vedah

Vedah is a reference to the Vedas, the oldest sacred texts of Hinduism. The term veda means knowledge, and in traditional usage the Vedas are regarded as shruti, "that which is heard," meaning they were revealed to rishis and transmitted orally before being written. They are composed in Vedic Sanskrit and are considered foundational to Hindu ritual, philosophy, and cultural identity. The Vedas are not a single book but a corpus of texts that scholars today group into four primary collections.

Each Veda consists of several layers. The core is the samhita, a collection of hymns and mantras used in ritual and worship. The Brahmanas provide prose explanations of ceremonial procedures and the meanings behind rituals. The Aranyakas, often read in forest settings, offer further theological discussions and interpretations of rites. The Upanishads, added later to many Vedas, present philosophical reflections on the nature of reality, self, and ultimate cosmic principles.

The four Vedas are: Rigveda, the oldest and mainly hymns to deities; Yajurveda, formulas and rites for sacrifices; Samaveda, melodic verses for chants used in liturgical settings; and Atharvaveda, hymns, spells, and prayers addressing daily life and practical concerns. Together, the Vedas influenced Hindu worship, social norms, and later schools of Indian philosophy, including Vedanta. They were preserved through strict oral transmission for centuries and were later studied and commented upon by various scholars, forming a central axis of Indian literary and religious tradition.