Vedanga

(“[subsidiary] member of the Veda”)
General name for six classes of works
considered auxiliary to the Vedas
744
Vatsyayana
because they were intended to facilitate
its use. These six were guides to proper
articulation and pronunciation (shiksha), metrical forms (chandas),
Sanskrit grammar (vyakarana), etymological explanations of archaic words
(nirukta), determining astrologically
appropriate times for sacrifice
(jyotisha), and ritual and ceremonial
guides (kalpa).