The Wayback Machine - http://web.archive.org./web/20120622221507/http://wn.com:80/Vedas
Friday, 22 June 2012
Scientific Verification of the Vedas 1
Hymns From The Vedas - Creation
Greatness Of The Vedic Vedas Knowledge Perfect Science Part 1 of 6
Vedic History
The Tradition of Vedic Chanting
Veda Chanting - Part 1
Philip Goldberg on American Veda: How Indian Spirituality Changed the West
Scientific Verification of Vedic Knowledge in Hinduism - 1
Jain - Sacred Geometry & Vedic Mathematics
Jesus Prophecised in the Holy Vedas
Scientific Verification of Vedic Knowledge in Hinduism - 2
Agni - Rig Veda

Vedas

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Scientific Verification of the Vedas 1
  • Order:
  • Published: 03 Jul 2009
  • Duration: 8:15
  • Updated: 28 May 2012
Author: maxpathlen
CauselessMercy.com "The Sanskrit word veda means knowledge, or to know, so in the broadest sense Vedas can signify any source of factual practical knowledge. More specifically, veda means Absolute Truth, or knowledge that is eternally true in all places, for all beings and in any condition of life. As a literary work, the Vedas are the sacred scriptures of the Vedic civilization, the oldest living spiritual tradition in the world Also included within the Vedic literature are the Sūtras (books of concise philosophical statements), the Vedāṅgas (auxiliary sciences connected with Vedic study), and the Upavedas (sciences not directly related to Vedic study). The Sūtras include the Śrauta-sūtra, the Gṛha-sūtra, the Kalpa-sūtra, the Dharma-sūtra, the Śulva-sūtra, and most important, the Vedānta-sūtra. The six Vedāṅgas are Śikṣa (phonetics), Chandas (meter), Vyākāraṇa (grammar), Nirukta (etymology), Jyotiśa (astronomy), and Kalpa (ritual). Among the Upavedas are Āyur-veda (holistic medicine), Gāṇḍharva-veda (music and dance), Dhanur-veda (warfare), and Sthāpatya-veda (architecture). The complete Vedic literature is thus tens of thousands of volumes—a huge library of transcendental literature, full of eternal Absolute Truth, written in very sophisticated Sanskrit poetry, completely consistent in style and content. A compendium far too vast and stylistically consistent to be written by any ordinary human being, they were compiled by the sage Vyāsadeva who is himself an empowered <b>...</b>
http://web.archive.org./web/20120622221507/http://wn.com/Scientific Verification of the Vedas 1
Hymns From The Vedas - Creation
  • Order:
  • Published: 21 Nov 2007
  • Duration: 10:44
  • Updated: 28 May 2012
Author: adeline108
An adaptation from the original video production of Prashanti Digital Studio, Prashanti Nilayam. Visit : saidivineinspirations.blogspot.com or www.facebook.com
http://web.archive.org./web/20120622221507/http://wn.com/Hymns From The Vedas - Creation
Greatness Of The Vedic Vedas Knowledge Perfect Science Part 1 of 6
  • Order:
  • Published: 20 Aug 2009
  • Duration: 9:59
  • Updated: 26 May 2012
Author: TheVedicStudent
Greatness Of The Vedic Knowledge. Perfect Science which has everything humans need to know. Perfect Science!!! Many things which were discovered many thousands of years later by Western science, which have been already stated in the Vedic scriptures. This knowledge has been coming down in forum of disciplic succession by word of mouth. Till recently it was written down about 5000 years ago when this Yuga of great hardship started when human values have been degraded by so many things. All Written by a perfect person who himself created all this laws and manifestation of Earth and countless planets, which we cannot imagine with our little brains. Dont be stupid do your own research if you want to know more. Now the time your human body is limited in time so get moving time to inquire about the truth. Please watch all 6 parts totaling about 18minutes. Hare Krsna!
http://web.archive.org./web/20120622221507/http://wn.com/Greatness Of The Vedic Vedas Knowledge Perfect Science Part 1 of 6
Vedic History
  • Order:
  • Published: 07 Mar 2009
  • Duration: 21:18
  • Updated: 28 May 2012
Author: ConorRyan22
content.esotericteaching.org www.esotericteaching.org There are as many versions of ancient history as there are cultures and historians; however, none of them record events older than about 5000 years ago. Vedic history goes back far beyond 5000 years, but due to the disinformation campaign I mentioned yesterday, it is not accepted as history but instead branded mythology. Anyone who writes about Vedic history as factual cannot get published by the mainstream book industry or be taken seriously by the academic establishment. It is simply a closed subject, due to government control and covert economic manipulation of the media. So, what really did happen in the ancient past? The British fabricated a whole phony history of India and her people. The Aryan invasion theory, so common in Western books on comparative religion and archeology, is simply conjecture. There is no hard evidence to support it. The real story of Indias history is in the Vedic literature. You can also read Forbidden Archeology: the Hidden History of the Human Race by Richard Thompson and Michael Cremo. Unbiased archeological explorations in India during the last 20 years have devastated the British concoction and confirmed the Vedic version. Nevertheless, you will not see this information in textbooks on comparative religion and Asian culture. It has been suppressed along with so much of the Vedic truth. Would you like to know the real truth about the history of India and our planet? What follows is the <b>...</b>
http://web.archive.org./web/20120622221507/http://wn.com/Vedic History
The Tradition of Vedic Chanting
  • Order:
  • Published: 28 Sep 2009
  • Duration: 4:34
  • Updated: 25 May 2012
Author: unesco
UNESCO: Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity - 2008 URL: www.unesco.org Description: The Vedas comprise a vast corpus of Sanskrit poetry, philosophical dialogue, myth, and ritual incantations developed and composed by Aryans over 3500 years ago. Regarded by Hindus as the primary source of knowledge and the sacred foundation of their religion, the Vedas embody one of the worlds oldest surviving cultural traditions. The Vedic heritage embraces a multitude of texts and interpretations collected in four Vedas, commonly referred to as books of knowledge even though they have been transmitted orally. The Rig Veda is an anthology of sacred hymns; the Sama Veda features musical arrangements of hymns from the Rig Veda and other sources; the Yajur Veda abounds in prayers and sacrificial formulae used by priests; and the Atharna Veda includes incantations and spells. The Vedas also offer insight into the history of Hinduism and the early development of several artistic, scientific and philosophical concepts, such as the concept of zero. Expressed in the Vedic language, which is derived from classical Sanskrit, the verses of the Vedas were traditionally chanted during sacred rituals and recited daily in Vedic communities. The value of this tradition lies not only in the rich content of its oral literature but also in the ingenious techniques employed by the Brahmin priests in preserving the texts intact over thousands of years. To ensure that the sound <b>...</b>
http://web.archive.org./web/20120622221507/http://wn.com/The Tradition of Vedic Chanting
Veda Chanting - Part 1
  • Order:
  • Published: 28 Oct 2008
  • Duration: 10:09
  • Updated: 30 May 2012
Author: ritaturner
totallyfreeenergy.zxq.net Veda chanting
http://web.archive.org./web/20120622221507/http://wn.com/Veda Chanting - Part 1
Philip Goldberg on American Veda: How Indian Spirituality Changed the West
  • Order:
  • Published: 28 Nov 2010
  • Duration: 46:43
  • Updated: 17 May 2012
Author: msheerin67
In 1968, the Beatles went to India for an extended stay with their new guru, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, a spiritual retreat that exploded the ancient philosophy of Vedanta and the mind-body methods of Yoga into popular Western culture, an introduction that actually began when translations of Hindu texts penetrated the thinking of John Adams and Ralph Waldo Emerson, and the ideas spread to Thoreau, Whitman, and succeeding generations of receptive Americans, who absorbed India's "science of consciousness." Philip Goldberg, author, director for SpiritualCitizens.net, and Huffington Post blogger on religion, traces this movement from Emerson to the Beatles to Yoga and Meditation. www.philipgoldberg.com
http://web.archive.org./web/20120622221507/http://wn.com/Philip Goldberg on American Veda: How Indian Spirituality Changed the West
Scientific Verification of Vedic Knowledge in Hinduism - 1
  • Order:
  • Published: 13 Mar 2007
  • Duration: 8:14
  • Updated: 26 May 2012
Author: aumprakash
A vast number of statements and materials presented in the ancient Vedic literatures can be shown to agree with modern scientific findings and they also reveal a highly developed scientific content in these literatures. The great cultural wealth of this knowledge is highly relevant in the modern world. Techniques used to show this agreement include: Marine Archaeology of underwater sites (such as Dvaraka) Satellite imagery of the Indus-Sarasvata River system Carbon and Thermoluminiscence Dating of archaeological artifacts Scientific Verification of Scriptural statements Linguistic analysis of scripts found on archaeological artifacts A Study of cultural continuity in all these categories. devavision.org
http://web.archive.org./web/20120622221507/http://wn.com/Scientific Verification of Vedic Knowledge in Hinduism - 1
Jain - Sacred Geometry & Vedic Mathematics
  • Order:
  • Published: 26 Jan 2007
  • Duration: 9:15
  • Updated: 30 May 2012
Author: mearbhrach
www.jainmathemagics.com Vedic mathematics is a system of mathematics consisting of a list of 16 basic sutras, or aphorisms, that allegedly encompass all mathematics. They were presented by a Hindu scholar and mathematician, Jagadguru Swami Sri Bharati Krishna Tirthaji Maharaja, during the early part of the 20th century (Trivedi, 1965). See Also http www.isbn.nu www.lauralee.com Download Audio: www.lauralee.com
http://web.archive.org./web/20120622221507/http://wn.com/Jain - Sacred Geometry & Vedic Mathematics
Jesus Prophecised in the Holy Vedas
  • Order:
  • Published: 04 May 2008
  • Duration: 3:22
  • Updated: 30 May 2012
