The Vedas are the oldest sacred texts of Hinduism. Composed in an early form of Sanskrit and transmitted orally for centuries before being written down, they are regarded by traditional Hindus as revealed rather than composed—shruti, that which was heard.

Four collections make up the core: the Rigveda of hymns to the gods, the Samaveda of melodies, the Yajurveda of sacrificial formulas, and the Atharvaveda of spells and practical rites. Attached to them are later layers—the Brahmanas explaining ritual, the Aranyakas for forest dwellers, and the Upanishads that turn toward philosophical speculation about the self and the ultimate reality. Together they form a vast literature that is simultaneously liturgical handbook, poetic anthology, and seedbed of later Indian thought.

Vedic religion centered on fire sacrifice offered to deities such as Agni, Indra, and Soma. The ritual precision required specialized priests and exact pronunciation; a single mispronounced syllable could, it was believed, ruin the rite. Over time the focus shifted from external sacrifice to internal realization, yet the authority of the Vedas remained.

Even today the sound of Vedic chanting is considered sacred in its own right, independent of ordinary meaning.