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Index Page
by Jayaram V
Introduction
Vedangas literally mean the limbs of the Vedas. They are six in
number.
Just like the limbs of the body, they perform various supportive
and augmenting functions in the study, preservation and protection of
the Vedas and the vedic traditions. The six Vedangas are Siksha, Chhanda,
Vyakarana, Nirukta, Jyotisha and Kalpa. These subjects were an integral
and essential part of ancient vedic education system, aimed to promote
an all round development of the students with a better understanding of the Vedas and
vedic practices.
Of these six subjects, Siksha deals with the study of sounds and
pronunciation associated with each syllable; Chhanda with the mastery of
rhyme and meter; Vyakarna with the study of word and sentence structure;
Nirukta with the meaning of complex words and phrases; Jyotisha with the
study of heavenly bodies to find an auspicious time for the performance
of the rituals; and Kalpa with the ethical , moral and procedural
percepts associated with the performance of rituals as a way of life. In
the following paragraphs we will discuss each of these subjects in
detail.
The importance of the Vedangas.
The Vedangas played an important role in maintaining the purity and
integrity of the Vedic tradition. Although they have lost of much of
their ancient significance, they continue to occupy an important place in the
academic study of the Vedas. For centuries they taught and continue to teach
vedic students how to recite the vedic hymns, understand their meaning and
perform the various rituals and ceremonies strictly according to the
established procedures. Their study
inculcates among its students a sense of discipline and respect for
tradition and helps them conduct themselves in society as upholders of the vedic dharma
and traditional family values.
To a certain extent the Vedangas were responsible for the popularity of
Sanskrit as the main language of communication in ancient India and for
its emergence as the language of the elite through such works as those of
Kalidasa and Kalhana. They also played an influential role in the development of native languages,
education system and vernacular literature of the Indian subcontinent by
providing the basic framework on which they could grow.
Many principles and practices of the Vedangas were taken up by other
religious traditions such as Buddhism and
Jainism which relied upon
Sanskrit as their medium of communication and included in their
education systems and religious practices. Through them they also
extended their sway to other parts of the world such as China, Japan,
Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia, Tibet and Ceylon where they were
used in the study of Buddhism and Buddhist literature and preservation
of its traditions.
While the combined knowledge of the Vedas and the Vedangas is still a
desirable prospect, with the decline of Sanskrit as the language of the
elite and the emergence of new methods of devotional
worship and agamic temple traditions which took precedence over the vedic
traditions in many parts of India, the Vedangas have lost of much of
their priestly relevance. However they continue to attract the attention
of Indological scholars and serious students of the Vedas, because of their
literary and
historical value in our understanding of the development of human languages and
linguistic and literary sophistication among the diverse socio religious
and linguistic groups of the Indian subcontinent.
Siksha
Siksha deals with the study of pronunciation of words and
syllables through the correct intonation,
conjunction (sandhi) and disjunction (vichheda) of syllables, recognized
primarily as vowels and consonants. It intends to train the students in
the art and science of articulation of words and syllables so that they can
chant the vedic hymns perfectly, producing the desired sound vibrations
and maintain the ritual purity and
efficacy of the ceremonies they perform.
A lot of importance was attached in ancient India to correct
pronunciation of the Vedic hymns because of the belief that the Vedas
were inviolable and divine in origin. The scriptures proclaimed that a
Sanskrit syllable was God in the form of a syllable (askhara Brahman), an imperishable entity (a
+ kshara), revealed to the mortals for the sake of dharma and welfare of
the world, just as the thunder that rumbled from the heavens or the
subtle sounds that could be heard in meditation. Its medium was ether (space), the medium of
gods.
So no liberties could be taken or
transgressions be made by mere mortals while chanting them, without attracting unhappy consequences for
themselves and those for whom the were sung. As a result of these
beliefs, Sikhsa developed into a separate branch of study to preserve
the integrity and purity of the divine words and save the dharma from
human fallibility.
The teachings of the Siksha are contained in the ancient texts known
as Pratisakhyas, each attached to a particular Samhita, providing
instructions for the recitation of the hymns contained in it. The
Pratisakhyas were probably composed by many grammarians like Saunaka
before Panini and revised from time to time.
