Textual Evidence for a Reconstruction of Vedic Culture

Contemporary scholars of Indian philosophy are of the opinion that the Vedas are purely ritualistic. This opinion finds support in the translations and commentaries of Sayanacharya and Mahidhara, on which their scholarship is based. The interpretation of the Vedas by the above mentioned authors is against the root derivatives of the words and antagonistic to the expositions of the various hymns given by the Vedic sages and Riahia. In order to be a valid translation it has to be in conformity with the ideas and derivatives contained in Vedanga, Alteraya, Shatpatha, Brahmans, etc. Sayanacharys says that all the four Vedas em- phasize the Karmakand (rituale), only.| However, it can easily be seen that amongst the many topics, the Vedas deal with four Important ones, namely: (I) Karma, (2) Vijuana, (3) worship (upasana) sod (4) Jana. Mundak Upanisad in part says