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Vedic Dharma
What is the Veda?
The inhabitants of ancient Bharat (India) were known as Aryans'. Their sacred texts, commonly referred to as the Vedas are the oldest texts known to mankind.? The Sanskrit word Veda literally means knowledge. There are four collections of the hymns: Rig Veda,
Sama Veda, Yajur Veda, and Atharva Veda. These four collections are commonly referred to as the Veda. Rig Veda is the foundation and the most ancient of the Vedas. Atharva Veda was incorporated at a later stage. The mantras (hymns) of the Rig Veda occur also in the Yajur Veda and the Sama Veda in connection with the various sacrifices. The mantras of the Rig Veda primarily consist of adoration and invocation to devas (gods) such as Agni, Mitra, Indra and Varuna and many others. According to the Rig Veda all the gods are manifestations of One ultimate Being or One Reality.4
There are four secondary texts known as the Upvedas (up prefix means subsidiary). These are of a later addition to the primary Vedas and are interrelated to each of the primary Vedas:
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