Where Epics and Puranas are mentioned as 5th Veda?

Question

There are 4 vedas - Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samaveda and Atharvaveda.

But in several places few scriptures are mentioned as 5th Veda, such as:

Mahabharata

The boon-giving great one then taught Sumanta, Jaimini, Paila, his son Suka, and Vaisampayana, the Vedas having the Mahabharata for their fifth. -Adi Parva: Adivansavatarana Parva of Mahabharata

Purāṇas

ṛg-yajuḥ-sāmātharvākhyā

vedāś catvāra uddhṛtāḥ

itihāsa-purāṇaṁ ca

pañcamo veda ucyate

The four divisions of the original sources of knowledge [the Vedas] were made separately. But the historical facts and authentic stories mentioned in the Purāṇas are called the fifth Veda. -SB 1.4.20

Similarly, I heard that Epics (Ramayana and Mahabharata) are called as 5th Veda or sometimes Epics and Puranas collectively called as 5th Veda.

So, is there any scripture where Ramayana is mentioned as 5th Veda or Epics collectively are mentioned as 5th Veda?

Answer 1

Similarly, I heard that Epics (Ramayana and Mahabharata) are called as 5th Veda or sometimes Epics and Puranas collectively called as 5th Veda. So, is there any scripture where Ramayana is mentioned as 5th Veda or Epics collectively are mentioned as 5th Veda?

Yes, there is. First of all, the Bhagavatam is one of them, in fact the very Bhagavatam verse you quoted:

ṛg-yajuḥ-sāmātharvākhy vedāś catvāra uddhṛtāḥ
itihāsa-purāṇaṁ ca pañcamo veda ucyate

It's just a translation issue; the verse is actually saying that Itihasas (epics) and Puranas together constitute the fifth Veda.

In any case, another chapter of the Sriman Bhagavatam provides more detail on this:

Beginning from the front face of Brahmā, gradually the four Vedas — Ṛk, Yajur, Sāma and Atharva — became manifest. Thereafter, Vedic hymns which had not been pronounced before, priestly rituals, the subject matters of the recitation, and transcendental activities were all established, one after another. He also created the medical science, military art, musical art and architectural science, all from the Vedas. They all emanated one after another, beginning from the front face. Then he created the fifth Veda — the Purāṇas and the histories — from all his mouths, since he could see all the past, present and future.

This chapter of the Chandogya Upanishad also says that Itihasas and Puranas are the fifth Veda:

I know the Rig-veda, Sir, the Yagur-veda, the Sâma-veda, as the fourth the Âtharvana, as the fifth the Itihâsa-purâna; the Veda of the Vedas; the Pitrya; the Râsi; the Daiva; the Nidhi; the Vâkovâky; the Ekâyana; the Deva-vidyâ; the Brahma-vidyâ; the Bhûta-vidyâ; the Kshatra-vidyâ; the Nakshatra-vidyâ (astronomy); the Sarpa and Devagana-vidyâ.

Answer 2

Chhandogya Upanishad 7.1.4, 7.2.1, 7.7.1; Bhagavata Purana 1.4.20, 3.12.37; Skanda Purana 5.3.1 state that:

“Itihasa are the epic histories like Ramayana and Mahabharata. Itihasa and Purana extend the message of the 4 Veda. Therefore, Itihasa and Purana are collectively called the fifth Veda.”

Source: The book ‘Essence of the Fifth Veda’ by Gaurang Damani

Answer 3

In many sruti scriptures it is mentioned that puranas and Itihasa are fifth Veda.

"Nârada said: 'I know the Rig-veda, Sir, the Yagur-veda, the Sâma-veda, as the fourth the Âtharvana, as the fifth the Itihâsa-purâna (the Bhârata); the Veda of the Vedas (grammar); the Pitrya (the rules for the sacrifices for the ancestors); the Râsi (the science of numbers); the Daiva (the science of portents); the Nidhi (the science of time); the Vâkovâkya (logic); the Ekâyana (ethics); the Deva-vidyâ (etymology); the Brahma-vidyâ (pronunciation, sikshâ, ceremonial, kalpa, prosody, khandas); the Bhûta-vidyâ (the science of demons); the Kshatra-vidyâ - Chāndogya Upaniṣad 7.1.2.

"A name is the Rig-veda, Yagur-veda, Sâma-veda, and as the fourth the Âtharvana, as the fifth the Itihâsa-purâna, the Veda of the Vedas, the Pitrya, the Râsi, the Daiva, the Nidhi, the Vâkovâkya, the Ekâyana, the Deva-vidyâ, the Brahma-vidyâ, the Bhûta-vidyâ, the Kshatra-vidyâ, the Nakshatra-vidyâ, the Sarpa and Devagana-vidyâ. All these are a name only. Meditate on the name. - "Chāndogya Upaniṣad 7.1.4.

"As clouds of smoke proceed by themselves out of a lighted fire kindled with damp fuel, thus, verily, O Maitreyî, has been breathed forth from this great Being what we have as Rig-veda, Yagur-veda, Sama-veda, Atharvâṅgirasas, Itihâsa (legends), Purâna (cosmogonies), Vidyâ (knowledge), the Upanishads, Slokas (verses), Sûtras (prose rules), Anuvyâkhyânas (glosses), Vyâkhyânas (commentaries). From him alone all these were breathed forth. - "Bṛhad-āraṇyaka Upaniṣad 2.4.10.

"In this way all the Vedas are manifested along with the kalpas,rahasyas, Brahmanas, Upanishads, Itihas, anvakhyatas and the puranas." - Gopatha Brahman purva 2:10.