Veda is a Sanskrit word that means "knowledge" or "wisdom". It is a collection of religious texts that originated in ancient India and is considered the oldest layer of Sanskrit literature and the oldest scriptures of Hinduism. The Vedas were written in Vedic Sanskrit between 1500 and 500 BCE in the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent. The Vedas are structured in four different collections containing hymns, poems, prayers, and religious instruction. The four Vedas are:
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Rig Veda: The oldest and most important of the four Vedas. It contains mantras and hymns for happiness, health, and wisdom, including the famous Gayatri mantra.
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Sama Veda: A collection of musical hymns and mantras that form the basis for kirtan, the devotional chanting of Bhakti yoga.
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Yajur Veda: The instructional handbook for the technical aspects of ceremonies, sacrificial acts, and worship of the deities. This is used by Vedic priests.
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Atharva Veda: A collection of magical rites and spells to dispel demons and disease, as well as hymns for marriage and cremation.
The Vedas were transmitted orally during the course of numerous subsequent generations before finally being archived in written form. Not much is known about the authors of the Vedas, as the focus is placed on the ideas found in Vedic tradition rather than those who originated the ideas. The Vedas formed a liturgical body that grew up around the soma ritual and sacrifice and were recited or chanted during rituals. The Indian caste system is based on a fable from the Vedas about the sacrifice of the deity Purusha. The ideas, teachings, and practices described in the Vedas formed the basis for the six major schools of Hindu philosophy, one of which is yoga.
