Samhita

(“collection”) The most archaic textual
layer in the Vedas, comprising hymns to
the Vedic deities, benedictions, prayers,
spells, and litanies. The term indicates
that this group of texts is a collection of
various things important, not only for
their cognitive meaning, but for their
power as mantra (sacred sound). The
samhitas were chanted during rites of
sacrifice and remain the oldest living
part of the Hindu tradition. Following
the samhitas are the three later textual
levels: the Brahmanas, which are
essentially manuals detailing correct
performance of the sacrifice, and the
Aranyakas and the Upanishads, which
ask speculative questions about the
power behind the sacrifice.