Rig Veda is the oldest of the Vedas, the sacred texts of Hinduism. It means “The Knowledge of Verses”.
Written in Sanskrit around 1500 BC,Rig Veda consists of 1028 poems arranged into 10 circles or Mandalas.Each Mandalas have suktas or hymns.
The hymns or poems are written in praise of the gods and recited in rituals. Agni, Indra, Mitra, Varuna, and other Gods were praised through the chanting of the hymns.
Rig Veda contains Purusha Sukta, which explains that the four varnas, including Brahmana, Kshatriya, Vaishya, and Shudra were born from the mouth, arms, thighs, and feet of the creator. The Gayatri Mantra is also taken from Rig Veda.
The Vedas
- The word “Veda” is derived from the root “vid” which means “to know”.It stands for wisdom, knowledge,or vision.
The Vedas are divided into four;
- Rig Veda
- Sama Veda
- Yajur Veda
- Atharva Veda
- The Sama Veda consists of music, Yajur Veda deals with the importance of rituals, and Atharva Veda consists of charms and spells to ward off evils.
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