“Vedic”: The Vedas and More.
SCHOLARS OFTEN restrict the meaning of the term “Vedic” to that which relates only to four original Vedas Rg, Sama, Yajur, and Atharva and the period in which they assume they appeared. Authorities within the tradition itself, however, usually expand the meaning to include not only the Vedas but their corollaries as well. They give the corollaries at least equal status to the Vedas and refer to them as Vedic literature. Following are some references to support that view:
“One should expand and accept the meaning of the Vedas with the help of the Itihasas and Puranas. The Vedas are afraid of being mistreated by one who is ignorant of the Itihasas and Puranas.” (Mahabharata, Adi 1.267)
“I consider the message of the Puranas to be more important than that of the Vedas. All that is in the Vedas is in the Puranas without a doubt.” (Naradiya Purana)
“I consider the Puranas equal to the Vedas. … The Vedas feared that their purport would be distorted by inattentive listening, but their purport was established long ago by the Itihasas and Puranas. What is not found in the Vedas is found in the smrtis.And what is not found in either is described in the Puranas. A person who knows the four Vedas along with the Upanisads but who does not know the Puranas is not very learned.” (Skanda Purana, Prabhasa-khanda)
Finally, the Brhad-aranyaka Upanisad (4.5.11) states: “The Rg Veda, Yajur Veda, Sama Veda, Atharva Veda, Itihasas, Puranas, Upanisads, verses and mantras chanted by brahmanas, sutras [compilations of Vedic statements], as well as transcendental knowledge and the explanations of the sutras and mantras all emanate from the breathing of the great Personality of Godhead.”