Esowiki - Spiritual Terms Simply Explained

Vedas

📜 The Vedas (Sanskrit: वेद)

The Vedas are the oldest sacred scriptures of Hinduism and among the oldest religious texts still in use today. "Veda" means knowledge in Sanskrit.

📚 The Four Main Vedas:

Rigveda – Hymns to the gods, cosmology, and philosophical questions
Yajurveda – Ritual instructions and ceremonial formulas
Samaveda – Chants and melodies for rituals
Atharvaveda – Spells, healing practices, and folk wisdom

🧘‍♂️ Themes in the Vedic Tradition

Nature worship (Agni the fire god, Indra the storm god, Varuna the cosmic order)
Cosmic order (Rta) → early form of Dharma
Mantras and sacred sounds
Sacrifice (Yajna) as a spiritual offering to maintain cosmic balance
Roots of Yoga and Meditation start here (esp. in later Vedic texts like the Upanishads)

🌀 Vedic Knowledge and Magic?

While the Vedas are spiritual and philosophical, they also contain esoteric elements:

Mantras seen as having magical power
Use of sound vibration to influence the world (think: early energy work)
Some Vedic hymns are invocations or spell-like chants

🌌 Core Philosophical Ideas from the Vedas

While the early Vedas (like the Rigveda) focus on hymns and rituals, the later Vedic texts, especially the Upanishads, get deeply philosophical. Here's a taste of their core teachings:

1. Brahman – The Absolute

Brahman is the infinite, unchanging, eternal reality behind everything.

It’s not a "god" in the Western sense, but the source of all existence, both immanent and transcendent.
It is pure being, consciousness, and bliss (Sat-Chit-Ananda).

2. Atman – The Self

Atman is the true self — beyond ego, thoughts, or identity.

The Upanishads boldly state: Atman is Brahman.
This means your deepest inner self is not separate from the Absolute.

🧠 You are not just in the universe — you are the universe, experiencing itself.

3. Maya – Illusion

The world we see is real, but it's not the ultimate reality.

Maya is the veil that makes the One appear as many.
It's the illusion of separation, multiplicity, and permanence.
Think: a dream feels real while you're dreaming.

4. Karma & Dharma

Karma: the law of cause and effect — your actions shape your experience.
Dharma: your cosmic duty or truth — living in alignment with the natural order.

Together, they form the engine of samsara (the cycle of birth and rebirth).

5. Moksha – Liberation

The ultimate goal is moksha — freedom from the cycle of rebirth.

Moksha is attained through self-realization, by knowing you are not the body or mind, but the eternal Self.
It’s not an escape, but a waking up.