Question

What are the different sources that describe vedangas or limbs of the vedas?

Answer

Vedangas literally mean the limbs of the Vedas. The Vedanga are six auxiliary disciplines traditionally associated with the study and understanding of the Vedas.

They are six in number. Just like the limbs of the body, they perform various supportive and augmenting functions in the study, preservation and protection of the Vedas and the vedic traditions.The six Vedangas are Siksha, Chhanda, Vyakarana, Nirukta, Jyotisha and Kalpa.

  • Kalpa = ritual,
  • Vyakarana = grammar,

  • Jyotishya = astrology,

  • Chandas = metre,

  • Shiksha = phonetics,
  • Nirukta = etymology,

Traditionally, Vyakarana and Nirukta are common to all four vedas, whilst each veda has its own shiksha, chandas, kalpa and jyotisha texts.

Panini in his text called Siksha Khanda 8 - Verse 41-42 is mentioning about the the six vedangas and their relation with Purusha .

छन्दः पादौ तु वेदस्य हस्तौ कल्पोऽथ पठ्यते ।
ज्योतिषामयनं चक्षुर्निरुक्तं श्रोत्रमुच्यते ।। 41 ।।

शिक्षा घ्राणं तु वेदस्य मुखं व्याकरणं स्मृतम् ।
तस्मात्साङ्गमधीत्येव ब्रह्मलोके महीयते ।। 42 ।।

Chandas are called as feet of Vedas, Kalpas as hands, Joytisha as eyes, Nirukta as ears, Shiksha as nose and Vyakrana as mouth.

The Mundaka Upanishad is describing these six limbs of vedas in Khanda 1 - Mundaka 1- Mantra 5 .Acharya Shankara also mentioned the above are Vedangas in his Commentary of the same mantra.

तत्रापरा ऋग्वेदो यजुर्वेदः सामवेदोऽथर्ववेदः शिक्षा कल्पो व्याकरणं निरुक्तं छन्दो ज्योतिषमिति । अथ परा यया तदक्षरमधिगम्यते ॥ ५ ॥

tatrāparā ṛgvedo yajurvedaḥ sāmavedo'tharvavedaḥ śikṣā kalpo vyākaraṇaṃ niruktaṃ chando jyotiṣamiti | atha parā yayā tadakṣaramadhigamyate || 5 ||

Of these, the Apara is the Rig Veda, the Yajur Veda, the Sama Veda, and the Atharva Veda, the siksha, the code of rituals, grammar, nirukta, chhandas and astrology. Then the para is that by which the immortal is known.

Shankara's Commentary of above Mantra- Of these, what Apara vidya is explained.

Rig Veda, Yajur Veda, Sama Veda, and the Atharva Veda, these four Vedas, the siksha, the code of rituals, grammar, nirukta, chhandas and astrology, these six angas (of Vedas), all this is knowledge called Apara;

Among these six Vedangas the definition and explanation of "Shiksha" part is provided in The Taittiriya Upanishad Sikshavalli - Anuvaka 2 - Mantra 1.

ॐ शीक्षां व्याख्यास्यामः । वर्णः स्वरः । मात्रा बलम् । साम सन्तानः । इत्युक्तः शीक्षाध्यायः ॥

oṃ śīkṣāṃ vyākhyāsyāmaḥ | varṇaḥ svaraḥ | mātrā balam | sāma santānaḥ | ityuktaḥ śīkṣādhyāyaḥ ||

Om! We shall treat of the phonetics: sound, rhythm, quantity, strength, modulation, union. Thus has been declared the lesson on phonetics.

Commentary - Phonetics (Śikṣā) is the science which treats of sounds and their pronunciation. Or, the word ‘śikṣā’ may here signify the sounds etc., which are treated of in that science. Sound: such as ‘ā’. Rhythm: such as udātta or high-pitched tone. Length: short, long, etc. Strength: intensity of effort. Modulation: pronunciation of sounds in the middle tone. Union: conjunction of several sounds.—These are the things to be learnt.

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