Introduction to Vedic knowledge: volume 2: The four original Vedas

The present compilation of Vedic scriptures is attributed to Veda Vyasa, who was born about 5000 years ago, son of Satyavati and Parasara Muni. The name Vyasa means "one who divides", because Vyasa compiled four separate collections, dividing the various texts that composed the original Veda and elaborating on its meanings according to different perspectives, to facilitate their understanding for the people of this age. This volume illustrates how this division was structured in the four main Vedas, comprising Samhitas, Brahmanas, Aranyakas and Upanishads. The Vedic scriptures are composed in Sanskrit, a language that is also called devanagari (“of the Devas' cities”) because it is considered the universal language also used on other planets. The word Sanskrit derives from the Sanskrit word samskrita, that literally means "perfect, highly evolved". The four divisions of the Vedic texts are called Rig, Yajur, Sama and Atharva; in each of these, the parts called Samhitas contain hymns of deep symbolic meaning, that are subsequently explained at various levels in the commentaries called Brahmanas (for the ritualistic application), Aranyakas (for the metaphysical application) and Upanishads (for the application of philosophy in daily life).