Veda: 6

6. Classification of the Vedic Literature Broadly speaking the whole of the Vedic literature (Apara vidya) can be put into two categories: The Vedas The Vedangas ‘ Veda ’ is a collective term indicating the four Vedas – Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samaveda and Atharvaveda. On account of these four different Vedas, one often speaks of ‘the Vedas’ in the plural.The four Vedas consist of four different classes of literary works. To each of these classes belongs a greater or a smaller number of ... The Vedas are the source of integral wisdom, science, tradition and culture of a remarkable civilization. They are Oral compilations of distilled wisdom of cosmic knowledge survived from the time immemorial. They are not only identified as scriptures, but also as the fountain head of Indian culture and human civilization. Read More.. There are four " Vedic " Samhitas: the Rig Veda , Yajur Veda, Sama Veda and Atharva Veda, most of which are available in several recensions (śākhā). In some contexts, the term Veda is used to refer only to these Samhitas, the collection of mantras. The Vedas are an extremely large and comprehensive scripture that form the core of Hinduism. They are considered to be one of the integral scriptural foundations of Hinduism.