The Hindu Vedas: Charms, Myths, and Formulas for Enlightenment

The Vedas are the sacred scriptures of Hinduism and are regarded as the oldest religious texts in the world. Thought to have been composed at least 3,500 years ago, the Vedas are a collection of hymns, magical incantations, dramatic mythological accounts, and sacred formulas for enlightenment.

There are Four Vedas (the Rig Veda, the Sama Veda, Yajur Veda and Atharva Veda), each of which may be further subdivided into four parts – the Samhitas (hymns), the Brahmanas (rituals), the Aranyakas (theologies) and the Upanishads (philosophies).

Who Wrote the Vedas? What are they About?

While it is not entirely clear who wrote the Vedas, it is actually a non-question, as the focus has been traditionally placed on the message, rather than on the messenger. Some believe that the Vedas were given directly to the sages from God, and then passed down by word of mouth until it was finally codified and written down several hundred years later. Others, on the other hand, believe that the Vedas were revealed by the sages themselves.