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I just completed reading Bhagavad Gita. I used this publication to read Bhagavad Gita. I really find this publication a truly convincing.
I want to start reading Vedas. I started searching online but could not identify which is the right publication for this. Can anyone tell:
One should not just start reading the scriptures without guidance. The scriptures are called Sruti, which literally means "that which is heard" the hearing being from a competent teacher.
At the very start of his Sri Bhyasya (I.I.1.), Ramanuja in his commentary on the first verse quotes the Mundakya Upanishad (I.ii.12.) "To know that he...must approach a guru" etc.
In his writing Upadesa Sahasri, Sankaracharya says:
For the Srutis say, "A man having a teacher can know Brahman," [Chhandogya Upanishad 6.14.2.] "Knowledge received from a teacher alone (becomes perfect)." {Chhandogya Upanishad 4.9.3.] "The teacher is the pilot" "Right Knowledge is called in this world a raft," etc. The Smriti [Bhagavad Gita 4.34] also says "knowledge will be imparted to you" etc.
Swami Vivekananda says this story about Ramakrishna Paramahamsa:
Many years ago, I visited a great sage of our own country, a very holy man. We talked of our revealed book, the Vedas, of your Bible, of the Koran, and of revealed books in general. At the close of our talk, this good man asked me to go to the table and take up a book; it was a book which, among other things, contained a forecast of the rain during the year. The sage said, "Read that." And I read out the quantity of rain that was to fall. He said, "Now take the book and squeeze it." I did so and he said, 'Why, my boy, not a drop of water comes out. Until the water comes out, it is all book, book. So until your religion makes you realize God, it is useless. He who only studies books for religion reminds one of the fable of the ass which carried a heavy load of sugar on its back, but did not know the sweetness of it." (Complete Works I. p 326)
Find a teacher and he will guide you on what to read and when.
Which is the right publication for Vedas?
As i have no answer of your First Question, I would like you to prefer, Gayatri Pariwar Vedas, they are available, as well as can be downloaded.
But, there are Two Happiness(Anand) for which we did everything, First is Bhautik Sukha (Material world happiness) and Second one is AdiBhautik (Spiritual world). There is Para Vidhya and Apara Vidhya. The Gita is Apara which is for people who sick liberation or to know about it beyond this material world truth, where as Vedas are somehow Paravidhya mostly for getting happiness by Bhautik sukha(Material Happiness) so I prefer instead read Vedas go for the Upanishads, and Shankaracharya scriptures, kshatdarshan which are made for Apara Vidhya, for Liberation the Param sukha (ultimate happiness).
Reading the entire Vedas is a mammoth task, one that could take you a very long time. The text is difficult to read and understand without the assistance of an expert and you really need to ask yourself what you are looking to gain by reading.
Since you have just read the Gita, the next logical step for you in my opinion would be to read the Upanishads instead. These are essentially the philosophic heart of the Vedas, and you find it a lot easier to find books with useful commentaries.
If it really is the Vedas you are interested in, you will find many books which will summarise the contents instead. My personal favourite is Discovering The Vedas