Author: VedicSastras
Prophecy which, describes the future appearance of Isha putra, the son (putra) of God (Isha)(Jesus Christ), born of an unmarried woman named Kumari (Mary) Garbha Sambhava. He would visit India at the age of thirteen and go to the Himalayan Mountains and do tapas or penance to acquire spiritual maturity under the guidance of rishis and siddha-yogis before going back to Palestine to preach to his people, explaining why he was able to perform various miracles (siddhas). It also explains why there are so many philosophical similarities between early Christianity and Hinduism. Jesus was an initiate of the Vedic wisdom of India. Thus, he naturally based much of his own teachings on Vedic knowledge, much of which has been lost from the Christian fold through the ages. (Such as in Constantinople in 441AD when the Romans decided to get rid of Jesus' teachings on reincarnation, karma, vegetarianism and fashion them to suit themselves).
http://web.archive.org./web/20120622221507/http://wn.com/Jesus Prophecised in the Holy Vedas
Scientific Verification of Vedic Knowledge in Hinduism - 2
  • Order:
  • Published: 13 Mar 2007
  • Duration: 9:35
  • Updated: 22 May 2012
Author: aumprakash
A vast number of statements and materials presented in the ancient Vedic literatures can be shown to agree with modern scientific findings and they also reveal a highly developed scientific content in these literatures. The great cultural wealth of this knowledge is highly relevant in the modern world. Techniques used to show this agreement include: Marine Archaeology of underwater sites (such as Dvaraka) Satellite imagery of the Indus-Sarasvata River system Carbon and Thermoluminiscence Dating of archaeological artifacts Scientific Verification of Scriptural statements Linguistic analysis of scripts found on archaeological artifacts A Study of cultural continuity in all these categories. devavision.org
http://web.archive.org./web/20120622221507/http://wn.com/Scientific Verification of Vedic Knowledge in Hinduism - 2
Agni - Rig Veda
  • Order:
  • Published: 27 Feb 2008
  • Duration: 1:41
  • Updated: 30 May 2012
Author: krishvalli
A Hymn dedicated to God of Fire, Lightning & Sun - Agni from the Rig Vedas
http://web.archive.org./web/20120622221507/http://wn.com/Agni - Rig Veda
Vedic Prophecies by Stephen Knapp
  • Order:
  • Published: 21 Apr 2008
  • Duration: 5:55
  • Updated: 27 May 2012
Author: radhika801
A short interview with Stephen Knapp by Robert Taylor on his book, The Vedic Prophecies. You can find out more about this in Stephen's video "Vedic Prophecies # 2," and in his video "2012 and Beyond." More information can also be found in Stephen's articles, projects, and books at www.stephen-knapp.com, and at stephenknapp.wordpress.com.
http://web.archive.org./web/20120622221507/http://wn.com/Vedic Prophecies by Stephen Knapp
Secret Knowledge of Ancient vedas in Hindusim
  • Order:
  • Published: 21 Jan 2010
  • Duration: 9:58
  • Updated: 25 May 2012
Author: utubekhiladi
The Vedas (Sanskrit वेद véda, "knowledge") are a large body of texts originating in Ancient India. Composed in Vedic Sanskrit, the texts constitute the oldest layer of Sanskrit literature and the oldest scriptures of Hinduism The class of "Vedic texts" is aggregated around the four canonical Saṃhitās or Vedas proper (turīya), of which three (traya) are related to the performance of yajna (sacrifice) in historical (Iron Age) Vedic religion: the Rigveda, containing hymns to be recited by the hotṛ or chief priest; the Yajurveda, containing formulas to be recited by the adhvaryu or officiating priest; the Samaveda, containing formulas to be chanted by the udgātṛ. The fourth is the Atharvaveda, a collection of spells and incantations, stories, predictions, apotropaic charms and some speculative hymns The various Indian philosophies and sects have taken differing positions on the Vedas. Schools of Indian philosophy which cite the Vedas as their scriptural authority are classified as "orthodox" (āstika). Other traditions, notably Buddhism and Jainism, which did not regard the Vedas as authorities are referred to by traditional Hindu texts as "heterodox" or "non-orthodox" (nāstika) schools.
http://web.archive.org./web/20120622221507/http://wn.com/Secret Knowledge of Ancient vedas in Hindusim
  • Scientific Verification of the Vedas 1...8:15
  • Hymns From The Vedas - Creation...10:44
  • Greatness Of The Vedic Vedas Knowledge Perfect Science Part 1 of 6...9:59
  • Vedic History...21:18
  • The Tradition of Vedic Chanting...4:34
  • Veda Chanting - Part 1...10:09
  • Philip Goldberg on American Veda: How Indian Spirituality Changed the West...46:43
  • Scientific Verification of Vedic Knowledge in Hinduism - 1...8:14
  • Jain - Sacred Geometry & Vedic Mathematics...9:15
  • Jesus Prophecised in the Holy Vedas...3:22
  • Scientific Verification of Vedic Knowledge in Hinduism - 2...9:35
  • Agni - Rig Veda...1:41
  • Vedic Prophecies by Stephen Knapp...5:55
  • Secret Knowledge of Ancient vedas in Hindusim...9:58
CauselessMercy.com "The Sanskrit word veda means knowledge, or to know, so in the broadest sense Vedas can signify any source of factual practical knowledge. More specifically, veda means Absolute Truth, or knowledge that is eternally true in all places, for all beings and in any condition of life. As a literary work, the Vedas are the sacred scriptures of the Vedic civilization, the oldest living spiritual tradition in the world Also included within the Vedic literature are the Sūtras (books of concise philosophical statements), the Vedāṅgas (auxiliary sciences connected with Vedic study), and the Upavedas (sciences not directly related to Vedic study). The Sūtras include the Śrauta-sūtra, the Gṛha-sūtra, the Kalpa-sūtra, the Dharma-sūtra, the Śulva-sūtra, and most important, the Vedānta-sūtra. The six Vedāṅgas are Śikṣa (phonetics), Chandas (meter), Vyākāraṇa (grammar), Nirukta (etymology), Jyotiśa (astronomy), and Kalpa (ritual). Among the Upavedas are Āyur-veda (holistic medicine), Gāṇḍharva-veda (music and dance), Dhanur-veda (warfare), and Sthāpatya-veda (architecture). The complete Vedic literature is thus tens of thousands of volumes—a huge library of transcendental literature, full of eternal Absolute Truth, written in very sophisticated Sanskrit poetry, completely consistent in style and content. A compendium far too vast and stylistically consistent to be written by any ordinary human being, they were compiled by the sage Vyāsadeva who is himself an empowered <b>...</b>
8:15
Sci­en­tif­ic Ver­i­fi­ca­tion of the Vedas 1
CauselessMercy.​com "The San­skrit word veda means knowl­edge, or to know, so in the bro...
pub­lished: 03 Jul 2009
au­thor: max­pathlen
10:44
Hymns From The Vedas - Cre­ation
An adap­ta­tion from the orig­i­nal video pro­duc­tion of Prashan­ti Dig­i­tal Stu­dio, Prashan­ti Ni...
pub­lished: 21 Nov 2007
au­thor: ade­line108
9:59
Great­ness Of The Vedic Vedas Knowl­edge Per­fect Sci­ence Part 1 of 6
Great­ness Of The Vedic Knowl­edge. Per­fect Sci­ence which has ev­ery­thing hu­mans need to know...
pub­lished: 20 Aug 2009
21:18
Vedic His­to­ry
content.​esotericteaching.​org www.​esotericteaching.​org There are as many ver­sions of an­cien...
pub­lished: 07 Mar 2009
au­thor: Conor­Ryan22
4:34
The Tra­di­tion of Vedic Chant­ing
UN­ESCO: Rep­re­sen­ta­tive List of the In­tan­gi­ble Cul­tur­al Her­itage of Hu­man­i­ty - 2008 URL: ww...
pub­lished: 28 Sep 2009
au­thor: un­esco
10:09
Veda Chant­ing - Part 1
totallyfreeenergy.​zxq.​net Veda chant­ing...
pub­lished: 28 Oct 2008
au­thor: ri­taturn­er
46:43
Philip Gold­berg on Amer­i­can Veda: How In­di­an Spir­i­tu­al­i­ty Changed the West
In 1968, the Bea­t­les went to India for an ex­tend­ed stay with their new guru, Ma­har­ishi Mah...
pub­lished: 28 Nov 2010
au­thor: msheer­in67
8:14
Sci­en­tif­ic Ver­i­fi­ca­tion of Vedic Knowl­edge in Hin­duism - 1
A vast num­ber of state­ments and ma­te­ri­als pre­sent­ed in the an­cient Vedic lit­er­a­tures can b...
pub­lished: 13 Mar 2007
au­thor: aumprakash
9:15
Jain - Sa­cred Ge­om­e­try & Vedic Math­e­mat­ics
www.​jainmathemagics.​com Vedic math­e­mat­ics is a sys­tem of math­e­mat­ics con­sist­ing of a list ...
pub­lished: 26 Jan 2007
au­thor: mearbhrach
3:22
Jesus Prophe­cised in the Holy Vedas
Prophe­cy which, de­scribes the fu­ture ap­pear­ance of Isha putra, the son (putra) of God (Ish...
pub­lished: 04 May 2008
9:35
Sci­en­tif­ic Ver­i­fi­ca­tion of Vedic Knowl­edge in Hin­duism - 2
A vast num­ber of state­ments and ma­te­ri­als pre­sent­ed in the an­cient Vedic lit­er­a­tures can b...
pub­lished: 13 Mar 2007
au­thor: aumprakash
1:41
Agni - Rig Veda
A Hymn ded­i­cat­ed to God of Fire, Light­ning & Sun - Agni from the Rig Vedas...
pub­lished: 27 Feb 2008
5:55
Vedic Prophe­cies by Stephen Knapp
A short in­ter­view with Stephen Knapp by Robert Tay­lor on his book, The Vedic Prophe­cies. Y...
pub­lished: 21 Apr 2008
au­thor: rad­hika801
9:58
Se­cret Knowl­edge of An­cient vedas in Hin­dusim
The Vedas (San­skrit वेद véda, "knowl­edge") are a large ...
pub­lished: 21 Jan 2010
7:15
Hin­duism ,Physics ,And Meta­physics(Veda, Atman, Brah­man)
hin­duism...
pub­lished: 16 Jul 2008
au­thor: Vedik­Gyan
5:20
Vedic Nadi As­trol­o­gy Not of Human Orgin
www.​AstroVed.​com Visit http videos: www.​youtube.​com li­brary: www.​youtube.​com Dr. Pil­lai...
pub­lished: 13 May 2007
9:50
Rig Veda - 1 (1/5)
The rig veda as chant­ed by south in­di­an brah­mins. Pan­dit Sitara­man along with other south ...
pub­lished: 29 Mar 2008
au­thor: vedas88
6:16
Ma­har­ishi Gand­har­va Veda music - in­tro­duc­tion
Video with slides, in­tro­duc­ing Ma­har­ishi Gand­har­va Veda music, with sam­ples of Ragas perfo...
pub­lished: 30 Jan 2008
9:54
Sci­en­tif­ic Ver­i­fi­ca­tion of Vedic Knowl­edge in Hin­duism - 3
A vast num­ber of state­ments and ma­te­ri­als pre­sent­ed in the an­cient Vedic lit­er­a­tures can b...
pub­lished: 14 Mar 2007
au­thor: aumprakash
3:37
Roy Vedas - Frag­ments of Life (The orig­i­nal)
Check out the vocoder ef­fect... be­fore Cher stole it....
pub­lished: 21 Sep 2006
au­thor: To­mo­sushi
10:10
Tamil An­cient Hindu Vedic Song - Heart melt­ing music
Nalayi­ra divya prab­han­dam...
pub­lished: 23 May 2010
au­thor: vvvvarun1
3:46
RG VEDA
The 5th graders of the Ross School per­form the Rg Veda, a cul­mi­na­tion of their stud­ies. Th...
pub­lished: 02 Sep 2008


