Vedāṅga

The Vedāṅgas are the six “limbs” (aṅga) of the Veda. They are the helping sciences that let a person pronounce the Veda correctly, understand its meaning and use it properly in yajña (sacred fire offering) and daily life.

The Nārada Mahā Purāṇa, in its first half (Pūrvārdha, Chapters 53–57), gives five chapters to short teachings on the Vedāṅgas. They cover Nirukta (the explanation of words and their sounds), Jyotiṣa (astronomy), Jātaka (reading the birth chart), Saṃhitā (choosing auspicious times, or muhūrta) and Chandas (metres). Together these chapters show how the Vedāṅgas were understood and handed down in the Purāṇa tradition.

The Six Vedāṅgas

The six classical Vedāṅgas are:

1. Śikṣā: phonetics, the correct pronunciation of Vedic sounds
2. Chandas: metre, the rhythmic pattern of Vedic verses
3. Vyākaraṇa: grammar, the rules of Sanskrit
4. Nirukta: the explanation of Vedic words and where they come from
5. Jyotiṣa: astronomy and astrology, used for keeping time and finding auspicious moments
6. Kalpa: the procedures of ritual, set out in the śrauta and gṛhya sūtras (manuals for public and household rites)

The Vedāṅgas in the Nārada Purāṇa

The Purāṇas usually present the Vedāṅgas in short form, as part of passing on the whole of Vedic knowledge. The Nārada Mahā Purāṇa’s teaching runs over five chapters:

Sources

• Nārada Mahā Purāṇa, Pūrvārdha, Chapters 53–57