‘Inferior knowledge’, a class of writings subordinate to the Vedas. There are four such Upave- das, one being attached to each of the four Vedas: thus āyurveda or Medicine to ṛgveda; (according to some authorities such as Suśruta it is a part of the Atharvaveda); dhanurveda or military science to yajurveda; gāṃdharvaveda or Music to sāmaveda, and sthāpa- tya-śastraṃ-veda or Mechanics to atharvaveda.