  • Knucklebones die, made of Steatite A collection of historical dice from Asia Dice have been used throughout Asia since before recorded history. The oldest known dice were excavated as part of a 5000-year-old backgammon set, at Shahr-i Sokhta, the Burnt City, an archeological site in south-eastern Iran.[2] Excavations from ancient tombs in the Harappan civilization,[3] seem to further indicate a South Asian origin. Dicing is mentioned as an Indian game in the Rig Veda, Atharva Veda[4] and Buddha
    Creative Commons
  • Illustration by Raja Ravi Verma. In illustrations, the goddess often sits on a lotus flower and appears with five heads and five pairs of hands, the heads representing the four vedas and the almighty god.[1]
    Creative Commons
  • The Rig Veda is one of the oldest religious texts. This Rig Veda manuscript is in Devanagari
    Creative Commons / BernardM
  • The High Coast Bridge (in Swedish Högakustenbron) is a suspension bridge crossing the mouth of the Ångermanälven river near Veda, on the border between the Härnösand and Kramfors municipalities in the province of Ångermanland in northern Sweden.
    Creative Commons / Voyager
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    Creative Commons / Dirkvd M
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    Cankaya
  • Cumhurbaskani Sezer tarafindan Genelkurmay Bask. Org. Yasar Buyukanit a veda ziyareti
    Cankaya
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more news on: Vedas

The Vedas (Sanskrit वेदाः véda, "knowledge") are a large body of texts originating in ancient India. Composed in Vedic Sanskrit, the texts constitute the oldest layer of Sanskrit literature and the oldest scriptures of Hinduism.[1][2] The Vedas are apauruṣeya ("not of human agency").[3][4][5] They are supposed to have been directly revealed, and thus are called śruti ("what is heard"),[6][7] distinguishing them from other religious texts, which are called smṛti ("what is remembered").

The Vedic texts or śruti are organized around four canonical collections of metrical material known as Saṃhitās, of which the first three are related to the performance of yajna (sacrifice) in historical Vedic religion:

  1. The Rigveda, containing hymns to be recited by the hotṛ;
  2. The Yajurveda, containing formulas to be recited by the adhvaryu or officiating priest;
  3. The Samaveda, containing formulas to be sung by the udgātṛ.
  4. The fourth is the Atharvaveda, a collection of spells and incantations, apotropaic charms and speculative hymns.[8]

The individual verses contained in these compilations are known as mantras. Some selected Vedic mantras are still recited at prayers, religious functions and other auspicious occasions in contemporary Hinduism.

The various Indian philosophies and sects have taken differing positions on the Vedas. Schools of Indian philosophy which cite the Vedas as their scriptural authority are classified as "orthodox" (āstika). Other traditions, notably Buddhism and Jainism, which did not regard the Vedas as authorities are referred to by traditional Hindu texts as "heterodox" or "non-orthodox" (nāstika) schools.[9][10] In addition to Buddhism and Jainism, Sikhism[11][12] and Brahmoism,[13] many non-Brahmin Hindus in South India [14] do not accept the authority of the Vedas. Certain South Indian Brahmin communities such as Iyengars consider the Tamil Divya Prabandham or writing of the Alvar saints as equivalent to the Vedas.[15]

Contents

Etymology and usage [link]

The Sanskrit word véda "knowledge, wisdom" is derived from the root vid- "to know". This is reconstructed as being derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *u̯eid-, meaning "see" or "know".[16]

As a noun, the word appears only in a single instance in the Rigveda, in RV 8.19.5, translated by Griffith as "ritual lore":

yáḥ samídhā yá âhutī / yó védena dadâśa márto agnáye / yó námasā svadhvaráḥ
"The mortal who hath ministered to Agni with oblation, fuel, ritual lore, and reverence, skilled in sacrifice."[17]

The noun is from Proto-Indo-European *u̯eidos, cognate to Greek (ϝ)εἶδος "aspect", "form" . Not to be confused is the homonymous 1st and 3rd person singular perfect tense véda, cognate to Greek (ϝ)οἶδα (w)oida "I know". Root cognates are Greek ἰδέα, English wit, etc., Latin videō "I see", etc.[18]

In English, the term Veda is often used loosely to refer to the Samhitas (collection of mantras, or chants) of the four canonical Vedas (Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samaveda and Atharvaveda).

The Sanskrit term veda as a common noun means "knowledge", but can also be used to refer to fields of study unrelated to liturgy or ritual, e.g. in agada-veda "medical science", sasya-veda "science of agriculture" or sarpa-veda "science of snakes" (already found in the early Upanishads); durveda means "with evil knowledge, ignorant".[19]

Chronology [link]

The Vedas are among the oldest sacred texts. The Samhitas date to roughly 1500–1000 BCE, and the "circum-Vedic" texts, as well as the redaction of the Samhitas, date to c. 1000-500 BCE, resulting in a Vedic period, spanning the mid 2nd to mid 1st millennium BCE, or the Late Bronze Age and the Iron Age.[20] The Vedic period reaches its peak only after the composition of the mantra texts, with the establishment of the various shakhas all over Northern India which annotated the mantra samhitas with Brahmana discussions of their meaning, and reaches its end in the age of Buddha and Panini and the rise of the Mahajanapadas (archaeologically, Northern Black Polished Ware). Michael Witzel gives a time span of c. 1500 BCE to c. 500-400 BCE. Witzel makes special reference to the Near Eastern Mitanni material of the 14th c. BCE the only epigraphic record of Indo-Aryan contemporary to the Rigvedic period. He gives 150 BCE (Patañjali) as a terminus ante quem for all Vedic Sanskrit literature, and 1200 BCE (the early Iron Age) as terminus post quem for the Atharvaveda.[21]

Transmission of texts in the Vedic period was by oral tradition alone, preserved with precision with the help of elaborate mnemonic techniques. A literary tradition set in only in post-Vedic times, after the rise of Buddhism in the Maurya period, perhaps earliest in the Kanva recension of the Yajurveda about the 1st century BCE; however oral tradition predominated until c. 1000 CE.[22]

Due to the ephemeral nature of the manuscript material (birch bark or palm leaves), surviving manuscripts rarely surpass an age of a few hundred years.[23] The Benares Sanskrit University has a Rigveda manuscript of the mid-14th century; however, there are a number of older Veda manuscripts in Nepal belonging to the Vajasaneyi tradition that are dated from the 11th century onwards.

Categories of Vedic texts [link]

The term "Vedic texts" is used in two distinct meanings:

  1. Texts composed in Vedic Sanskrit during the Vedic period (Iron Age India)
  2. Any text considered as "connected to the Vedas" or a "corollary of the Vedas"[24]

Vedic Sanskrit corpus[link]

The corpus of Vedic Sanskrit texts includes:

  • The Samhita (Sanskrit saṃhitā, "collection"), are collections of metric texts ("mantras"). There are four "Vedic" Samhitas: the Rig-Veda, Sama-Veda, Yajur-Veda, and Atharva-Veda, most of which are available in several recensions (śākhā). In some contexts, the term Veda is used to refer to these Samhitas. This is the oldest layer of Vedic texts, apart from the Rigvedic hymns, which were probably essentially complete by 1200 BC, dating to ca. the 12th to 10th centuries BC. The complete corpus of Vedic mantras as collected in Bloomfield's Vedic Concordance (1907) consists of some 89,000 padas (metric feet), of which 72,000 occur in the four Samhitas.[25]
  • The Brahmanas are prose texts that discuss, in technical fashion, the solemn sacrificial rituals as well as comment on their meaning and many connected themes. Each of the Brahmanas is associated with one of the Samhitas or its recensions. The Brahmanas may either form separate texts or can be partly integrated into the text of the Samhitas. They may also include the Aranyakas and Upanishads.
  • The Aranyakas, "wilderness texts" or "forest treaties", were composed by people who meditated in the woods as recluses and are the third part of the Vedas. The texts contain discussions and interpretations of dangerous rituals (to be studied outside the settlement) and various sorts of additional materials. It is frequently read in secondary literature.
  • Some of the older Mukhya Upanishads (Bṛhadāraṇyaka, Chandogya, Kaṭha).[26][27]
  • Certain Sūtra literature, i.e. the Shrautasutras and the Grhyasutras.

The Shrauta Sutras, regarded as belonging to the smriti, are late Vedic in language and content, thus forming part of the Vedic Sanskrit corpus.[27][28] The composition of the Shrauta and Grhya Sutras (ca. 6th century BC) marks the end of the Vedic period, and at the same time the beginning of the flourishing of the "circum-Vedic" scholarship of Vedanga, introducing the early flowering of classical Sanskrit literature in the Mauryan and Gupta periods.

While production of Brahmanas and Aranyakas ceases with the end of the Vedic period, there is a large number of Upanishads composed after the end of the Vedic period. While most of the ten Mukhya Upanishads can be considered to date to the Vedic or Mahajanapada period, most of the 108 Upanishads of the full Muktika canon date to the Common Era.

The Brahmanas, Aranyakas, and Upanishads often interpret the polytheistic and ritualistic Samhitas in philosophical and metaphorical ways to explore abstract concepts such as the Absolute (Brahman), and the soul or the self (Atman), introducing Vedanta philosophy, one of the major trends of later Hinduism.

The Vedic Sanskrit corpus is the scope of A Vedic Word Concordance (Vaidika-Padānukrama-Koṣa) prepared from 1930 under Vishva Bandhu, and published in five volumes in 1935-1965. Its scope extends to about 400 texts, including the entire Vedic Sanskrit corpus besides some "sub-Vedic" texts.

Volume I: Samhitas
Volume II: Brahmanas and Aranyakas
Volume III: Upanishads
Volume IV: Vedangas

A revised edition, extending to about 1800 pages, was published in 1973-1976.

