Talk:Vedas

When were the Vedas first written down?
The article currently states "The Vedas were orally transmitted by memorization for many generations and was written down for the first time around 1200 BCE"

The date of 1200 BCE for the Vedas being written down in the second part of that statement seems highly unlikely. The earliest written Indic scripts in which the Vedas could have been written are Ashokan Brahmi script (3rd century BCE) or possibly Kharosthi script (3rd century BCE). There is no evidence for any script which may have been suitable for writing texts such as the Vedas being in use in the Indian sub continent prior to the 3rd Century BCE.

While the Vedas may have been composed, memorized, and handed down orally by 1200 BCE, or even earlier, there is no evidence that they were ever committed to writing until at least a millennium later.

"The Vedic texts were orally composed and transmitted, without the use of script, in an unbroken line of transmission from teacher to student that was formalized early on. This ensured an impeccable textual transmission superior to the classical texts of other cultures; it is, in fact, something like a tape-recording of ca. 1500–500 BCE. Not just the actual words, but even the long-lost musical (tonal) accent (as in old Greek or in Japanese) has been preserved up to the present. On the other hand, the Vedas have been written down only during the early second millennium CE, while some sections such as a collection of the Upanishads were perhaps written down at the middle of the first millennium, while some early, unsuccessful attempts (indicated by certain Smriti rules forbidding to write down the Vedas) may have been made around the end of the first millennium BCE".: Witzel, Michael (2003). "Vedas and Upanisads". In Flood, Gavin (ed.). The Blackwell Companion to Hinduism. Blackwell Publishing. ISBN 978-0-631-21535-6.

Chris Fynn (talk) 07:17, 26 February 2023 (UTC)


 * I think you're right; what's meat is probably 'codified' (is that the right word?). The article also says "The Vedas were written down only after 500 BCE". Joshua Jonathan  - Let's talk!  09:06, 26 February 2023 (UTC)

Semi-protected edit request on 8 October 2023
Please add following: In the intricate tapestry of Hindu Dharma, where every profound text finds its author, the enigma of the Vedas stands unparalleled. Revered as the divine essence of ancient wisdom, these sacred scriptures defy conventional authorship, shrouded in the mystique of eternity. Legends whisper that the Vedas transcended the boundaries of time, emerging even before the dawn of creation itself. They embody not mere words, but cosmic vibrations, intricately woven into the fabric of the universe. It is a belief etched in the very soul of Hindu spirituality that these verses, with their infinite depth, were bestowed upon humanity by the divine hands of the cosmos. To the ordinary mortal, only a fraction of this celestial knowledge is revealed, for the Vedas are a boundless reservoir of enlightenment, their depths fathomed only by the rare souls blessed with divine insight. Himanshukodwani (talk) 17:43, 8 October 2023 (UTC)
 * Red information icon with gradient background.svg Not done: please provide reliable sources that support the change you want to be made. —TechnoSquirrel69 (sigh) 04:11, 9 October 2023 (UTC)
 * No he's stating the importance of the Vedas in all Astika traditions all those Tantras you mentioned aren't "Hindu" at all. 108.39.84.90 (talk) 17:35, 14 January 2024 (UTC)

What are the vedas
What are the vedas 2409:4066:C9E:B234:F0CA:4F0D:4F88:A6B1 (talk) 10:56, 8 January 2024 (UTC)


 * Seconded. What a nightmare this article is. "There are four Vedas: the Rigveda, the Yajurveda, the Samaveda and the Atharvaveda." and then in the next section, "There are four "Vedic" Samhitas: the Rig-Veda, Yajur-Veda, Sama-Veda and Atharva-Veda". Are the "four types of embedded texts" also part of "a veda"?
 * It seems to me that referring to "Vedic texts" is very different from "Vedas" and even "the Vedas". It would be nice to have an expert clean this up and if needed make qualifying statements like "The term Veda may be used to refer to..." Alphonsoore (talk) 06:29, 15 February 2024 (UTC)
 * The symbol that Himanshukodwani is referring to as the Vedas is not indices-able. A close approximation to it in Western terms would be “indeterminate immediate,” “Sign,” or “Dasein”; not to be confused with the dualistic systems of exist/real or mind/body. 2600:1700:77A1:6170:A9B3:78CE:699D:1976 (talk) 15:23, 1 June 2024 (UTC)