But of its earliest form and extent we know nothing, except from the sacred poems of the Hindus called the Vedas, written in Sanskrit probably fifteen hundred years before Christ,for even the date of the earliest of the Vedas is unknown.

By forgiveness of injuries the learned are purified; by liberality, those who have neglected their duty; by pious meditation, those who have secret thoughts; by devout austerity, those who best know the Vedas....

Siva and Vishnu became worshipped, as well as Brahma and a host of other gods unknown to the earlier Vedas.

Pseudo-Revelation N. the Koran, the Alcoran^; Lyking^, Vedas, Zendavesta, Avesta^, Sastra, Shastra, Tantra^, Upanishads, Purana, Edda; Book of Mormon.

If he have any Buncombe constituency, it is that unrealized commonwealth of philosophers which Plotinus proposed to establish; and if he were to make an almanac, his directions to farmers would be something like this:"OCTOBER: Indian Summer; now is the time to get in your early Vedas."

When he heard it he resolved to provide for them, and he lodged them in his house and taught them to recite the Vedas.

The most abstract of all pantheistic systems he described to be that of the Brahmans, as taught in the Vedas and Vedashta, and also at first by Schelling, viz., that the absolute is the first principle of all things; and this absolute is not to be conceived of as possessing any attribute at allnot even that of existence.

They should be waited upon whose triple possessions, viz., knowledge (of the Vedas), origin and acts, are all pure, and association with them is even superior to (the study of the) scriptures.

All those attributes which are spoken of in the world as the sources of religious merit, of worldly prosperity and sensual pleasures, which are regarded by the people, extolled in the Vedas, and approved by the well-behaved, exist in you, separately and jointly!

And that evening, at once beautiful and terrible, those Brahmanas having lighted their (sacred) fires, began to chant the Vedas and hold mutual converse.

O king, in thee dwelleth that understanding furnished with the eight attributes which is said to be capable of providing against all evils and which resulteth from a study of the Sruti (Vedas) and scriptures!

The Vedas enjoin act but renounce (interest in) action.

Therefore, shouldst thou act, renouncing Abhimana, performance of sacrifices, study (of the Vedas), gifts, penance, truth (in both speech and act), forgiveness, subduing the senses, and renunciation of desire,these have been declared to be the eight (cardinal) duties constituting the true path.

Those who wish to subdue the world for purpose of salvation, should ever act fully renouncing motives, effectually subduing their senses, rigidly observing particular vows, devotedly serving their preceptors, austerely regulating their fare, diligently studying the Vedas, renouncing action as mean and restraining their hearts.

SECTION III Vaisampayana said, "Yudhishthira the son of Kunti, thus addressed by Saunaka, approached his priest and in the midst of his brothers said, 'The Brahmanas versed in the Vedas are following me who am departing for the forest.

Alas, that Yudhishthira, who was daily waited upon by a thousand sages of ascetic merit, versed in the Vedas and having every desire gratified, as his courtiers,that Yudhishthira who maintained eighty-eight thousands of domestic Snatakas with thirty maid-servants assigned unto each, as also ten thousand yatis not accepting anything in gift and with vital seed drawn up,alas, even that mighty king now liveth in such guise.

A Brahmana, having studied the Vedas, should perform sacrifices himself, and officiate at the sacrifices of others.

And a Vaisya, having earned wealth, should cause the rites enjoined in the Vedas to be performed for himself.

As beauty is never separated from Chandramas, so are the Vedas and the Brahma weapon both established in you.

It is often seen that the four Vedas dwell in one object and Kshatriya attributes in another.

A combination of the Brahma weapon with the Vedas,this is never to be seen anywhere else.

Of long arms and endued with mighty energy possessed of strength and beauty of person, celebrated over all the worlds for his prowess, resembling Usanas himself in intelligence and Vrihaspati in knowledge of morality, he is conversant with the four Vedas and devoted to the practice of Brahmacharya virtues.

Any one can examine for himself the Vedas, the Zend-Avesta and the other Bibles of humanity.

The Hindu talks of his Vedas as the Christian talks of his Testaments.

SANKARA, a Hindu teacher of the philosophy or the Vedas, who lived some time between 800 and 200 B.C., and was the author of a number of commentaries on the sacred writings of the Hindus, the teachings of which he contributed to develop.