Shruti literature[link]

The texts considered "Vedic" in the sense of "corollaries of the Vedas" is less clearly defined, and may include numerous post-Vedic texts such as Upanishads or Sutra literature. These texts are by many Hindu sects considered to be shruti (Sanskrit: śruti; "the heard"), divinely revealed like the Vedas themselves. Texts not considered to be shruti are known as smriti (Sanskrit: smṛti; "the remembered"), of human origin. This indigenous system of categorization was adopted by Max Müller and, while it is subject to some debate, it is still widely used. As Axel Michaels explains:

These classifications are often not tenable for linguistic and formal reasons: There is not only one collection at any one time, but rather several handed down in separate Vedic schools; Upanişads ... are sometimes not to be distinguished from Āraṇyakas...; Brāhmaṇas contain older strata of language attributed to the Saṃhitās; there are various dialects and locally prominent traditions of the Vedic schools. Nevertheless, it is advisable to stick to the division adopted by Max Müller because it follows the Indian tradition, conveys the historical sequence fairly accurately, and underlies the current editions, translations, and monographs on Vedic literature."[26]

The Upanishads are largely philosophical works in dialog form. They discuss questions of nature philosophy and the fate of the soul, and contain some mystic and spiritual interpretations of the Vedas. For long, they have been regarded as their putative end and essence, and are thus known as Vedānta ("the end of the Vedas"). Taken together, they are the basis of the Vedanta school.

Vedic schools or recensions [link]

Study of the extensive body of Vedic texts has been organized into a number of different schools or branches (Sanskrit śākhā, literally "branch" or "limb") each of which specialized in learning certain texts.[29] Multiple recensions are known for each of the Vedas, and each Vedic text may have a number of schools associated with it. Elaborate methods for preserving the text were based on memorizing by heart instead of writing. Specific techniques for parsing and reciting the texts were used to assist in the memorization process. (See also: Vedic chant)

Prodigous energy was expended by ancient Indian culture in ensuring that these texts were transmitted from generation to generation with inordinate fidelity.[30] For example, memorization of the sacred Vedas included up to eleven forms of recitation of the same text. The texts were subsequently "proof-read" by comparing the different recited versions. Forms of recitation included the jaṭā-pāṭha (literally "mesh recitation") in which every two adjacent words in the text were first recited in their original order, then repeated in the reverse order, and finally repeated again in the original order.[31]

That these methods have been effective, is testified to by the preservation of the most ancient Indian religious text, the Ṛigveda, as redacted into a single text during the Brahmana period, without any variant readings.[31]

The four Vedas [link]

Rigveda (padapatha) manuscript in Devanagari, early 19th century

The canonical division of the Vedas is fourfold (turīya) viz.,[34]

  1. Rigveda (RV)
  2. Yajurveda (YV, with the main division TS vs. VS)
  3. Sama-Veda (SV)
  4. Atharva-Veda (AV)

Of these, the first three were the principal original division, also called "trayī vidyā", that is, "the triple sacred science" of reciting hymns (RV), performing sacrifices (YV), and chanting (SV).[35][36] This triplicity is so introduced in the Brahmanas (ShB, ABr and others), but the Rigveda is the older work of the three from which the other two borrow, next to their own independent Yajus, sorcery and speculative mantras.

Thus, the Mantras are properly of three forms: 1. Ric, which are verses of praise in metre, and intended for loud recitation; 2. Yajus, which are in prose, and intended for recitation in lower voice at sacrifices; 3. Sāman, which are in metre, and intended for singing at the Soma ceremonies.

The Yajurveda, Samaveda and Atharvaveda are independent collections of mantras and hymns intended as manuals for the Adhvaryu, Udgatr and Brahman priests respectively.

The Atharvaveda is the fourth Veda. Its status has occasionally been ambiguous, probably due to its use in sorcery and healing. However, it contains very old materials in early Vedic language. Manusmrti, which often speaks of the three Vedas, calling them trayam-brahma-sanātanam, "the triple eternal Veda". The Atharvaveda like the Rigveda, is a collection of original incantations, and other materials borrowing relatively little from the Rigveda. It has no direct relation to the solemn Śrauta sacrifices, except for the fact that the mostly silent Brahmán priest observes the procedures and uses Atharvaveda mantras to 'heal' it when mistakes have been made. Its recitation also produces long life, cures diseases, or effects the ruin of enemies.

Each of the four Vedas consists of the metrical Mantra or Samhita and the prose Brahmana part, giving discussions and directions for the detail of the ceremonies at which the Mantras were to be used and explanations of the legends connected with the Mantras and rituals. Both these portions are termed shruti (which tradition says to have been heard but not composed or written down by men). Each of the four Vedas seems to have passed to numerous Shakhas or schools, giving rise to various recensions of the text. They each have an Index or Anukramani, the principal work of this kind being the general Index or Sarvānukramaṇī.

Rigveda [link]

The Rigveda Samhita is the oldest extant Indic text.[37] It is a collection of 1,028 Vedic Sanskrit hymns and 10,600 verses in all, organized into ten books (Sanskrit: mandalas).[38] The hymns are dedicated to Rigvedic deities.[39]

The books were composed by poets from different priestly groups over a period of several centuries, commonly dated to the period of roughly the second half of the 2nd millennium BCE (the early Vedic period) in the Punjab (Sapta Sindhu) region of the Indian subcontinent.[40]

There are strong linguistic and cultural similarities between the Rigveda and the early Iranian Avesta, deriving from the Proto-Indo-Iranian times, often associated with the Andronovo culture; the earliest horse-drawn chariots were found at Andronovo sites in the Sintashta-Petrovka cultural area near the Ural Mountains and date to ca. 2000 BCE.[41]

Rig Veda manuscripts have been selected for inscription in UNESCO's "Memory of the World" Register 2007.[42]

Yajurveda [link]

The Yajurveda Samhita consists of archaic prose mantras and also in part of verses borrowed and adapted from the Rigveda. Its purpose was practical, in that each mantra must accompany an action in sacrifice but, unlike the Samaveda, it was compiled to apply to all sacrificial rites, not merely the Somayajna. There are two major groups of recensions of this Veda, known as the "Black" (Krishna) and "White" (Shukla) Yajurveda (Krishna and Shukla Yajurveda respectively). While White Yajurveda separates the Samhita from its Brahmana (the Shatapatha Brahmana), the e Black Yajurveda intersperses the Samhita with Brahmana commentary. Of the Black Yajurveda four major recensions survive (Maitrayani, Katha, Kapisthala-Katha, Taittiriya).

Samaveda [link]

The Samaveda Samhita (from sāman, the term for a melody applied to metrical hymn or song of praise[43]) consists of 1549 stanzas, taken almost entirely (except for 78 stanzas) from the Rigveda.[26] Like the Rigvedic stanzas in the Yajurveda, the Samans have been changed and adapted for use in singing. Some of the Rigvedic verses are repeated more than once. Including repetitions, there are a total of 1875 verses numbered in the Samaveda recension translated by Griffith.[44] Two major recensions remain today, the Kauthuma/Ranayaniya and the Jaiminiya. Its purpose was liturgical, as the repertoire of the udgātṛ or "singer" priests who took part in the sacrifice.

Atharvaveda [link]

The Artharvaveda Samhita is the text 'belonging to the Atharvan and Angirasa poets. It has 760 hymns, and about 160 of the hymns are in common with the Rigveda.[45] Most of the verses are metrical, but some sections are in prose.[45] It was compiled around 900 BCE, although some of its material may go back to the time of the Rigveda,[46] and some parts of the Atharva-Veda are older than the Rig-Veda[45] though not in linguistic form.

The Atharvaveda is preserved in two recensions, the Paippalāda and Śaunaka.[45] According to Apte it had nine schools (shakhas).[47] The Paippalada text, which exists in a Kashmir and an Orissa version, is longer than the Saunaka one; it is only partially printed in its two versions and remains largely untranslated.

Unlike the other three Vedas, the Atharvanaveda has less connection with sacrifice.[48][49] Its first part consists chiefly of spells and incantations, concerned with protection against demons and disaster, spells for the healing of diseases, for long life and for various desires or aims in life.[45][50]

The second part of the text contains speculative and philosophical hymns.[51]

The Atharvaveda is a comparatively late extension of the "Three Vedas" connected to priestly sacrifice to a canon of "Four Vedas". This may be connected to an extension of the sacrificial rite from involving three types of priest to the inclusion of the Brahman overseeing the ritual.[52]

The Atharvaveda is concerned with the material world or world of man and in this respect differs from the other three vedas. Atharvaveda also sanctions the use of force, in particular circumstances and similarly this point is a departure from the three other vedas.

Brahmanas[link]

The mystical notions surrounding the concept of the one "Veda" that would flower in Vedantic philosophy have their roots already in Brahmana literature, for example in the Shatapatha Brahmana. The Vedas are identified with Brahman, the universal principle (ŚBM 10.1.1.8, 10.2.4.6). Vāc "speech" is called the "mother of the Vedas" (ŚBM 6.5.3.4, 10.5.5.1). The knowledge of the Vedas is endless, compared to them, human knowledge is like mere handfuls of dirt (TB 3.10.11.3-5). The universe itself was originally encapsulated in the three Vedas (ŚBM 10.4.2.22 has Prajapati reflecting that "truly, all beings are in the triple Veda").

Vedanta[link]

Veda Vyasa attributed to have compiled the Vedas

While contemporary traditions continued to maintain Vedic ritualism (Śrauta, Mimamsa), Vedanta renounced all ritualism and radically re-interpreted the notion of "Veda" in purely philosophical terms. The association of the three Vedas with the bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ mantra is found in the Aitareya Aranyaka: "Bhūḥ is the Rigveda, bhuvaḥ is the Yajurveda, svaḥ is the Samaveda" (1.3.2). The Upanishads reduce the "essence of the Vedas" further, to the syllable Aum (). Thus, the Katha Upanishad has:

"The goal, which all Vedas declare, which all austerities aim at, and which humans desire when they live a life of continence, I will tell you briefly it is Aum" (1.2.15)

In post-Vedic literature[link]

Vedanga [link]

Six technical subjects related to the Vedas are traditionally known as vedāṅga "limbs of the Veda". V. S. Apte defines this group of works as:

"N. of a certain class of works regarded as auxiliary to the Vedas and designed to aid in the correct pronunciation and interpretation of the text and the right employment of the Mantras in ceremonials."[53]

These subjects are treated in Sūtra literature dating from the end of the Vedic period to Mauryan times, seeing the transition from late Vedic Sanskrit to Classical Sanskrit.

The six subjects of Vedanga are:

Parisista[link]

Pariśiṣṭa "supplement, appendix" is the term applied to various ancillary works of Vedic literature, dealing mainly with details of ritual and elaborations of the texts logically and chronologically prior to them: the Samhitas, Brahmanas, Aranyakas and Sutras. Naturally classified with the Veda to which each pertains, Parisista works exist for each of the four Vedas. However, only the literature associated with the Atharvaveda is extensive.

