The Veda-s are a vast collection of hymns that are believed to have been heard by ancient Indian sages when they were in a deep meditative state. Collectively, they are the most authoritative source of Indian wisdom as they contain information on every conceivable subject.

In fact, the term, "veda" implies "that which can be learnt." This is a broad definition encompassing not just intellectual knowledge but also an understanding of profound concepts that cannot be seen or inferred. Not only do the Veda-s tell us what to do, they also tell us how and why we need to do those actions. Thus, the Veda-s have, for thousands of years, been the primary source of reference for many people living in the Indian sub-continent.

Even the six-schools of Indian philosophy known collectively as "satdarsana" and comprising nyaya, vaisesika, sankhya, yoga, mimamsa and oedanta based their teachings on the Veda-s. This is why these schools are often referred to as the "oaidika darsana," meaning schools of philosophy based on the Veda-s." Thus, the status of the Veda-s as the most sacred of the Indian teachings was firmly established and remains undisputed until today.

These teachings were considered extremely precious and hence, every precaution was taken to protect and preserve them in their entirety. How the ancient Indians achieved this was through a very special method of transmission - the oral tradition.

The Vedic chants were transmitted by means of oral recitation and recollection from one generation of teachers and students to the next. It was the vitality of this link between teacher and student that is responsible for the continuity of this tradition that is as relevant today as it was several thousand years ago. The trust invested in the teacher- student lineage helped preserve the sanctity of this tradition and carried it undiluted into the future. This tradition of passing these great teachings of the Veda-s orally through the art of chanting is called "adhyayanam".