So in the previous videos we quickly understood what is Veda, what Veda can means, some messages and so on. Now we will go into another aspect of this Vedic corpus. Suppose you have a, let us say you have a computer program written in a certain language.
Unless you know the syntax, unless you know the rules by which it has to be written, you can make no sense of it. In the same way, this Vedic corpus talks so many things. For example, it says do yajna, it says do this, do that, it is written in a particular language. So if you have to get all of them correctly, then you need some auxiliary text tools and all those required to make sense of Veda correctly.
And that is what this Vedanga is about. So actually the Vedic texts being oral in nature have to be preserved in their original form. Therefore, it requires listening to the sounds properly and reproducing them the same way as they were heard.
This is one important element. So we need some mechanism, some accepted methods of pronunciation now. Otherwise, the oral tradition will go for a toss.
The words and sentences of the text have to be understood without any ambiguity. So if the words are used in a peculiar fashion, we should know it. Unless we know it, we may not be able to make sense of it.
Then they are all in a certain meter. So the meters to which these mantras are set had to be systematically understood and the rules followed properly. Then there is a need for a complete guide to lead a life as prescribed in the Vedas. This requires unambiguously one has to spell out the practices and norms for various activities to be performed like an operations manual even for life. That is required.
This is another thing. and a properly structured set of instructions to perform the rituals. The Brahmana has it, but Brahmana has only certain parts.
There are certain other things which have to be written. So, the rituals prescribed in the Vedas, right from building the Yajnasala to carrying out elaborate rituals, they are all to be established. Some missing information has to be provided.
Additional information has to be provided. And at the end of it, also, A method to fix the time to do all these prescribed activities is also necessary. We should know when can we do, you know, is there an appropriate time to do things.
So, these are those additional material that we need, so that we can make good use of what is contained in the Vedas. So, this is where the whole idea of Vedangas is coming. So, let me pictorially show you what are those Vedangas and then let us also relate each one of them to what they are trying to do with respect to the Vedas. So, here you see these six divisions or the six Vedangas.
The first one is called Siksha. And we will see each one of them in a little detail, but I am only quickly telling you the names. Second one is called Vyakarna.
The third one is called Nirukta. Then you have what is called Chandas, Kalpa and Jyotisha. These are the...
six Vedangas which are required. One must have a good knowledge of these. Only then we will get what is intended in the Veda in full measure.
Otherwise, you know, it may be sometime misleading and those kinds of things can happen. Now, let us see what these each one of them are doing. If you take Siksha, the job of Siksha is actually to Make sure that oral preservation is intact. So it's all about phonetics and pronunciation.
So all those ideas are actually part of it. Then you have Vyakarna which gives the grammatical structure. Otherwise knowledge, you know, if you don't know properly the grammar, past tense may be understood as future tense or, you know, anything can happen, right?
So grammatical structure and all those are required which is coming through Vyakarna. Then you have Nirukta because the words used in the Veda have specific meanings at times. So there is a compendium, so the etymology if you have to know, there is a book of synonyms, Nirukta. That ensures that we get the correct meaning, otherwise we may end up with understanding it differently. Then you have Chandas.
Chandas is required so that when you utter you don't miss a mantra, miss a syllable. Because if you miss a syllable the meter will go out of place. So that way it ensures that it will prevent corruption of the mantras and the pronunciation and ucharana.
Everything is all in place. Then you have a Kalpa which is like a operations manual. It establishes all norms and rules and practices required for doing the Yajna and other things. things and then of course you have Jyotisha which is the methodology for timing events.
When do I do it? Do I do it 9 o'clock in the morning 7.30 or 11 o'clock? So there are some concepts which are established in Jyotisha. So if only somebody knows these six Vedangas well, then they will be able to put whatever is prescribed in the Vedas to an appropriate use and also benefit from it the way one needs to benefit. So that is why Vedangas are important to make sure we get the best out of the Vedas.
So now what we will do is in the following videos, we will take each of these Vedanga and see it in a little bit of a detail.