The Tradition of Vedic Chanting

The Vedas comprise a vast corpus of Sanskrit poetry, philosophical dialogue, myth, and ritual incantations developed and composed in India by the Aryans more than 3,500 years ago. Regarded by Hindus as the primary source of knowledge and the sacred foundation of their religion, the Vedas embody one of the world's oldest surviving cultural traditions. The term "Veda" derives from the Sanskrit word vid meaning "knowledge." The Vedic heritage embraces a multitude of texts and interpretations collected in four Vedas, commonly referred to as "books of knowledge" even though they have been transmitted orally.