  • The Āśvalāyana Gṛhya Pariśiṣṭa is a very late text associated with the Rigveda canon.
  • The Gobhila Gṛhya Pariśiṣṭa is a short metrical text of two chapters, with 113 and 95 verses respectively.
  • The Kātiya Pariśiṣṭas, ascribed to Kātyāyana, consist of 18 works enumerated self-referentially in the fifth of the series (the Caraṇavyūha)and the Kātyāyana Śrauta Sūtra Pariśiṣṭa.
  • The Kṛṣṇa Yajurveda has 3 parisistas The Āpastamba Hautra Pariśiṣṭa, which is also found as the second praśna of the Satyasāḍha Śrauta Sūtra', the Vārāha Śrauta Sūtra Pariśiṣṭa
  • For the Atharvaveda, there are 79 works, collected as 72 distinctly named parisistas.[54]

Puranas[link]

A traditional view given in the Vishnu Purana (likely dating to the Gupta period[55]) attributes the current arrangement of four Vedas to the mythical sage Vedavyasa.[56] Puranic tradition also postulates a single original Veda that, in varying accounts, was divided into three or four parts. According to the Vishnu Purana (3.2.18, 3.3.4 etc.) the original Veda was divided into four parts, and further fragmented into numerous shakhas, by Lord Vishnu in the form of Vyasa, in the Dvapara Yuga; the Vayu Purana (section 60) recounts a similar division by Vyasa, at the urging of Brahma. The Bhagavata Purana (12.6.37) traces the origin of the primeval Veda to the syllable aum, and says that it was divided into four at the start of Dvapara Yuga, because men had declined in age, virtue and understanding. In a differing account Bhagavata Purana (9.14.43) attributes the division of the primeval veda (aum) into three parts to the monarch Pururavas at the beginning of Treta Yuga. The Mahabharata (santiparva 13,088) also mentions the division of the Veda into three in Treta Yuga.[57]

Upaveda[link]

The term upaveda ("applied knowledge") is used in traditional literature to designate the subjects of certain technical works.[58][59] Lists of what subjects are included in this class differ among sources. The Charanavyuha mentions four Upavedas:

But Sushruta and Bhavaprakasha mention Ayurveda as an upaveda of the Atharvaveda. Sthapatyaveda (architecture), Shilpa Shastras (arts and crafts) are mentioned as fourth upaveda according to later sources.

Buddhist and Jain views[link]

Buddhism and Jainism do not reject the Vedas, but merely their absolute authority.[citation needed]

Buddhism[link]

In the Buddhist Vinaya Pitaka of the Mahavagga (I.245)[60] section the Buddha declared that the Veda in its true form was declared to the Vedic rishis "Atthako, Vâmako, Vâmadevo, Vessâmitto, Yamataggi, Angiraso, Bhâradvâjo, Vâsettho, Kassapo, and Bhagu"[61] but that it was altered by a few Brahmins who introduced animal sacrifices. The Vinaya Pitaka's section Anguttara Nikaya: Panchaka Nipata says that it was on this alteration of the true Veda that the Buddha refused to pay respect to the Vedas of his time.[62]

Also in the "Brahmana Dhammika Sutta" (II,7)[63] of the Suttanipata section of Vinaya Pitaka[64] there is a story of when the Buddha was in Jetavana village and there were a group of elderly Brahmin ascetics who sat down next to the Buddha and asked him, "Do the present Brahmans follow the same rules, practise the same rites, as those in the more ancient times?" The Buddha replied, "No." The elderly Brahmins asked the Buddha that if it were not inconvenient for him, that he would tell them of the Brahmana Dharma of the previous generation. The Buddha replied: "There were formerly rishis, men who had subdued all passion by the keeping of the sila precepts and the leading of a pure life...Their riches and possessions consisted in the study of the Veda and their treasure was a life free from all evil...The Brahmans, for a time, continued to do right and received in alms rice, seats, clothes, and oil, though they did not ask for them. The animals that were given they did not kill; but they procured useful medicaments from the cows, regarding the as friends and relatives, whose products give strength, beauty and health." So in this passage also the Buddha describes when the Brahmins were studying the Veda but the animal sacrifice customs had not yet began.

The Buddha was declared to have been born as a Brahmin who was a knower of the Vedas and its philosophies in a number of his previous lives according to Buddhist scriptures. Other Buddhas too were said to have been born as Brahmins that were trained in the Vedas.

The Mahasupina Jataka[65] and Lohakumbhi Jataka[66] declares that Brahmin Sariputra in a previous life was a Brahmin that prevented animal sacrifice by declaring that animal sacrifice was actually against the Vedas.

Jainism[link]

A Jain sage intereprets the Vedic sacrifices as metaphorical:

"Body is the altar, mind is the fire blazing with the ghee of knowledge and burning the sacrificial sticks of impurities produced from the tree of karma;..."[67]

Further, Jain Sage Jinabhadra in his Visesavasyakabhasya cites a numeber of passages from the Vedic Upanishads.[68]

Jain are in conformity with the Vedas in reference to both the Vedas' and Jainism' acceptance of the 22 Tirthankaras:

Of Rishabha (1st Tirthankara Rishabha) is written:
"But Risabha went on, unperturbed by anything till he became sin-free like a conch that takes no black dot, without obstruction ... which is the epithet of the First World-teacher, may become the destroyer of enemies" (Rig Veda X.166)
Of Aristanemi (Tirthankara Neminatha) is written:
"So asmakam Aristanemi svaha Arhan vibharsi sayakani dhanvarhanistam yajatam visvarupam arhannidam dayase" (Astak 2, Varga 7, Rig Veda)

"Fifth" and other Vedas[link]

Some post-Vedic texts, including the Mahabharata, the Natyasastra and certain Puranas, refer to themselves as the "fifth Veda".[69] The earliest reference to such a "fifth Veda" is found in the Chandogya Upanishad. "Dravida Veda" is a term for canonical Tamil Bhakti texts.[citation needed]

Other texts such as the Bhagavad Gita or the Vedanta Sutras are considered shruti or "Vedic" by some Hindu denominations but not universally within Hinduism. The Bhakti movement, and Gaudiya Vaishnavism in particular extended the term veda to include the Sanskrit Epics and Vaishnavite devotional texts such as the Pancaratra.[70]

Western Indology[link]

The study of Sanskrit in the West began in the 17th century. In the early 19th century, Arthur Schopenhauer drew attention to Vedic texts, specifically the Upanishads. The importance of Vedic Sanskrit for Indo-European studies was also recognized in the early 19th century. English translations of the Samhitas were published in the later 19th century, in the Sacred Books of the East series edited by Müller between 1879 and 1910.[71] Ralph T. H. Griffith also presented English translations of the four Samhitas, published 1889 to 1899.

See also[link]

Notes[link]

