Synthesis of Yoga in the Veda

Notes and References

¹ These are general statements, and they can be regarded as tentative conclusions arrived at by the study of a number of books on history of India and of the world. The Vedas speak of the Rishis of the past and of the New Age (pūrvebhih nūtanaih, Rig Veda (RV), 1.1.2).

² There are four Vedas, — Rig Veda, Yajur Veda, Sama Veda and Atharva Veda. Among the Vedas the Rig Veda occupies a prominent place. It consists of ten books or Mandalas and one thousand seventeen hymns or suktas. The total number of verses in Rig Veda is ten thousand five hundred eighty. Yajur Veda is classified broadly into Shukia Yajur Veda and Krishna Yajur Veda. Shukia Yajur Veda has thirty chapters and Krishna Yajur Veda has five existing versions of which Maitrayam Samhita is prominent. It has four kandas which have prose compositions thousand seven hundred one have been taken from the Rig Veda. Sama Veda consists of one thousand five hundred forty nine verses, but only seventy five of them are independent of the Rig Veda. The Atherva Veda has twenty kandas and five thousand eight hundred forty nine verses. About one thousand two hundred of these verses are common with those of the Rig Veda. One sixth part of the Atherva Veda is in the prose style while the rest is poetry.

³ According to one of the Indian historians, Shri Avinash Chandra Das, Vedas could have been composed any time between 250^th and 750^th Century B.C. According to Lokmanya Tilak, the estimated period would view of Prof. Han, Prof. Ludwig and Prof. Jacobi. Prof. Whitney places this period any time between 15^th and 20^th Century B.C., while Prof. Weber places it any time between 12^th and 15^th Century B.C. Prof. Max Muller believes that the Veda was composed during the 13^th Century B.C.

Vide., Sri Aurobindo, The Human Cycle, Vol. 15, Sri Aurobindo Birth Centenary Library (SABCL), 1972.

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5 Vide., Sri Aurobindo, The Secret of the Veda, Vol. 10, SABCL, 1972.

6 RV.,lV.3.l6.

7 W., V. I 9.

8 Vide., The famous Purusa Sukta.

9 Bhagavad Gita (BG), III.

10.RV., 1.3.

11. Vide., Sri Aurobindo, Hymns to the Mystic Fire, Vol. 11, SABCL, 1972.

12 Vide., RV (Turīyam Svid), X.67,1

13 The Angirasa legend is to be found in various parts of the Rig Veda, References may be made in particular, to 1.11.5,1.32.4,1.72.8,1.100.18, V.14.4, VI.60.2, VII.75.7, VII.90.4, VII.99.4. Refer also to IL15.8, III.43.7, III.31.15, VI.44.3 and VII.99.4, X.47.6.

14 Atharva Veda, 12.1.1, RV., X.190.1.

15 Vide., Sri Aurobindo, The Secret of the Veda, Vol. 10, SABCL, 1972, pp. 54-64, 263-271, 351-419.

16. Vide., RV., 1.4.

17 Vide., RV., I.4.8.

18 Vide, RV., I.170.

19 Vide., Sri Aurobindo, The Secret of the Veda, Vol. 10, SABCL, pp.421-64.

20.RV.,V.63.1-7.

21.RV.,IV.58.11.

22 RV., 1.25.12-3.

RV.,X.64.5

24 RV., X.63.7.

25 RV., 11.27.6.

26 RV.,11..27.8-9.

27 RV.,X.63.4.

28 RV., IX.83.

29 RV., V.82,1-9.

30 Vide., Sri Aurobindo, The Secret of the Veda, Vol. 10, SABCL, 1972, Chs, XVL XVII, XVIII, XIX.

31 RV., 11.24.6.

32 RV., X. 108.8.

33 W., VII.. 12.2-3.

34 RV.,VL75.10.

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35 RV.,11.20.5.

36.Vide.RV.,X.67,l,

37.Vide;RV.,X.67.1,

38.Cf;RV.I.154.4.

39.Vide., RV., 1.3.

40 RV.,V4.4.

41 RV., IV. 16.8.

42 Vide., RV., III.39.

43 Vide.RV;V.81.

44.Vide.,RV; Mandala IV.

45.RV.,IV.3.11-l2.

46.RV., 1.71.2.

47.RV., 1.68.

48.RV.,V.28.2-3.

49.RV.,IV.37.4.

50.Vide., RV., 1.20.

51.Vide., RV., IV.33.2, 3,7; IV.36.1, 3; 1.161.7

52 Vide.,RV,IV.33.1-2.

53 Vide., RV., V.36.3.

54 RV., 1.20.

55 Vide., RV., 1.1.3.

56.RV., IX.83.

57.Vide., RV.III.55.1.

58 Vide.,RV;1..164.46.

59 RV., IX.83.

60. RV.,V.3.

61. RV.,X.l90.

62.RV;1..IO.

63. RV., 1.89.1

64.RV., 1.89.6.

65 RV., 1.89.8.

66 RV., 1.89.9.

67.Yajur Veda, Shiva Sankalpa, 34.1-6.

68.Vide., Sama Veda, 641-50.

69 RV., X. 192.2-4.

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