Rise and Growth of Vedic Literature

Whilst the greatest effort has been made to ensure the quality of this text, due to the historical nature of this content, in some rare cases there may be minor issues with legibility. For the due performance of his functions each of the three first-named priests requires a Samhita (collection), which supplies him with the necessary material of hymns and maxims; a Brahmanam (theological exegesis), which indicates the right use of this material at the time of. Sacrifice, and the varied contents of which it consists may be brought under three rubrics, namely, Vid'i or prescription, Art'avada or commentary, and Vedanta or Upanis'ad, theological and philosophical considerations on the nature of things. The last-named sections are called Veddnta, or end of the supreme Wisdom, because, as a rule, they stand at the end of the Brahmanas, and Upcmis'ad confidential sitting, because they were imparted to the students singly at the close of their tuition. To every Veda there also belongs a Sfitmm or guiding thread, which reproduces the contents of the Brahmanas in terse and synoptical form, and presents the whole subject systematically.