The word "VEDA" comes from the Sanskrit language. In Sanskrit the verb "VID" means "to know". The Vedas are ancient texts that are sacred in India and renowned the world over. The word Veda literally means knowledge. 

The Vedas are our most important scriptures. They are the root of the Hindu Religion. Hinduism has developed from the teachings contained in the Vedas; they are four in number , known as the Rig Veda, the Yajur Veda, the Sama Veda and the Atharva Veda. 

The Vedas have not been created by man. In the very beginning the God revealed unto Rishis the knowledge of the Vedas. Therefore the Vedas are said to be Divine knowledge. Maharishi Vyaas did the codification of the four Vedas for our benefit. 

The Vedas are also referred to as ‘Trayi” or three – the three paths to salvation, which are knowledge, devotion, and action. The Rig Veda is identified with the path of knowledge, the Yajur Veda with the path of action and the Sama Veda with the path of devotion. Knowledge is not a monopoly of any country or community. It is a common patrimony of the human race given through Sanskrit, a language as old as creation. 

Each Veda has two parts, the Samhita and the Brahmanas. The Samhita consists of mantras.  These mantras are difficult to interpret, so the Brahmanas have been given this task.

The Samhita and Brahmanas are often known as “karma kand”, which is the part of the Vedas that deals with the rituals. Vedic literature also includes "jnana kanda", and included in the Jnana Kanda are the Aranyakas and the Upanishads. These are identified with various Vedas. 

We can therefore have a narrow definition of a Veda as well as a broad one. The narrow definition would take the word Veda to mean Samhita alone. The broad definition would include, in addition to the Samita's, the associated Brahmanas, Aranyakas and Upanishads.

Om yam medham devaganah pitarashcho pasate |
Taya mamadya medhaya’gne medhavinam kuru ||

O God! That wisdom which the sages and scholars long for;
With that wisdom, O God, with your truthful speech, make me wise today.