πŸ“š Learning About the 4 Vedas

Welcome back to this space of reflection. Recently, while reading the Bhagavad-gita in our book club and sharing thoughts and doubts with some devotee friends, we stumbled upon a small question within the verses that sparked our curiosity. This was especially true for verse 9.17, where Krishna mentions three of the four Vedas. Talking it over, we realized it would be incredibly interesting to investigate this further to better understand the map of ancient wisdom.

What you are about to read is a loving compilation of the answers I found in the scriptures and the teachings of the sages, enriched with a few additional mystical gems and, of course, a little "extra note" to connect this knowledge to our daily life and the healing of the soul.

To begin to fathom the origin of this sacred knowledge, the Brhad-aranyaka Upanisad (4.5.11) reveals a beautiful truth about where these texts come from:

"The four Vedas—namely the Rg Veda, Yajur Veda, Sama Veda, and Atharva Veda—are all emanations from the breath of the great Personality of Godhead."

Knowing that everything comes from the same Divine Source, when we study the Bhagavad-gita (9.17), we encounter something very curious. Krishna declares in a powerful way: αΉ›k sāma yajur eva ca, which translates to: "...I am also the Rg, the Sama, and the Yajur Vedas."

If we pay close attention, the Atharva Veda was omitted from this verse. Why would the Lord leave out one of the pillars of ancient knowledge? This apparent exclusion has been the subject of deep traditional and academic reflections that help us understand its context:

  • The Concept of "TrayΔ«" (The Three Vedas): Historically, the Vedas were often called TrayΔ« Vidyā or "The Triple Knowledge," grouping the Rig, Sama, and Yajur Vedas together because they form the fundamental core of sacrificial rituals (Yajna).

  • Focus on Ritual Sacrifices: The Bhagavad-gita focuses on the paths of devotion and karma, making frequent reference to the rituals of the first three Vedas. On the other hand, the Atharva Veda deals primarily with daily life, including remedies for illnesses, spells, and protection against unfavorable forces, which generally were not part of the main yajna system.

  • Inclusion by Implication: Sages like Adi Shankaracharya point out that the phrase includes the word ca (which means "and"), which is interpreted as the implicit inclusion of the Atharva Veda within the general structure.

  • Symbolic Meaning: It is suggested that because the first three Vedas contain the Omkara (the divine vibration of Om), they represent the pure essence of spiritual knowledge.

In short, out of the four Vedas, the Atharva Veda largely deals with material subjects such as music, arts, health, architecture, and astrology. The other three Vedas are fully consecrated to matters of the spirit. For this reason, Krishna highlights that He is those three Vedas exclusively dedicated to transcendence.

The Plane of Pacification and the Plane of Elevation

To understand how these two energies coexist in our existence, the Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.53.12) gifts us a beautiful scene where both needs live side by side:

"The best of the brahmanas chanted mantras of the Rg, Sama, and Yajur Vedas for the protection of the bride, and the expert priest of the Atharva Veda offered oblations to pacify the ruling planets."

Commenting on this passage, Srila Prabhupada explains the purpose of this corrective knowledge:

"Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti points out that the Atharva Veda often deals with the pacification of unfavorable planets."

This leaves us with a great lesson: we need the knowledge of the Atharva Veda to harmonize our human experience on Earth (health, protective dynamics, the material plane), but once the ground is pacified, our mind seeks to tune into a higher frequency.

Why is Krishna the Sama Veda?

Although it is historically recognized that the original Veda is the Yajur Veda, Lord Krishna chooses to emphasize the Sama Veda very prominently, mentioning it directly three times throughout the Bhagavad-gita:

  • Bhagavad-gita 9.17: "...I am also the Rg, the Sama, and the Yajur Vedas."

  • Bhagavad-gita 10.22: "Of the Vedas, I am the Sama Veda..."

  • Bhagavad-gita 10.35: "Of the hymns in the Sama Veda, I am the Brhat-sama..."

What is the reason behind this beautiful and repeated distinction? The reason is profound: among the four Vedas, the Sama Veda is considered the most important because within it, the vibhuti—the divine and transcendental opulence of Lord Krishna—manifests itself primordially, standing out above the other texts thanks to the exquisite sweetness of its melody.

Music, rhythm, and spiritual harmony are not human inventions; they have an entirely mystical origin. In fact, the Srimad-Bhagavatam (3.21.34) reveals an incredible poetic image of how this knowledge manifested in the universe:

"...the hymns that form the basis of the Sama Veda were vibrated by the beating of the wings of the Lord’s carrier, Garuda."

The vibration of the Sama Veda is so pure that it is the very root of the musical structure that makes us sigh. The Srimad-Bhagavatam (6.5.22) itself confirms this direct connection to art:

"...the seven musical notes—sa, re, ga, ma, pa, dha, and ni—originally come from the Sama Veda."

Therefore, when we listen to or sing music that truly elevates the soul, we are touching a direct spark of Krishna's energy.

And within this musical Veda, there is an even more specific and gorgeous hymn called the Brhat-sama, which is sung at the conclusion of the most auspicious Vedic ceremonies. This hymn glorifies Lord Krishna when He assumed the post of Indra (the ruler of the demigods) during His incarnation as Dharmasetu in the era of manvantara. Due to its celestial and matchless melody, the Brhat-sama is intoned with deep devotion by the very devas (demigods) on the higher planets.

By identifying Himself with the Sama Veda and the Brhat-sama, Krishna reminds us that His most intimate nature is not revealed through cold intellect or rigid ritualism, but through the beauty, art, and sweetness of sacred sound.

I hope from the bottom of my heart that this small research has been clear and, above all, helpful for your own path. Sometimes, ancient texts can seem like an incomprehensible or distant labyrinth, but when we explore them together—in community, with curiosity and an open heart, just as we did in our book club—they transform into a beautiful and deeply relevant map for our day-to-day lives.

Thank you for joining me on this flight of learning and for allowing these words to be a small refuge. We’ll read each other in the next note!

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