  1. ^ see e.g. Radhakrishnan & Moore 1957, p. 3; Witzel, Michael, "Vedas and Upaniṣads", in: Flood 2003, p. 68; MacDonell 2004, pp. 29–39; Sanskrit literature (2003) in Philip's Encyclopedia. Accessed 2007-08-09
  2. ^ Sanujit Ghose (2011). "Religious Developments in Ancient India" in Ancient History Encyclopedia.
  3. ^ "Sound and Creation". Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham. http://www.kamakoti.org/hindudharma/part5/chap7.htm. Retrieved February 10, 2012. 
  4. ^ Late., Pujyasri Chandrasekharendra Saraswati, Sankaracharya of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham. The Vedas. Chennai, India: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Mumbai. pp. 3 to 7. ISBN 81-7276-401-4. 
  5. ^ Apte, pp. 109f. has "not of the authorship of man, of divine origin"
  6. ^ Apte 1965, p. 887
  7. ^ Müller 1891, pp. 17–18
  8. ^ Bloomfield, M. The Atharvaveda and the Gopatha-Brahmana, (Grundriss der Indo-Arischen Philologie und Altertumskunde II.1.b.) Strassburg 1899; Gonda, J. A history of Indian literature: I.1 Vedic literature (Samhitas and Brahmanas); I.2 The Ritual Sutras. Wiesbaden 1975, 1977
  9. ^ Flood 1996, p. 82
  10. ^ "The brahmin by caste alone, the teacher of the Veda, is (jokingly) etymologized as the 'non-meditator' (ajjhāyaka). Brahmins who have memorized the three Vedas (tevijja) really know nothing: it is the process of achieving Enlightenment — what the Buddha is said to have achieved in the three watches of that night — which constitutes the true 'three knowledges.'" R.F. Gombrich in Paul Williams, ed., "Buddhism: Critical Concepts in Religious Studies." Taylor and Francis 2006, page 120.
  11. ^ Chahal, Dr. Devindar Singh (Jan-June 2006), "Is Sikhism a Unique Religion or a Vedantic Religion?", Understanding Sikhism - the Research Journal 8 (1): 3–5. 
  12. ^ Aad Guru Granth Sahib, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, Amritsar, 1983 
  13. ^ "Eclecticism and Modern Hindu Discourse, Brian Hatcher, OUP 1999"
  14. ^ The Dravidian Movement by Gail Omvedt
  15. ^ The Vernacular Veda by Vasudha Narayanan
  16. ^ Monier-Williams 2006, p. 1015; Apte 1965, p. 856
  17. ^ K.F. Geldner. Der Rig-Veda, Harvard Oriental Series 33-37, Cambridge 1951
  18. ^ see e.g. Pokorny's 1959 Indogermanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch s.v. u̯(e)id-²; Rix' Lexikon der indogermanischen Verben, u̯ei̯d-.
  19. ^ Monier-Williams (1899)
  20. ^ Gavin Flood sums up mainstream estimates, according to which the Rigveda was compiled from as early as 1500 BCE over a period of several centuries. Flood 1996, p. 37
  21. ^ Witzel, Michael, "Vedas and Upaniṣads", in: Flood 2003, p. 68
  22. ^ For the possibility of written texts during the first century BCE see: Witzel, Michael, "Vedas and Upaniṣads", in: Flood 2003, p. 69; For oral composition and oral transmission for "many hundreds of years" before being written down, see: Avari 2007, p. 76.
  23. ^ Brodd, Jefferey (2003), World Religions, Winona, MN: Saint Mary's Press, ISBN 978-0-88489-725-5 
  24. ^ according to ISKCON, Hindu Sacred Texts, "Hindus themselves often use the term to describe anything connected to the Vedas and their corollaries (e.g. Vedic culture)".
  25. ^ 37,575 are Rigvedic. Of the remaining, 34,857 appear in the other three Samhitas, and 16,405 are known only from Brahmanas, Upanishads or Sutras
  26. ^ a b c Michaels 2004, p. 51.
  27. ^ a b Witzel, Michael, "Vedas and Upaniṣads", in: Flood 2003, p. 69.
  28. ^ For a table of all Vedic texts see Witzel, Michael, "Vedas and Upaniṣads", in: Flood 2003, pp. 100–101.
  29. ^ Flood 1996, p. 39.
  30. ^ (Staal 1986)
  31. ^ a b (Filliozat 2004, p. 139)
  32. ^ a b c Nair 2008, pp. 84-227.
  33. ^ a b c Joshi 1994, pp. 91-93.
  34. ^ Radhakrishnan & Moore 1957, p. 3; Witzel, Michael, "Vedas and Upaniṣads", in: Flood 2003, p. 68
  35. ^ MacDonell 2004, pp. 29–39
  36. ^ Witzel, M., "The Development of the Vedic Canon and its Schools : The Social and Political Milieu" in Witzel 1997, pp. 257–348
  37. ^ see e.g. Avari 2007, p. 77.
  38. ^ For 1,028 hymns and 10,600 verses and division into ten mandalas, see: Avari 2007, p. 77.
  39. ^ For characterization of content and mentions of deities including Agni, Indra, Varuna, Soma, Surya, etc. see: Avari 2007, p. 77.
  40. ^ see e.g. Avari 2007, p. 77. Max Müller gave 1700–1100 BCE, Michael Witzel gives 1450-1350 BCE as terminus ad quem.
  41. ^ Drews, Robert (2004), Early Riders: The beginnings of mounted warfare in Asia and Europe, New York: Routledge, p. 50 
  42. ^ http://hinduism.about.com/od/scripturesepics/a/rigveda.htm
  43. ^ Apte 1965, p. 981.
  44. ^ For 1875 total verses, see numbering given in Ralph T. H. Griffith. Griffith's introduction mentions the recension history for his text. Repetitions may be found by consulting the cross-index in Griffith pp. 491-99.
  45. ^ a b c d e Michaels 2004, p. 56.
  46. ^ Flood 1996, p. 37.
  47. ^ Apte 1965, p. 37.
  48. ^ Flood 1996, p. 36.
  49. ^ Witzel, Michael, "Vedas and Upaniṣads", in: Flood 2003, p. 76.
  50. ^ Radhakrishnan & Moore 1957, p. 3.
  51. ^ "The latest of the four Vedas, the Atharva-Veda, is, as we have seen, largely composed of magical texts and charms, but here and there we find cosmological hymns which anticipate the Upanishads, -- hymns to Skambha, the 'Support', who is seen as the first principle which is both the material and efficient cause of the universe, to Prāna, the 'Breath of Life', to Vāc, the 'Word', and so on." Zaehner 1966, p. vii.
  52. ^ "There were originally only three priests associated with the first three Saṃhitās, for the Brahman as overseer of the rites does not appear in the Ṛg Veda and is only incorporated later, thereby showing the acceptance of the Atharva Veda, which had been somewhat distinct from the other Saṃhitās and identified with the lower social strata, as being of equal standing with the other texts."Flood 1996, p. 42.
  53. ^ Apte 1965, p. 387.
  54. ^ BR Modak, The Ancillary Literature of the Atharva-Veda, New Delhi, Rashtriya Veda Vidya Pratishthan, 1993, ISBN 81-215-0607-7
  55. ^ Flood 1996, p. 111 dates it to the 4th century CE.
  56. ^ Vishnu Purana, translation by Horace Hayman Wilson, 1840, Ch IV, http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/vp/vp078.htm
  57. ^ Muir 1861, pp. 20–31
  58. ^ Monier-Williams 2006, p. 207. [1] Accessed 5 April 2007.
  59. ^ Apte 1965, p. 293.
  60. ^ P. 494 The Pali-English dictionary By Thomas William Rhys Davids, William Stede
  61. ^ P. 245 The Vinaya piṭakaṃ: one of the principle Buddhist holy scriptures ..., Volume 1 edited by Hermann Oldenberg
  62. ^ P. 44 The legends and theories of the Buddhists, compared with history and science By Robert Spence Hardy
  63. ^ P. 94 A history of Indian literature, Volume 2 by Moriz Winternitz
  64. ^ P. 45-46 The legends and theories of the Buddhists, compared with history and science By Robert Spence Hardy
  65. ^ P. 577 Dictionary of Pali Proper Names: Pali-English By G.P. Malalasekera
  66. ^ P. 30 The Jataka or Stories of the Buddha's Former Births By E. B. Cowell
  67. ^ P. 92 Studies in Jain literature by Vaman Mahadeo Kulkarni, Śreshṭhī Kastūrabhāī Lālabhāī Smāraka Nidhi
  68. ^ P. 93 Studies in Jain literature by Vaman Mahadeo Kulkarni, Śreshṭhī Kastūrabhāī Lālabhāī Smāraka Nidhi
  69. ^ Sullivan 1994, p. 385
  70. ^ Goswami, Satsvarupa (1976), Readings in Vedic Literature: The Tradition Speaks for Itself, S.l.: Assoc Publishing Group, pp. 240 pages, ISBN 0912776889 
  71. ^ Müller, Friedrich Max (author) & Stone, Jon R. (author, editor) (2002). The essential Max Müller: on language, mythology, and religion. Illustrated edition. Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 0312293097, 9780312293093. Source: [2] (accessed: Friday May 7, 2010), p.44

References[link]

Literature[link]

Overviews
  • J. Gonda, Vedic Literature: Saṃhitās and Brāhmaṇas, A History of Indian literature. Vol. 1, Veda and Upanishads (1975), ISBN 9783447016032.
  • J. A. Santucci, An Outline of Vedic Literature (1976).
  • S. Shrava, A Comprehensive History of Vedic Literature — Brahmana and Aranyaka Works, Pranava Prakashan (1977).
Concordances
  • M. Bloomfield, A Vedic Concordance (1907)
  • Vishva Bandhu, Bhim Dev, S. Bhaskaran Nair (eds.), Vaidika-Padānukrama-Koṣa: A Vedic Word-Concordance, Vishveshvaranand Vedic Research Institute, Hoshiarpur, 1963–1965, revised edition 1973-1976.
Conference proceedings
  • Griffiths, Arlo and Houben, Jan E. M. (eds.), The Vedas : texts, language & ritual: proceedings of the Third International Vedic Workshop, Leiden 2002, Groningen Oriental Studies 20, Groningen : Forsten, (2004), ISBN 90-6980-149-3.

External links[link]

http://wn.com/Vedas



Philip S. Goldberg
United States Ambassador to Bolivia
In office
13 October 2006 – 10 September 2008
President George W. Bush
Preceded by David N. Greenlee
Succeeded by Krishna R. Urs
(Chargé d’Affaires a.i.)
Assistant Secretary of State for Intelligence and Research
Incumbent
Assumed office
9 February 2010
Preceded by Randall M. Fort
Personal details
Born (1956-08-01) August 1, 1956 (age 55)
Boston, Massachusetts

Philip S. Goldberg (born August 1, 1956)[1] is a United States diplomat who was Ambassador to Bolivia and was expelled by the Bolivian government in 2008, the eighth chief of mission in US diplomatic history to be declared persona non grata.[2] He was nominated on October 23, 2009 to the Assistant Secretary of State for Intelligence and Research and confirmed by the Senate on February 9, 2010.[3]

Contents

Early life and education[link]

Goldberg is a native of Boston, Massachusetts,[4] with two sisters, Donna and Lisa.[5] In her adulthood, Lisa Goldberg would become President of the Charles H. Revson Foundation in 2003 and wife of New York University's president, John Sexton, before dying in 2007 of a brain aneurysm.[5][6] Goldberg is a graduate of The Rivers School and Boston University.[4] Before joining the Foreign Service, Goldberg, who speaks fluent Spanish, worked as a liaison officer between the City of New York City and the United Nations and consular community.[4]

Department of State appointments[link]

Goldberg is a career member of the U.S. Senior Foreign Service.[4] Goldberg has served overseas as a consular and political officer at the U.S. Embassy in Bogota, Colombia, and political-economic officer in Pretoria, South Africa.[4] From 1994 to 1996 Goldberg served as the State Department's Desk Officer for Bosnia and a Special Assistant to Ambassador Richard Holbrooke.[4] As Special Assistant to Ambassador Richard Holbrooke, Goldberg was a member of the American negotiating team in the lead-up to the Dayton Peace Conference and Chief of Staff for the American Delegation at Dayton.[4] From 1996 to 1999 Goldberg served as Special Assistant to the Deputy Secretary of State.[4] From 1998 to 2000 Goldberg served as Executive Assistant (1998–2000) to the Deputy Secretary of State.[4] In 2001 Goldberg served as a senior member of the State Department team handling the transition from the Clinton to Bush Administrations.[4] From January 2001 to June 2001 Goldberg served as acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Legislative Affairs.[4] From 2001 to 2004 Goldberg served as Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Santiago, Chile.[4]

Chief of Mission to Kosovo[link]

From 2004 to 2006 Goldberg served as Chief of Mission in Pristina, Kosovo.[4] When Kosovo's 120-seat parliament voted 72-3 to elect Ramush Haradinaj to head the new government, Goldberg emphasized the importance of the government's success.[7] Haradinaj's election had been considered controversial because Haradinaj had recently been questioned about war crimes and there were indications that a UN war-crimes tribunal might be preparing to indict him.[7] Haradinaj was subsequently charged with war crimes during the Kosovo War by the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) at The Hague but was acquitted of all charges on April 3, 2008.[8]

In April, 2005 Richard Holbrooke wrote in an op-ed piece in the Washington Post that Goldberg had warned that the situation in Kosovo was volatile and that Secretary of State Rice had sent Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns to Europe to advise our allies of the instability and the likelihood of increased violence in Kosovo unless steps were taken to speedily resolve Kosovo's final status.[9] On February 1, 2006 Goldberg talked to Radio Free Europe about his work as Chief of Mission and whether the question of Kosovo's status could be resolved within the year.[10] Goldberg said the process was "well under way".[10]

Ambassador to Bolivia[link]

Bolivian President Evo Morales

President George W. Bush officially nominated Philip S. Goldberg as Ambassador to Bolivia and his nomination was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on August 3, 2006.[4] Goldberg presented his credentials to Bolivian President Evo Morales Ayma on October 13, 2006.[11]

Bolivia accuses United States of funding opposition[link]

