Note subsequent note — Chapter II

[99] We read in Colebrooke’s Treatise on the Védas (As. Res., vol. VIII. p. 370) what follows: “It is well known, that the original Véda is believed by Hindus to have been revealed by Brahma, and to have been preserved by tradition, until it was arranged in its present order by a sage, who thence obtained the surname of Vyása, or Véda Vyaśa, that is, ‘compiler of the Védas.’ He distributed the Indian scripture into four parts, which are severally entitled Rich, Yajush, Sáman, and At´harvańa; and each of which bears the common denomination of Véda.”

After having discussed the question whether the fourth Véda be more modern than the other three, the celebrated Indianist concludes (p. 372): “That the three first-mentioned Védas are the three principal portions of the Véda; that the At´harvańa is commonly admitted as a fourth; and that divers mythological poems, entitled Itihása and Puránás, are reckoned a supplement to the scripture, and, as such, constitute a fifth Véda.” He says further (ibid., p. 378): “Each Véda consists of two parts, denominated the Mantras and the Bráhmańas, or ‘prayers’ and ‘precepts.’ The complete collection of the hymns, prayers, and invocations belonging to one Véda is entitled its Sanhita. Every other portion of Indian scripture is included under the general head of divinity (Bráhmańa). This comprises precepts which inculcate religious duties; maxims, which explain those precepts; and arguments, which relate to theology.—The theology of the Indian scripture, comprehending the argumentative portion entitled Védanta, is contained in tracts denominated Upanishads.”—A. T.

The Hindus have, besides, Upavédas. Upa is a preposition importing resemblance in an inferior degree; and Véda, from Vida, “knowledge.” The four Upavedas comprise the Ayu, on the science of medicine, drawn from the Rig Veda; the Gandharva, on music, from the Sama-Véda; the Dhanu, on military tactics, from the Yajush; and the Silpa, on mechanics, from the Atharvańa.

Hindu learning has six divisions, called Angas, that is, “parts,” or “members.” The six Angas are: Sikshya, on pronunciation; Kalpa, on ceremonies; Vyákarana, on grammar; Chanda, on prosody and verse; Jyotisha, on astronomy; and Nirukta, an explanation of difficult words, etc., in the Véda. These divisions, as dependant upon the Védas, are also called Védangas. The Hindus count besides four secondary portions of science, called Upangás: these are: the Puranas, or poetical histories; the Náya, on ethics; the Mímánsa, on divine wisdom and on ceremonies; and the D’harma s astra, or the civil and canon laws (Ward, vol. IV. p. 55).—D. S.