VAYGACH (also written Vaigatcit, Vaigatz, and TVaigatz), an island of the Arctic ocean, belonging to Russia, stands between the main land and the island of Nova Zembla, From the former of which it is separated by a strait about 5 m. broad. There is no resi • dent population; but, being productive in furi and in fish, it annually attracts a number of Roman and Samoied hunters.
VAYU (from the Sanskrit va,.blow), the wind, is, in the Vedic mythology of the Hindus, a deity, which originally seems to have held an equal rank with Indra (q.v.), but much more rarely occupies the imagination of the poets than this god, or Agni, or the sun; for though, according to Yeska (q.v.), ancient commentators of the Vedas hold that there are only three great deities viz., Agni, fire, whose place is on earth; Sdrya, the sun, whose place is in heaven: and Vdyu, or Indra (q.v.), whose place is in the intermediate sphere—only a few hymns, comparatively speaking, are dedicated to Vfiyn, whereas the other deities named are the subject of manifold praise. The description given by the R'igveda of the greatness of Vayu nevertheless answers the position which those ancient commentators assign to him.—See J. Muir's " Contributions to a Knowledge of the Vedic Theogony and Mythology," in the Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society for 1864. In the epic and Purfinie mythology, Vfiyu occupies but an inferior position, and the legends there related of him have no cosmical character. They give him a wife, Anjand, by whom he has a son, the monkey Ilanumat (q.v.). When represented, Vtlyn either rides on an antelope,with a saber in his hand, or he is seated holding his son Hanutnat in his arms.
See PURAN'A.
VEDA (from the Sanskrit rid, know; kindred with the Latin Greek Gothic vat-. Lithuanian hence, literally, knowledge) is the technical name of those ancient Sanskrit works on which the first period of the religious belief of the Hindus is based. See LsmA, sec. lielilaion • The oldest of these works—and in all probability the oldest literary document still existing—is the Higveda; next to it stand the Yajnivecla and Sdmaveda; and the latest is the Atharvaveda. The first three also ,bear the collect ive title of tragi, or "the threefold" (sell. science); and all four are considered to be of divinely inspired origin. Each of these Vedas consists of two distinct divisions—a Sanhitd, or collection of mantras, or hymns; and a portion called Brahman'a. A mantra (front man, think; hence, literally, the means by which thinking or meditation is effected) is, as Colebrooke, in conformity with the 111imansii writers, defines the word, a prayer, or else a thanksgiving, praise, or adoration addressed to a deity: it declares the purpose of a pious act, or lauds or invokes the object; it asks a question, or returns an answer; either directs, inquires, or deliberates, blesses or imprecates, exults or laments, counts or narrates, etc., Sometimes it is addressed to the deity with a verb in the first person; sometimes it ends with the verb "thou art," or with the word "thee." See Cclebrooke,
.3fiseelleneous Essays, i. p. :308; 11IfiIler, Ancient Sandcrit Literature, p. 343; Jainiinlyan yayamillavistara, as quoted in Goldsttieker's Prin p. 69. If such a mantra is metrical, and intended for loud recitation, it is called Rich (from r'ich, praise)—whence the name igredii, i.e., the Veda containing such praises—if it is in prose, and then. it must be muttered inaudibly, it is called Yojus (from ya), sacrifice; hence, literally, the means by which sacrificing is effected); therefore, Yajurveda signifies the Veda containing such yajus. And if it is metrical, and intended for chanting, it is termed Scitnan; whence Silmaceda means the Veda containing such simians. (The original meaning of the latter word is obscure. Native grammarians derive it, but without much probability, from so, to give pain, because, they say, " it is difficult to utter such mantras." A mystical, but grammatically impossible, account of same it is given in the atapatharbrd hma n' a and B•'lliadaran-yaku, where the word is analyzed into sa and ante, the former being inter preted as implying "speech," and the latter "breathing forth," since the chanting of the suntan, as the commentator says, is essentially the result of both.) No special name is given to the mantras of the fourth Veda. The author of the mantra, or, as the Hindus would say, the inspired "seer," who received it from the deity, is termed its 1?'ishi (q.v.); and the object in which the mantra is concerned is its deratci—a word which generally. signifies "deity." but the meaning of which, in its reference to the mautras, must not always be take]] literally, as there are hymns, in which not gods or deified beings, but, for instance, a sacrificial post, a remedy against bad dreams, the generosity of princes from whom gifts were received by the authors, or a chariot, a drum, weapons, the charioteer and horses employed in war, and other worldly objects, invoked, arc considered as the devotd.—See Colehrooke's Misc. Essays, i. p. 22; Wilson's Rigreda, vol. i., in the u.'ition of F. E. Hall, p. 347.—Beiihman'a—derived from brolonan, neuter, probably in the sense of prayer or hymn (see concerning this word. J. Muir, "On the Relation of the Priests to the other Classes of Indian Society in the Vedic Age," in the Journal if the Royal Asiatic Society for 1864; and the introduction of M. Baug's edition of the Aitnreya Brilman'a vol. i p. 4)—designates, according to Madhara-k.eiyan'a, the great commentator on the Vedas, that portion in prose of the Vedas which contains either commandments or explanations; or, in other wools, which gives injections for the performance of sacrificial act. explains their origin, and the occasions of which the mantras had to lie used, by adding sometimes illustrations and legends, and sometimes also mystical and philosoph• cal speculations. The Bicihman'a portion of the Vedas is therefore the basis on which the Vedic ritual rests (see KALPA and YEDAcGA), and whence It e Upanishads (q.v.) and the philosophical doctrines (see SANSKRIT LITERATI:n.0 took their development.