In August 2007, the United States was accused by Government Minister Juan Ramon Quintana of funding opposition to Bolivian President Evo Morales by providing opposition leaders and critical think-tanks with millions of dollars.[12] According to Quintana, the US Government Aid agency, USAID, had implied by reference in documents in Bolivia's possession that funding was to help restore democracy to Bolivia.[12] Morales indirectly threatened retaliation against the ambassador for interference with Bolivia's government.[12] Tom Casey, a spokesman for the State Department, denied these allegations.[12]

Goldberg prohibited from entering Presidential Palace[link]

In September 2007, Bolivian President Morales complained that members of his delegation to the United Nations had found it difficult to acquire visas to enter the United States, suggesting that the UN headquarters should be moved.[13] He also complained of long delays in the airport.[13]

In October, 2007 Bolivian newspaper La Razón reported that after Morales' remarks about the United Nations, Morales prohibited Goldberg from entering the Presidential Palace after Goldberg remarked that he wouldn't be surprised if Morales also requested the move of Disney World.[14] Morales said that Goldberg had been making fun of Morales and of the Bolivian people and demanded an apology.[14] Goldberg reportedly sent a written apology,[15] indicating that his statement regarding Disney World had been a joke made to relax tension between Bolivia and the United States.[14]

Peace Corps "spying" incident in Bolivia[link]

In February 2008, ABC News reported that thirty Peace Corps volunteers had been asked "to basically spy" on Cubans and Venezuelans in Bolivia by US Embassy Security Officer Vincent Cooper.[16] Peace Corps Deputy Director for Bolivia Doreen Salazar was present at the meeting and asserts that not only did she protest to the embassy later, but that on the spot Peace Corps staff made clear that these instructions were not mandatory.[16] She also indicated that she had never heard such instructions made before and that the embassy agreed it was inappropriate.[16] In their statement, the U.S. Embassy in La Paz acknowledged that the volunteers had received "incorrect information", indicating that "As soon as this was brought to our attention, appropriate measures were taken to assure that these errors would not be repeated."[17][dead link] They indicated that the briefing had been intended for embassy staff.[18]

Peace Corps issued a press release reiterating in no uncertain terms that the corps is not involved in any intelligence gathering.[19]

In February 2008 it was also alleged by a visiting American Fulbright scholar that US Embassy Security Officer Vincent Cooper, in a routine safety briefing, asked the student to report the names and locations of "any Venezuelans or Cubans in the field—doctors, field workers, etc."[20] The student alleged this incident took place in November, 2007, four months after the initial complaint by the Peace Corps was lodged with the Embassy.[20] This student's reports were the initial trigger for Cooper's recall to the United States "to be questioned."[16][verification needed]

On February 12, 2008, CNN reported that Bolivian President Evo Morales had declared Cooper "undesirable".[18] According to CNN, Ambassador Goldberg indicated that the embassy had never "asked anyone to spy."[18]

The United States Peace Corps issued a press release reiterating that no Peace Corps volunteers had participated in intelligence activities and that it remained Peace Corps policy that there was an absolute separation between "any official duties pertaining to U.S. foreign policy, including the reality or the appearance of involvement in intelligence related activities."[21] The Press Release added that "Consistent with the policy of every administration since 1961, Director Ron Tschetter, himself a former Volunteer in India (1966-1968), has been very clear in re-affirming this long standing policy and, once again, stressing that Peace Corps Volunteers work on community service and nothing else."[21]

In an interview with Newsweek magazine in September 2008, Goldberg said that the incident had been overblown.[2] According to Goldberg, Cooper had incorporated into the security briefing warnings generally provided to "direct American employees" advising them to exercise caution when dealing with potentially exploitative individuals from third countries.[2] While acknowledging that Cooper had erred in this and accordingly been removed from Bolivia, he denied that Cooper's statements had constituted a request.[2]

Protest outside US Embassy[link]

The International Herald Tribune reported on June 9, 2008 that some 20,000 Bolivians had been involved in a protest outside the U.S. embassy in La Paz where they had attacked police with dynamite and pepper spray in response to asylum provided to former Bolivian Defense Minister Carlos Sanchez Berzain by the United States. [22] In 2003, 60 people were killed when anti-government protests were quashed by a military action Berzain directed.[23] Evo Morales spoke out to support the protesters in their cause.[22] After briefly returning to Washington, Goldberg met with Bolivian Defense Minister Walker San Miguel in early July, telling reporters after, "We want to resolve the problems that exist, and in order to do that, we have to admit there are problems."[23]

Ambassador Goldberg declared "persona non grata"[link]

On September 10, 2008, the Bolivian Government expelled Ambassador Goldberg, after declaring him persona non grata.[4] The Telegraph reported on September 12, 2008 that President Morales had been infuriated by a meeting between Goldberg and Santa Cruz Governor Rubén Costas.[24] Costas, founder of Autonomy for Bolivia,[25] has pressed for democracy and autonomy for Bolivia's regions.[26] Adam Isacson of the Center for International Policy concurs that the meeting between Goldberg and Costas was a factor in the crisis, since he believes it may have been interpreted by the Bolivians as a show of approval for anti-government demonstrations in Santa Cruz.[27] Morales has accused Goldberg of plotting against Bolivia's government and the unity of the country.[24][28] Prior to Goldberg only seven U.S. chiefs of missions have been ordered expelled from countries where they were serving.[2]

In an interview with Newsweek magazine, Goldberg indicated a belief that several factors had come into play in his expulsion, including the influence of Venezuela, and that "[i]t was part of the general policy of the Bolivian government for Morales to attack the United States."[2] Immediately prior to leaving Bolivia, Goldberg had said that Morales' decision would have "serious consequences of several sorts which apparently have not been correctly evaluated".[29] The US State Department issued an official statement saying that Bolivia had committed a grave error and that the allegations against Goldberg were baseless.[30] The statement also indicated that:[30]

President Morales’ action is a grave error that has seriously damaged the bilateral relationship.... We regret that President Morales has chosen this course. It will prejudice the interests of both countries, undermine the ongoing fight against drug-trafficking, and will have serious regional implications.

Actions by the United States after Goldberg expulsion[link]

On September 11, 2008 the United States ordered the Bolivian ambassador to the United States, Gustavo Guzman, to leave the country, announcing that "In response to the unwarranted action and in accordance with the Vienna Convention, we have officially informed the government of Bolivia of our decision to declare Ambassador Gustavo Guzman persona non grata.".[31]

On September 17, 2008 President Bush announced he was putting Bolivia on the counter-narcotics blacklist because of its refusal to participate in the War on Drugs.[32] State Department spokesman David Johnson said, "Bolivia remains a major narcotics-producing country and its official policies and actions have caused a significant deterioration in its cooperation with the United States."[32] Bolivian President Morales, pointing to the United States' own drug production record, asserted that the move was political.[33]

On October 16, 2008, while signing the Andean Trade Preference Act Extension, President Bush announced that "Bolivia has failed to cooperate with the United States on important efforts to fight drug trafficking. So, sadly, I have proposed to suspend Bolivia's trade preferences until it fulfills its obligations."[34] An October 6, 2008 editorial in the New York Times had argued that such a move would be "self-defeating", as the larger goal of the administration is to diminish the drug trade by impacting the lives of farmers, suggesting that "the justified anger at the expulsion of Mr. Goldberg" might undermine the administration's reasoning on the matter.[35] On October 18, 2008, The Washington Post reported that this suspension, which could result in the unemployment of 20,000 to 30,000 Bolivians, has been interpreted by Bolivia as "part of an escalating feud" representing what Juan Ramón Quintana, Bolivia's minister of the presidency, termed "the worst moment for the relations between the United States and the entire world."[36]

References[link]

  1. ^ date & year of birth according to LCNAF CIP data
  2. ^ a b c d e f Newsweek Magazine. "Grandstanding" by Mac Margolis. September 20, 2008.
  3. ^ Rogin, Josh (2010-02-09). "Senate confirms two national security nominees before snow recess". The Cable (Foreign Policy). http://thecable.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2010/02/09/senate_confirms_two_naitonal_security_nominees_before_snow_recess. Retrieved 2010-02-10. 
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o United States Department of State. "Biography of Philip S. Goldberg" September 22, 2006. Public domain.
  5. ^ a b New York Sun. "Lisa Goldberg, 54, Foundation Head" January 24, 2007.
  6. ^ Washington Post. "Revson Foundation President Lisa Goldberg" by Patricia Sullivan. January 27, 2007.
  7. ^ a b The Globe and Mail. "Former rebel commander becomes Kosovo PM" December 3, 2004.
  8. ^ Times Online. "Kosovo guerrilla leader Ramush Haradinaj is set free" by David charter. April 4, 2008.
  9. ^ Washington Post. "New Course For Kosovo" by Richard Holbrooke. April 20, 2005.
  10. ^ a b Radio Free Europe. "Kosovo: U.S. Official Expresses Hope For Final-Status Progress" by Arbana Vidishiqi. February 6, 2006
  11. ^ US Embassy in Bolivia. "Biography of Philip S. Goldberg" Note: This is an article by an agency of the US Federal government is not subject to Fair Use restrictions as it is in the public domain.
  12. ^ a b c d Reuters. "Bolivia accuses U.S. of funding Morales opponents" by Eduardo Garcia. August 29, 2007.
  13. ^ a b Seattle Times. "Morales says U.N. ought to consider move" September 27, 2007.
  14. ^ a b c La Razón. "Evo prohíbe a Philip Goldberg entrar al Palacio" October 13, 2007.
  15. ^ People's Daily Online. "Bolivian president accuses U.S. of conspiracy" November 19, 2007.
  16. ^ a b c d ABC News. "Exclusive: Peace Corps, Fulbright Scholar Asked to 'Spy' on Cubans, Venezuelans" by Jean Friedman-Rudovsky. February 8, 2008.
  17. ^ Associated Press. "US Sought Help in Bolivia" by Dan Keane. February 8, 2008.
  18. ^ a b c CNN. "U.S. denies spying allegations in Bolivia" February 12, 2008.
  19. ^ Peace Corps Press Office. "Full Statement from the Peace Corps" February 8, 2008.
  20. ^ a b US Embassy in Bolivia Tells Fulbright Scholar and Peace Corps Volunteers to Spy on Venezuelans and Cubans in Bolivia, Democracy Now!, 11 February 2008.
  21. ^ a b Peace Corps Press Release. "Full Statement from the Peace Corps" February 8, 2008. An archival copy of the Press release is available here. Public domain.
  22. ^ a b International Herald Trbune. "U.S. forced to confront its Bolivian problem" by Janine Zacharia. July 1, 2008.
  23. ^ a b International Herald Tribune. " Bolivia, US seek to improve relations after protest impasse" July 4, 2008.
  24. ^ a b Telegraph. "Bolivia expels US ambassador Philip Goldberg" by Jeremy McDermott. September 12, 2008.
  25. ^ Rubén Costas, el rostro y la voz de la autonomía cruceña (Spanish), Deia (Bilbao newspaper), 2008-05-04, accessed on 2008-11-21
  26. ^ Sanchez, Alex. (2008-11-5) Bolivia’s military: It’s a difficult life, but certainly there is no sign of a pending military coup Council on Hemispheric Affairs. Accessed 2008-11-21.
  27. ^ CNN "U.S. envoy: I didn't incite Bolivian violence" Deptember 18, 2008.
  28. ^ Wall Street Journal. "Bolivia Expels American Ambassador" by John Lyons. September 11, 2008.
  29. ^ AFP. "Expulsion will have 'serious consequences': US envoy to Bolivia" September 14, 2008.
  30. ^ a b US Department of State. "State Department Statement on Expulsion of Ambassador Goldberg from Bolivia" September 11, 2008. Public domain.
  31. ^ Bloomberg. "U.S. Ousts Bolivian Ambassador in Tit-for-Tat With Morales" by Viola Gienger. September 11, 2008.
  32. ^ a b Associated Press. "US puts Bolivia on drugs blacklist" by Matthew Lee. September 17, 2008.
  33. ^ Associated Press. "Bolivian prez blasts US anti-drug blacklisting" September 17, 2008.
  34. ^ White House. "President Bush Signs H.R. 7222, the Andean Trade Preference Act Extension" October 16, 2008. Public domain.
  35. ^ New York Times. "Playing Into Mr. Morales’s Hands" October 6, 2008.
  36. ^ Washington Post. "U.S. Trade Move Shakes Bolivia" by Joshua Partlow. October 19, 2008.
Government offices
Preceded by
Randall M. Fort
Assistant Secretary of State for Intelligence and Research
February 9, 2010 – Present
Succeeded by
Incumbent

