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Dictionary-Ved, Rig

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Ved, Rig

The Rig Ved ("Wisdom of the Verses") is a collection of inspired songs or hymns. It contains the earliest form of all Sanskrit Mantra that date back to 1500 BC - 1000 BC. Some scholars date the Rig Ved as early as 12000 BC - 4000 BC. The Rig-Ved consists of 1,028 hymns or 'Sookt' dedicated to 33 different gods, but mostly to Indra, Agni and Som Dev. The 10,589 verses of the Rig Ved are divided into 10 Mandal or books, of which books 2-7 are the core of the work.

The 1st Mandal consists of 181 Sookt and 2006 Mantra
The 2nd Mandal consists of 43 Sookt and 429 Mantra
The 3rd Mandal consists of 62 Sookt and 617 Mantra
The 4th Mandal consists of 58 Sookt and 589 Mantra
The 5th Mandal consists of 87 Sukt and 727 Mantra
The 6th Mandal consists of 75 Sookt and 765 Mantra
The 7th Mandal consists of 104 Sookt and 841 Mantra
The 8th Mandal consists of 103 Sookt and 1,716 Mantra
The 9th Mandal consists of 114 Sookt and 1,108 Mantra
The 10th Mandal consists of 181 Sookt and 1,754 Mantra

These hymns have been written by many authors or seers called 'Rishi', such as Maharshi Atri, Maharshi Kanv, Maharshi Vashisth, Maharshi Vishwaamitra, Maharshi Jamadagni, Maharshi Gotam and Rishi Bhaaradwaaj. The books are arranged according to the number of hymns they possess. The main ritual they refer to is sacrifice.

The religion of the Rig Ved is a polytheism consisting of divinities associated with Prakriti - Aakaash, Vaayu, Prithvi, Jal and Agni. Many of the most important Vaidik gods are almost forgotten today, Indra was the great war god of the Aarya but later became mainly a rain god. Varun, the guardian of the cosmic order, is rarely remembered today, whereas Soorya, the sun god, and Agni, the god of fire and sacrifice, are still honored.

Rig Ved intones that since all are embodiments of the Divinity, all human beings are one. Human beings should trot the path of Satya and Rit - the truth.

 Rig Ved Sookt [Bhavishya Puraan, 3/22] - Braahman pleased Soorya with Rig Ved Sookt.

 

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Created and Maintained by Sushma Gupta
Created on 03/15/2006 and Updated on 02/07/2008
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