Ishwa helper Reged: 03/03/02 Posts: 553

Re: Mahabharata [Re: AKMehta] #17134 - 06/06/02 06:56 AM Edit Reply Quote

The information about the one Veda of 100.000 verses divided in 4 P�das comes from the Pur�nas. Pargiter did mention that too in his Ancient Indian Historical Tradition. The RigSamhit� contains the oldest archaic Mantra collection, the others have borrowed heavily from (or retained) RgVedic material. The AtharvaSamhit� has further developed Mantras, some of which were originally very ancient and independant of the Rch�s. Before the Samhit�s, there were Rch�s, Yajus and S�mans (and also Brahmans), but not in a Samhit� collection. Maybe it was collected in the single Veda mentioned by the Pur�nas? Before the Samhit� collection most material was transmitted within certain families of which the oldest are the Saptarshis. Unfortunately many works are lost, not only Vedic recensions, but also Brahmana commentaries, not to mention auxilliary works describing the number of mantras, etc (though we have still some anukramanis, etc.).