Vedas are the primary source of knowledge for all Indian tradition, orthodox & heterodox, and all traditions, in one way or other takes inspiration from the Vedas. Traditional Indian notion regarding Vedas is that, they are considered as revelations from the Almighty to the enlightened ones or Rishis (sages) or compositions by super brains, as a result of their profound contemplation. Thus the term Veda is not limited to a few books and it has got a great role in all Indian traditions. In fact, the whole wisdom of ancient India revolves around the Vedas. Indian tradition strictly adheres to Gurukula Sampradaya that is, handing over of knowledge directly from preceptor (teacher) to disciple (student). Owing to this practice, the ancient Indian mindset, gave little attention to arrange things chronologically. Their acts were guided by principles expressed in the form of slokas, or verses in certain metrical forms Slokam a ["Let noble thoughts come to us from all quarters of this universe" (Rigveda 1/89/1)]. This universality and secular vision in all walks of life makes us difficult to fix a particular time span as the exact period of a particular school thought. Traditional Indian accepts Vedas as apaurusheyam (not man-made), but revealed truths and of eternal validity or relevance.

The Sanskrit word "VEDA" is cognate with Latin "Videre", old English 'witan', New English 'wit', the German 'wessen' and all these words denote the sense of knowledge, vision, learning, information and wisdom.

	VEDA

The word Veda is derived from the root "Vid" to endure or to stay and this meaning shows the real eternal nature of the Vedas. Second meaning is to cognize or to know i.e., the whole corpus of Knowledge. The root 'vid' also means examination or inquiry. This signifies the path of constant enquiry followed by our ancient seers who tried to unravel the material and the spiritual truths. The root is having a meaning "Labhe" that is to gain i.e., Vedic corpus help us to achieve all the purusharthas or ultimate values of life. This means Vedas are instrumental in acquiring the material as well as spiritual gains in one's life.

Traditional belief about the Vedic corpus is that, there was only one in the beginning, it was classified into four fold because of the priestly needs such as religious, rituals etc, in later period by sage Vedavyasa. Vyasa distributed the Vedic knowledge to each one of his four disciples, according to his system of belief.

	RIGVEDA

Rigveda contains 10,552 rks or mantras or stanzas in 1028 suktas, arranged in 10 books or mandalas. Rigveda is said to have 21/24 sakhas or versions or recensions. Bahurik is another name for Rigveda because it contains more rks than other Vedic branches. Sakala, Bashkala, Asvalayana, Samkhayana and Mandukeya are sakhas mentioned in Charanavyuha. At present only two sakhas are extant - Sakala and Baskala. The former recension of the Rigveda is more popular.

	YAJURVEDA

There are two major schools in Yajurveda.

vTaittiriya Samhita or Krshna Yajurveda or Black School or Brahma sampradaya.
vVajasaneyi Samhita or Sukla Yajurveda or white school or Aditya sampradaya.

This Veda is said to have 101 sakhas or recensions. Vajasaneyi samhita contains only Mantras for chanting in rituals & their explanatory passages. The brahmana portion occurs separately.

In Taittiriya Samhita, the Mantras and brahmanas are intermixed.

Sukla Yajurveda has fifteen sakhas, of which only two are extant

v Kanva Samhita
v Madhyandina samhita or vajasaneyi samhita

Krshna yajurveda has 86 recensions grouped into three area wise divisions.

v Uttara Desiya
v Madhya Desiya
v Prachya Desiya

Taittiriya samhita has 7 Kandas, 46 Adhyayas, 13 Anuvachanas and 3091 Mantras that deal with sacrifices like Rajasuya, Asvameda, Agnishtoma etc.

	SAMAVEDA

Samaveda is said to have 1000 recensions, this text meant to help the udgatr priest in the sacrificial sessions. In Samaveda a total of 1504 mantras are from Rigveda, only about 99 mantras are original in Samaveda. The three sakhas extant today are

	ATHARVA VEDA

Brahmaveda, Bhrgvangirasa, Atharvargirsa or nigada or Chhanda are other names for this veda. As many as 50 recensions are there of this Veda of which Paippaladasamhita and saunakasamhitha are presented for our times, of which later appears to be more complete.