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(2) The Brahmanas, subsequent writings that explain, illustrate and direct the ritualistic use of the old texts or hymns of the Vedas; (3) Agamas.
(4) The Upanishads, appended to the Brahmanas and intended to bring out more fully and systematically the reference in the earlier writings to the great problems of the universe. (5) Six Darsanas or Schools of Philosophy later developments of systematized philosophy of the Indians. Speaking broadly these divisions of the Veda were written respectively by poets, priests and philosophers at great intervals of time. All alike are called the Veda, that is divine knowledge; or sruti, i.e., what has been directly heard or revealed. Veda is derived from the root vid to know, vidam knowledge, wisdom, Vedam is used in two senses, general and limited. In its general acceptance it includes any book which throws any light in the destiny of man. In its limited sense it means the Mantrams handled down to us from the ancient Aryan Rishis. In its general application the word Vedam can be used to the sacred writings of the Zorastrians, Christians, Mahomedans, etc. The antiquity of the Indian Vedam cannot be doubted. It is an admitted fact that Alkoran the vedam of the Mahomedans is subsequent to the Bible and that the Christian Vedam the Bible is subsequent to the Indian Vedam. Independent of other evidence the very name given to those Vedam clearly indicate that the latter is more ancient than the former. What is the name given to the Indian Vedam? It is called Sruti. What is the name given to the Christian Vedam? It is called the scripture. It is an admitted fact that writing was introduced into the world some thousands of years after man had been created. The world was ignorant of writing for centuries together. We may not all agree as to the date when writing was introduced. But it was introduced sometime or other. It was not coeval with man. Scripture means writing or what is written. The Bible must have been revealed after the introduction of writing into the world. The Bible itself says so vide lines 15 & 16, Ch. 32. The Exodus: 15. And Moses turned, and went down from the mount, and the two tables of the testimony were in his hand; the tables were written on both their sides; on the one side and on the other were they written.