Veda consists of four parts: the Mantra-Samhitas or hymns, the Brahmanas or explanations of Mantras or rituals, the Aranyakas, and the Upanishads. The division of the Vedas into four parts is to suit the four stages in a man's life.
The Mantra-Samhitas are hymns in praise of the Vedic God for attaining material prosperity here and happiness hereafter. They are metrical poems comprising prayers, hymns and incantations addressed to various deities, both subjective and objective. The Mantra portion of the Vedas is useful for the Brahmacharins.
The Rig-Veda Samhita is the grandest book of the Hindus, the oldest and the best. It is the Great Indian Bible, which no Hindu would forget to adore from the core of his heart. Its style, the language and the tone are most beautiful and mysterious. Its immortal Mantras embody the greatest truths of existence, and it is perhaps the greatest treasure in all the scriptural literature of the world. Its priest is called the Hotri.
The Yajur-Veda Samhita is mostly in prose and is meant to be used by the Adhvaryu, the Yajur-Vedic priest, for superfluous explanations of the rites in sacrifices, supplementing the Rig-Vedic Mantras.
The Sama-Veda Samhita is mostly borrowed from the Rig-Vedic Samhita, and is meant to be sung by the Udgatri, the Sama Vedic priest, in sacrifices.
The Atharva-Veda Samhita is meant to be used by the Brahma, the Atharva-Vedic priest, to correct the mispronunciations and wrong performances that may accidentally be committed by the other three priests of the sacrifice.
The Brahmana portions guide people to perform sacrificial rites. They are prose explanations of the method of using the Mantras in the Yajna or the sacrifice. The Brahmana portion is suitable for the householders.
There are two Brahmanas to the Rig-Veda-the Aitareya and the Sankhayana. 'The Rig-Veda', says Max Muller, 'is the most ancient book of the world. The sacred hymns of the Brahmanas stand unparalleled in the literature of the whole world; and their preservation might well be called miraculous.'
There are two Brahmanas to the Rig-Veda-the Aitareya and the Sankhayana. 'The Rig-Veda', says Max Muller, 'is the most ancient book of the world. The sacred hymns of the Brahmanas stand unparalleled in the literature of the whole world; and their preservation might well be called miraculous.'
The Satapatha Brahmana belongs to the Sukla-Yajur-Veda. The Krishna-Yajur-Veda has the Taittiriya and the Maitrayana Brahmanas. The Tandya or Panchavimsa, the Shadvimsa, the Chhandogya, the Adbhuta, the Arsheya and the Upanishad Brahmanas belong to the Sama-Veda. The Brahmana of the Atharva-Veda is called the Gopatha. Each of the Brahmanas has got an Aranyaka.
The Aranyakas are the forest books, the mystical sylvan texts which give philosophical interpretations of the rituals. The Aranyakas are intended for the Vanaprasthas or hermits who prepare themselves for taking Sannyasa.
The Upanishads are the most important portion of the Vedas. The Upanishads contain the essence or the knowledge portion of the Vedas. The philosophy of the Upanishads is sublime, profound, lofty and soul-stirring. The Upanishads speak of the identity of the individual soul and the Supreme Soul. They reveal the most subtle and deep spiritual truths. The Upanishads are useful for the Sannyasins.
The subject matter of the whole Veda is divided into Karma- Kanda, Upasana-Kanda and Jnana-Kanda. The Karma-Kanda or Ritualistic Section deals with various sacrifices and rituals. The Upasana-Kanda or Worship-Section deals with various kinds of worship or meditation. The Jnana-Kanda or Knowledge-Section deals with the highest knowledge of Nirguna Brahman. The Mantras and the Brahmanas constitute Karma-Kanda; the Aranyakas Upasana-Kanda; and the Upanishads Jnana-Kanda.
THE ESSENCE OF THE VEDAS
Live in the spirit of the teachings of the Vedas. Learn to discriminate between the permanent and the impermanent. Behold the Self in all beings, in all objects. Names and forms are illusory. Therefore sublate them. Feel that there is nothing but the Self. Share what you have,-physical, mental, moral or spiritual,-with all. Serve the Self in all. Feel when you serve others that you are serving your own Self. Love thy neighbor as thyself. Melt all illusory differences. Remove all barriers that separate man from man. Mix with all. Embrace all. Destroy the sex-idea and body-idea by constantly thinking of the Self or the sexless, bodiless Atman. Fix the mind on the Self when you work. This is the essence of the teachings of the Vedas and sages of yore. This is real, eternal life in Atman. Put these things in practice in the daily battle of life. You will shine as a dynamic Yogi or a Jivanmukta. There is no doubt of this.