Siksha played an important role in vedic India
at a time when there was no written script and the knowledge of the
Vedas had to be transmitted from one person to another orally. By
establishing the ground rules of proper pronunciation, it minimized the
chances of distortion that would usually accompany verbal communication.
Vedic students were required to spend years reciting the mantras using
the principles enunciated in the Pratisakhyas under the careful watch
of their teachers before they were allowed to return to their homes and become ordained priests.
As young apprentices they could ill afford to risk their careers by
deviating from established traditions or show any sign of incompetence
or imperfection due to lack of mastery.
Chhanda
Chhanda deals with the analysis of the types of meter
used in the construction of various Vedic
hymns. Chhandashastra
of Pingalanaga is considered to be the oldest text available on the subject.
It was probably composed between 6th and 5th Century BC. In Sanskrit,
the metrical unit is known as pada (foot). Depending upon
the number of syllables used, a pada may be of the length of eight, eleven or
twelve syllables, known as gayatri, tristubh and jagati
respectively. There are other metrical schemes and further variations in
the classification of the padas (meters) depending upon different criteria, the discussion of which
is outside the scope of this article. The knowledge of the Chhanda
proved useful in the composition of the smriti literature. It also
played an important role in the emergence of
classical Indian music and Sanskrit poetry besides providing a frame work of reference
for compositions in other languages.
Vyakarna
Vyakarna deals with Sanskrit grammar or the analysis
and decomposition of words, word formation, root words and complex
sentence structures, providing useful insights into the usage of words
and sentences leading to the mastery of the language. The most authoritative
work on the subject is considered to be the Ashtadhyayi of Panini, who
lived probably between the 5th and 6th Century BC. Considered to be a milestone in the
historical development of Sanskrit language, the Ashtadhyayi is probably
a representative work summarizing
the prevailing traditions and preserving them for posterity. It assumed
so much importance over a period of time that most of the works on
Sanskrit grammar preceding it lost their significance and were
considered not worth preserving.
The Ashtadhyayi
contains about 4000 sutras or aphorisms divided into four parts.
- Siva Sutras deal with phonetics or the accent and intonation of distinctive units of
sound that form
part of the word and letter sounds.
- Ashtadhyayi deal with the structure of words and sentences and
their construction.
- Dhatupata deals with list of root words (words that give
rise to other words)
- Ganapatha deals with groups of nominal words (nouns or noun
phrases)
Nirukta
Nirutka deals with the etymological interpretations or
explanations of obscure words especially those found in the Vedas.
Technically it deals with the difficult and obscure words of a
dictionary, whose
analysis and interpretation is vital to the study and understanding of the
Vedas which are replete with mysterious symbolism not usually understood
by all. The most
authoritative exponent of this branch of study is Yaksha, a Sanskrit
grammarian and master of Sanskrit etymology, who lived before
Panini. He is remembered for his monumental work called Nirukta,
which is an excellent commentary of the obscure words found in the
Nighantu (dictionary) of his time.
Nirukta deals with the interpretation and
analysis of difficult words and provides insight into the hidden content
of the Vedas.
Since many Sanskrit words can be split into more than one way and the
Vedas contain many obscure and unknown words, an in-depth study of Nirkuta will
help students discover the latent or hidden meaning of the Vedas and
understand their linguistic and philosophic significance.
Jyotisha
Jyotisha deals with the astronomical and
astrological aspects of fixing
auspicious date and time to perform
various vedic rites and rituals including the sacraments or rites of
passage. The auspicious time is usually determined based on the position of the luminous bodies (jyotis) namely the sun, the moon, the stars
and other heavenly bodies. According to tradition, sage Bhrigu is said
to be the first person who perfected the knowledge of Jyotisha and built
a record of the natal charts of every human being who was to be born on
earth. Some of the earliest works on the subject are considered to be Jyotishyavedanga (400
BC) and the Siddhanta. The treatise of Aryabhata,
known as Aryabhatiya, (600 AD) and the Panchasiddhantika of
Varahamihira are other important works.
