what are the vedas in hinduism

The Vedas are a collection of religious texts originating in ancient India and are considered the oldest texts of Hinduism. They were composed in Vedic Sanskrit and are divided into four major texts: the Rigveda, the Yajurveda, the Samaveda, and the Atharvaveda. Each Veda has four subdivisions: the Samhitas (mantras and benedictions), the Aranyakas (text on rituals, ceremonies, sacrifices, and symbolic-sacrifices), the Brahmanas (commentaries on rituals, ceremonies, and sacrifices), and the Upanishads (texts discussing meditation, philosophy, and spiritual knowledge) . Some scholars add a fifth category, the Upasanas (worship) . The Vedas were transmitted orally during the course of numerous subsequent generations before finally being archived in written form. The Vedas are considered the foundational texts of Hinduism and have influenced Indian culture and spirituality for thousands of years.