Vedangas literally means ‘the limbs of Vedas’ or the six ‘angas’ of
Vedas. It is the compiled, explanatory portions of the Vedas and hence called the ‘smriti prasthana’ of the Vedas. It is classified into Shiksha (science of pronouncing), Chanda Shastra (The meters), Vyakarana (Grammar), Nirukta (To know meaning of difficult
Sanskrit words in right context), Jyotisha (Astronomy and Mathematics) and Kalpa (Rituals). Shiksha and Chanda Shastra teach how to speak the Vedas, where Nirukta and Vyakarana explains how to understand the meaning of the Vedas. Jyotisha and Kalpa teach how to use the Vedas. Vedangas in the depth knowledge is necessary for understanding the subtle ideas of Vedas.
[Source zz (80) 07-Apr-05]