The Jyotisha of the vedic world played an important role in the
development of vedic calendar, in the preparation astrological charts
for the purpose of performing various sacraments or rites of passage and
determining the date, time and place for the performance of the sacrificial
ceremonies and daily rituals. Study of the movement of the sun, the
moon, the star and planets helped determine the time of the day and
night, the day of the week and fortnight, the period of the seasons, the
month and the year, besides the influence of each heavenly object
on the events of the world and the lives of the people.
According to some historians, much of our knowledge of Jyotisha came from
Mesopotamia, Egypt, Persia and Greece through traders, sailors and travelers and
subsequently from the Islamic world through contact and conquest. The Jyotisha
of today is wider in scope and purpose than the original Jyotisha of
Vedic period. It is now divided into several branches and sub branches
and cater to a wider audience for purposes other than performing vedic
ceremonies. Once considered to
be an ancillary subject, the astrology of today is a profession by
itself often practiced by people having little understanding of the
Vedas and the Vedangas.
Kalpa
Kalpa deals with the practical, ceremonial, sacrificial
and ritual aspect of the Vedas. Technically it is the applied science of the
Vedas. The method and the manner in which the sacrificial ceremonies and
daily household rituals have to be performed are established in a
compendium of sutras or aphorisms known as Kalpa Sutras, categorized
together as sruti literature. Kalpa literally means sacred rule or law
or ordinance and sutra means a thread. Sutras are threads of knowledge or
short statements used as memorial rules. In the absence
of written language, the sutras acted as mental hooks and helped the
students remember the intricacies of performing vedic sacrifices and
observing the daily rituals. They also facilitated easy transmission of complex vedic wisdom
from one person to another. Because of their precise nature, they
used to spark wild debates and philosophical speculation as to their
original meaning and purpose.
Kalpa Sutras are usually divided into
Srautasutras and Smarthasutras. Srautasutras prescribe rules for the
performance of different types of sacrifices and rituals, the amount of fees to be paid
to the priests and the type of penances to be practiced in case of
violation. The Srautasutras were probably composed around the 6th
century BC, the same time during which some of
the Smarthasutras were composed. The latter are divided into Grihyasutras and
Dharmasutras. The Grihyasutras prescribe domestic rites and rituals
for the three upper castes (brahmins, kshatriyas and vaisyas)., in additions
to the duties and responsibilities meant for them as householders so that they can uphold the dharma and lead an ideal life in harmony
with truths expounded in the Vedas.
The Dharmasutras
deal with the code of conduct and duties and responsibilities of various
castes within the framework of the four
purusharthas or aims of life and the four ashramas or divisions of life.
They also suggest the norms for appropriate social and religious
behavior for both men and women, norms of marriage, study and sexual
union and punishments in case of violation. Of the many Dharmashastras
that existed during the vedic period, only a few have survived, such as the
Baudhayana, the
Apasthamba,
the Gautama and the
Vashistha. Of these the first three are associated
with different schools of Yajurveda, while the Vashistha is associated
with the Rigveda. The first three texts were composed probably around
6th century BC and the last around the 1st Century AD.
Other important law books of ancient times were Manusmriti, Vishnusmrit,
Yagnavalkyasmriti and Naradsmriti.
Importance of the Vedangas
The Vedangas played an important role in preserving and protecting
the vedic tradition over a long period of time. They formalized the
procedures and techniques of performing various vedic rites and rituals
and established authoritative sources of reference for succeeding
generations to practice the vedic ceremonies and rituals with little
ambiguity and fear of transgression. They ensured the purity of language
and expression, defined and enforced, through moral fear, the
social and religious conduct expected of men belonging to different
social strata, and established well defined ground rules for moral,
ritual and spiritual behavior of men involved in the performance of
rituals. They highlighted the importance of academic excellence and
physical, mental and moral discipline in upholding the vedic dharma and
most important of all, as the limbs of the
Vedas, they truly served the body of the vedic tradition by moving it forward
through succeeding generations of men of superior vision and wisdom who
could adapt
themselves successfully to the changing circumstances without sacrificing their faith in the core
values upheld by the Vedas. The Vedangas provide vitality to the Vedas
just as the limbs of the human body.
Suggested Further Reading
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