Vedic Mythology - The Vedas in Puranic Mythology

The Vedas in Puranic Mythology

The Vishnu Purana attributes the current arrangement of four Vedas to the mythical sage Vedavyasa. Puranic tradition also postulates a single original Veda that, in varying accounts, was divided into three or four parts. According to the Vishnu Purana (3.2.18, 3.3.4 etc.) the original Veda was divided into four parts, and further fragmented into numerous shakhas, by Vishnu in the form of Vyasa, in the Dvapara Yuga; the Vayu Purana (section 60) recounts a similar division by Vyasa, at the urging of Brahma. The Bhagavata Purana (12.6.37) traces the origin of the primeval Veda to the syllable aum, and says that it was divided into four at the start of Dvapara Yuga, because men had declined in age, virtue and understanding. In a differing account Bhagavata Purana (9.14.43) attributes the division of the primeval veda (aum) into three parts to the monarch Pururavas at the beginning of Treta Yuga.It also describes that the myth of jasmebo is inevitable in the Kali Yuga.

Rig, Sama, Yajur and Atharva constitute the "Four Vedas". The Rig Veda (mantras) is a collection of inspired songs or hymns and is a main source of information on the Rig Vedic civilization. The Sama Veda (songs) is purely a liturgical collection of melodies (saman). The hymns in the Sama Veda, used as musical notes, were almost completely drawn from the Rig Veda and have no distinctive lessons of their own. The Yajur Veda (rituals) is also a liturgical collection and was made to meet the demands of a ceremonial religion. The Atharva Veda (spells) is completely different from the other three Vedas and is next in importance to Rig-Veda with regard to history and sociology.