The sacred texts of all other religions can be dated. The Buddha's teachings can be traced back to 500 BCE, when the Buddha lived. The New Testament was written 2,000 years ago, Quran 1,400 years ago. However, no one has been able to determine the age of the Vedas. The unique way that the Vedas have been transmitted to us is to credit for this. They were first heard by few great rishis, who orally transmitted them to their disciples. The knowledge was then passed down orally throughout the ages, only to be written down eventually.
Apaurusheya and Sanatan Vedas
In Hindu/Sanatan Dharma, it is a fundamental belief that the Vedas are sanatan (eternal) and apaurusheya (not composed by any human being). However many Westerners and Western-educated Indians, cannot accept that the Vedas have no advent. Generally, the time of the composition of Vedas has been fixed at 6000 BCE, because certain planetary positions described in the Vedas occurred at that time.
Language of Vedas
Examining the language used is one method for determining the age of the Vedas. All scripts used in India presently can be traced back to the Braahmi script. This would be extremely useful in determining the age of edicts engraved on metal and stone by kings. However, because the Vedas were never engraved on metal or stone, the script cannot be used to determine the age of the Vedas.
Vedas, Rishis and the science of phonetic
Unlike Western theology, Vedas note that the creation of world is not a linear but a cyclical process. Vedas recognise existence of time even before the creation of the present universe.
It is believed that at the beginning of each cosmic cycle, the Paramatma or the supreme breathes the divine wisdom into the mind of the Brahma or the creator. It is these sound vibrations that cause the creation of the world. Later, with their tapas or austerity the Rishis heard these sound vibrations as Shruti or which is heard.
It is mentioned in Vedas that Vedas are the breath of the eternal and unchanging Brahman, which is why Brahman and Vedas are termed as Anadi (without a beginning). Rishis decoded the audible vibrations into Vedic mantras for universal welfare.
Following a master-disciple, for years Vedas were passed on from generation to generation orally. As any change in chanting Vedic mantras can produce a different effect, it has been specified that the Vedas should be learned by listening in order to learn perfect pronunciation. The science of phonetics was apparently more advanced in the Vedic period than in the modern times. Vedic mantras need to be recited in a specified rhythm to produce accurate intonations. Besides, the phonetics, Vedas were also not written for a long time since writing was not known when Veda Vyasa arranged the Vedas.
Vedas neither have a beginning nor and end. This ocean of endless knowledge has been available to those who seek to learn, understand and follow the Vedic wisdom for universal well being.
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