Vedas (वेद)
The Vedas contain eternal Divine knowledge, revealing God's laws and serving as the supreme authority for Sanatan Vedic Dharma.
Veda (वेद | veda) refers to eternal divine knowledge. The Vedas are the eternal laws of the Supreme God (Brahm) and serve as the final authority on all matters of Sanatan Vedic Dharma.
Divine Origin (Vinirgat Granth)
The Vedas are not man-made. Before creation, while the Supreme Lord was in a dormant state, the Vedas emerged spontaneously from His breath. Because of this divine emanation, they are called Vinirgat Granth (विनिर्गत ग्रन्थ | vinirgata grantha) or The Scripture that Emerged.
This knowledge was first revealed to the creator, Lord Brahma, at the very beginning of the universal cycle (Srishti).
What Do the Vedas Reveal About God?
The Vedas proclaim God's infinite glory but do not reveal His intimate pastimes in the Rang Mahal.
Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj compares the Vedas to royal bards who praise a king's greatness without knowing what takes place in his private chambers.
These intimate Divine pastimes are known to Rasik Saints, who reveal them only partially. Even they cannot describe God's infinite glory and pastimes completely.
Thus, although the Vedas are the supreme scriptural authority, they do not reveal everything about God.
Transmission (Shruti)
Since the beginning of creation, this knowledge was passed down orally from Guru to disciple through hearing. For this reason, the Vedas are also known as Shruti (श्रुति | śruti) meaning that which is heard.
Codification by Veda Vyas
The full version of the eternal Vedas contains one million mantras across 1,130 branches, known as Shakhas (शाखा | śākhā). However, currently, only 13 branches are available to humanity.
Approximately 5,000 years ago, Sage Veda Vyas compiled and wrote down 100,000 verses of this knowledge into four distinct books, leading to the plural usage "Vedas":
- Rigveda
- Yajurveda
- Samaveda
- Atharvaveda
Eternal Cycle
The Vedas are never created anew. They exist in an eternal cycle of appearance and disappearance. When they disappear from the material world, God reintroduces them at the beginning of the next cycle of creation.
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