Hindu priests were exhorted to study them regularly, recite their sentences, practice their sacraments and memorize their words. In practice however, this has been restricted to a dwindling minority of the Brahmin caste, despite recent attempts to revive Vedic study, ritual and recitation in the traditional manner. On the other hand, the Vedic texts are now widely available in print, and this has lead to a greater dissemination of their knowledge amongst Hindu masses, then say, a century back. Even here however, the popularization largely concerns the spiritual treatises called the Upanishads – the texts par excellence of Hindu spirituality. In fact, for several centuries now, the word ‘Veda’ has been used by Hindu Acharyas to indicate the Upanishadic texts in particular.
B. Extent and Classification of the Vedic Literature:
The Vedas are four in number – Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samaveda and Atharvaveda.
The traditional perception of the four Vedas may be illustrated with the following verses of Brahmanda Purana –
In his (Daksha’s) elaborate sacrifice, all the devas had arrived and were present. So also the various ancillaries of the sacrifice. Vashatkara was there in an embodied form. 2.3.1.22
The Samans and thousands of Yajusha mantras were there in an embodied form. The Rigveda embellished with the Kramapatha also appeared there. 2.3.1.23
Yajurveda, endowed with chhandas brilliant with Omkara as its mouth was stationed there along with the Suktas (hymns), the Brahmanas and Mantras intermingled with the arthas (objects, purposes) of the Yajna. 2.3.1.24
Samaveda endowed with the relevant meters and with all the Mantra melodies at their head was present along with Visvavasu and all the other Gandharvas. 2.3.1.25
The Brahmaveda was present there accompanied with terrible rites. Due to the accompaniment of the Pratyangiras (hymns that nullify the effect of deprecatory verses), it appeared as if it had two bodies and two heads. 2.3.1.26
According to tradition, each Veda can be divided into two parts – Mantras and Brahmanas. A collection of Mantras is typically called a Samhita. Currently, and often in ancient Hindu tradition as well, it is often the Samhita portion alone which is referred to as the Veda. For instance, the word ‘Rigveda’ would typically mean the Rigveda Samhita.
The Brahmanas have their own names and are more like theological treatises of the Vedas. The end portions of many Brahmanas have an esoteric content, called the ‘Aranyakas’. Embedded in these Aranyakas, or at their very end, are deeply spiritual treatises called the ‘Upanishads’. For several centuries now, Upanishads are the mainstay of Hindu spiritual traditions, and are held in the highest esteemIn the case of the Rigveda, Samaveda and the Atharvaveda, there is a clear-cut separation of the Mantra collection from the Brahmana portions. In contrast, the Yajurveda is of two types: Shukla (or white) Yajurveda and Krishna (or black) Yajurveda. In the former, the Mantra and Brahmana collections occur separate from each other. In the latter, the Mantra and the Brahmana portions are intermixed. Thus, the Taittiriya ‘Samhita’ belonging to the Krishna Yajurveda has Mantras interspersed with Brahmana portions. Even the Taittiriya ‘Brahmana’ has both Mantras and Brahmana passages mixed with each other.
Coming to the Brahmana texts, there is often no clear-cut distinction between the Brahmanas proper and the Aranyakas, or between the Aranyakas and the Upanishads. The Brahmana text proper often merges into the Aranyakas and many old Upanishads are actually embedded in the Aranyakas.
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There are a few exceptions even to the above generalizations on the internal distinctions in the Vedic texts.
What are Mantras?
The mantras are basically hymns sung to the Gods – the devotional outpourings of the souls of poets. The Samhitas of the four Vedas are complied for the smooth performance of Vedic sacrifices . Four types of priests are needed to perform a Vedic sacrifice:
• The Hotr priest who sings hymns to Gods inviting them to preside over the sacrifice,
• The Udgaataa priest who sings sweet hymns in musical tones for the entertainment of the Gods,
• The Adhvaryu priest who performs the sacrifice according to strict ritualistic code and makes the offering to the Gods and a
• The Brahma priest well versed in all the Vedas who supervises the sacrifice.
The four Samhitas are said to have been compiled to fulfill the needs of these four main priests: Rk-Samhita for the Hotr, Sama-Samhita for the Udgaataa, Yajurveda Samhita for the Adhvaryu and the Atharvaveda Samhita for the Brahma priest. Initially however, there was no special connection of the Brahma priest with the Atharvaveda, as this Veda was and is not so closely integrated with Vedic ritual as the other three Vedas are.
Mantras are basically of 3 major types, when classified according to their mechanical form: Rks, Yajus and Samans. Rks are versified mantras. Yajus are prose mantras whereas Samans are melodies set on Rk.
