Ved

Ved

Vaidika Dharma, or Vedic Religion, is humanity’s most ancient and natural way of life. Before the thousands of rivaling sects and cults seen today had come into existence, there was only Vaidika Dharma, the one true universal religion of mankind. In preaching Vaidika Dharma to all, the Arya Samaj strives to end the discord and division which has been caused by ignorance and sectarianism perpetrated in the name of religion, and to thereby help humanity return to it’s spiritual roots, which are to be found in the Vedas.

The central pillar of Vaidika Dharma is the unique and revelatory nature of the Holy Vedas. Taken together, they are the unfailing guide to humanity, given at the beginning of time by God to mankind for it’s spiritual and material well-being and prosperity, and contain the root of all modern arts and sciences such as mathematics, astronomy, physics, chemistry, biology, medicine, architecture and music. They are the ultimate source of all true knowledge concerning God and the world, as well as that concerning man and his purpose in creation. All Aryas are enjoined to read from or listen to recitations of the Vedas daily, and to spread Vedic Wisdom everywhere.

There are four Veda Samhitas. They are:

  • Rig
  • Sama
  • Yajur
  • Atharva

In addition to these, there is an immense collection of literature which expands upon the true knowledge contained in the Vedas. The Arya Samaj sees this as including:

The Brahmanas: Liturgical Explications

The Aranyakas: Meditations

The 10 Principle Upanishads: Philosophical and Spiritual Discourses

  • Isha
  • Kena
  • Katha
  • Prashna
  • Mundaka
  • Mandukya
  • Taittiriya
  • Aitareya
  • Chhandogya
  • Vrihadaranyaka

The 6 Vedangas

  • Siksha: The Science of Phonetics
  • Vyakarana: The Science of Grammar
  • Chhandas: The Science of Prosody or Metrics
  • Nirukta: The Science of Etymology
  • Jyotisha: The Science of Astronomy
  • Kalpa: The Science of Liturgy

The 4 Upa-Vedas

  • Ayurveda: The Science of Medicine and Health
  • Gandharvaveda: The Science of Music and Composition
  • Saapadhyaveda: The Science of Architecture and Design
  • Dhanurveda: The Science of Weaponry and Self-Defence

The 6 Darshana Sutras

  • Nyaya: The Science of Logic
  • Vaiseshika: The Science of Physics
  • Sankhya: The Science of Metaphysics
  • Yoga: The Science of Meditation
  • Purva Mimamsa: The Science of Hermeneutics
  • Uttara Mimamse (Vedanta): The Science of Epistemology

The 2 Ithihasas: The Epic Histories

  • Ramayana
  • Mahabharata

The Manu Smitri: The Codex of Dharmic Laws

In any of these supplementary texts – or any other texts, for that matter – all that is in conformance with the Vedas is confirmed as being true, while all that contradicts the Vedas is discarded. The Vedas are the repository of all true wisdom, and they alone are to be used as the standard in establishing the value of other written works.

sanskrit :: rigveda || yajurveda || samveda || atharvaveda
bhasya :: rigveda || yajurveda || samveda || atharvaveda