http://wn.com/Philip_Goldberg



Stephen Knapp

Stephen Knapp assembling a lightpainting, 2006.
Birth name Stephen Knapp
Born (1947-10-15) October 15, 1947 (age 64)
Worcester, Massachusetts
Nationality American
Field Architectural installation, mixed-media sculpture, photography, and ceramics
Training Hamilton College
Movement Lightpainting

Stephen Knapp (born 1947, Worcester, Massachusetts) is an American artist best known for his use of the medium of lightpainting He has gained an international reputation for large-scale works of art held in museums, public, corporate, and private collections, which are executed in media as diverse as light, kiln-formed glass, metal, stone, mosaic, and ceramic.

Knapp has written and lectured on architectural art glass, the collaborative process, and the integration of art and architecture. His work has appeared in many publications including Art and Antiques, Architectural Record, ARTnews, Ceramics Monthly, The Chicago Sun Times, Honoho Geijutsu, Identity, Interior Design, Interiors, The New York Times, Nikkei Architecture, Progressive Architecture, Sculpture (magazine), and 90+10.

Life and work[link]

Stephen Knapp was born in Worcester, Massachusetts in 1947, graduated from Worcester Academy in 1965, and received his B.A. from Hamilton College in 1969. For nearly a decade after graduating from college, he worked as a fine art photographer, selling his work to corporate and private collectors in the United States and abroad.[1] During this early stage in his career Knapp worked closely with Polaroid Corporation on their 20x24 camera, creating large scale instant photographs.

Soon enough, though, photography was not enough. Knapp began to look more closely at permanent materials. Various types of ceramic, mosaic, metal, stone, and glass filled his studio as he developed the innovations for which he is known today—combining mediums and processing techniques and working craftsmen, fabricators, and manufacturers from around the world on an increasingly grand scale.

Stephen Knapp (right) at work on a ceramic mural in Shigaraki, Japan, 1985.

Research took Knapp to Japan in 1985 where he created some of the world’s largest glass-glaze ceramic murals. He had come upon a factory in Japan that made huge photo-ceramic murals, a technique used by Robert Rauschenberg in the early 1980s. Though the photo decal technique seemed tailor made for him, he became fascinated with a thick glass glaze—a crackle glaze—that had been developed for architecture. Changing surfaces to reflect the light was to become a major influence on later work.

The following year he used photo-transfer techniques to define the images to be etched and anodized in aluminum, creating one of the world’s largest etched-metal murals—a 14’ x 72’ piece for the Hamilton County Justice Complex in Cincinnati.

A pattern was now forming—Knapp used the research for one project to enhance the next. When it came time to create two large etched stainless-steel murals for McDonnell Douglas’s Douglas Center in California, he developed a new technique of mixing paints to change the look of the surface depending on the angle of light. The kinetic force of these murals lent a palpable energy to the work. A closer look at the murals reveals his interest in creating illusions of space, which he would later explore in his lightpaintings.

During the 1990s, his increasing fascination with light led Knapp to kiln-formed glass—the heating of glass to take on the shape of a form below, resulting over the decade in large installations across the United States. An acknowledged expert in his field, he frequently wrote and lectured on architectural art glass, the collaborative process, and the integration of art and architecture. In 1998 he authored The Art of Glass for Rockport Publishers.

Also during the 1990s he started spending more time on personal work, creating sculpture as well as furniture from kiln formed glass and steel and hanging pieces of dichroic glass and stainless steel.

Done for the Night, 2008, light, glass, stainless steel, 13' x 12' x 10'.

In 2002, after nearly a decade of development, Knapp introduced his lightpaintings.[2] No longer hanging glass and steel structures, in these new works the glass was attached to walls with a single light fixture illuminating the entire piece. The light that passed through the various pieces of glass was no longer an effect in space, as it was in the sculptural lightpaintings, but was now simultaneously collected and dispersed on the wall.

In a series of solo shows in 2004 and 2005 Knapp experimented with new coatings and laminating techniques that took him beyond dichroics and increased the range of his palette and gave him greater control in painting with light.

In 2005, he received his first museum commission from the Flint Institute of Arts, Flint, Michigan. Temporal Meditations, a 9’x 30’ installation, became the first lightpainting in a museum collection.

In 2006, Knapp’s first major exterior lightpainting, Luminous Affirmations, a permanent 60’x 100’ exterior installation, was installed on the north face of Tampa, Florida’s City Hall as part of their "Lights on Tampa” program. Large-scale commissions followed throughout 2006, including his Seven Muses, a 35’x 95’ commission for The Charles W. Eisemann Center, in Richardson, Texas, and First Symphony, for the Sursa Performance Hall at Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana.

Installation view at night of First Symphony, 2006, at Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana.

In early 2007, "Stephen Knapp: Lightpaintings" opened at the Alden B. Dow Museum in Midland, Michigan, before traveling to the Butler Institute of American Art, in Youngstown, Ohio, followed in 2008 by the Dennos Museum Center, in Traverse City, Michigan,[3] and the South Dakota Museum of Art, and in 2009, by the Dahl Arts Center in Rapid City, South Dakota. The exhibit firmly placed lightpaintings at the intersection between painting and sculpture. 2009 saw a commissioned installations and a solo lightpainting exhibit at the Chrysler Museum of Art, Norfolk, Virginia,

Throughout Knapp's career there have constants—a continuous research into materials, a commitment to the techniques and processes involved in enlarging his designs, and an exploration of the historical, cultural, and technical precedents which are the basis for both his personal and commissioned pieces, and, above all, light.

References[link]

  1. Sims, John F. (1978) "Product photo-murals: Machinery is Decorator Art", Boca Raton News, January 25, 1978, p. 10A, retrieved 2011-07-23
  2. "Brushed with light", Worcester Telegram & Gazette, August 3, 2006
  3. "Entertainment Calendar 15/04/2008", Traverse City Record-Eagle, May 5, 2008, retrieved 2011-07-23

External links[link]

http://wn.com/Stephen_Knapp



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When you submit your personally identifiable information through wn.com, you are giving your consent to the collection, use and disclosure of your personal information as set forth in this Privacy Policy. If you would prefer that we not collect any personally identifiable information from you, please do not provide us with any such information. We will not sell or rent your personally identifiable information to third parties without your consent, except as otherwise disclosed in this Privacy Policy.

Except as otherwise disclosed in this Privacy Policy, we will use the information you provide us only for the purpose of responding to your inquiry or in connection with the service for which you provided such information. We may forward your contact information and inquiry to our affiliates and other divisions of our company that we feel can best address your inquiry or provide you with the requested service. We may also use the information you provide in aggregate form for internal business purposes, such as generating statistics and developing marketing plans. We may share or transfer such non-personally identifiable information with or to our affiliates, licensees, agents and partners.

We may retain other companies and individuals to perform functions on our behalf. Such third parties may be provided with access to personally identifiable information needed to perform their functions, but may not use such information for any other purpose.

In addition, we may disclose any information, including personally identifiable information, we deem necessary, in our sole discretion, to comply with any applicable law, regulation, legal proceeding or governmental request.

2. E-mail addresses

We do not want you to receive unwanted e-mail from us. We try to make it easy to opt-out of any service you have asked to receive. If you sign-up to our e-mail newsletters we do not sell, exchange or give your e-mail address to a third party.

E-mail addresses are collected via the wn.com web site. Users have to physically opt-in to receive the wn.com newsletter and a verification e-mail is sent. wn.com is clearly and conspicuously named at the point of

collection.

If you no longer wish to receive our newsletter and promotional communications, you may opt-out of receiving them by following the instructions included in each newsletter or communication or by e-mailing us at michaelw(at)wn.com

The security of your personal information is important to us. We follow generally accepted industry standards to protect the personal information submitted to us, both during registration and once we receive it. No method of transmission over the Internet, or method of electronic storage, is 100 percent secure, however. Therefore, though we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your personal information, we cannot guarantee its absolute security.

If we decide to change our e-mail practices, we will post those changes to this privacy statement, the homepage, and other places we think appropriate so that you are aware of what information we collect, how we use it, and under what circumstances, if any, we disclose it.

If we make material changes to our e-mail practices, we will notify you here, by e-mail, and by means of a notice on our home page.

3. Third Party Advertisers

The advertising banners and other forms of advertising appearing on this Web site are sometimes delivered to you, on our behalf, by a third party. In the course of serving advertisements to this site, the third party may place or recognize a unique cookie on your browser. For more information on cookies, you can visit www.cookiecentral.com.

4. Business Transfers

As we continue to develop our business, we might sell certain aspects of our entities or assets. In such transactions, user information, including personally identifiable information, generally is one of the transferred business assets, and by submitting your personal information on Wn.com you agree that your data may be transferred to such parties in these circumstances.