Rig Veda: Eight Little Known Facts

Rig Veda is considered to be one of the four sacred Veda texts. The depth of the texts in the canonical is called the Rigveda Samhita. It is a collection of over a thousand hymns known as suktas and well above ten thousand verses which have been created into ten mandalas or books.

The Rig Veda

The composition of the Veda is attributed to families of ten rishis that have contributed to the curation of the majority of the lineage. These include the hymns from each clan as well as other religious text for rituals and customs.

Composition

The Rig Veda is an amalgamation of four major components. This includes the Samhitas, the Brahmanas, the Aryankas and the Upanishads.

Components

The Samhitas are the texts involving the hymns to the deities and constitute the oldest section of the Rig Veda. The Brahmanas are the section pertaining to the commentaries for the hymns. 

Samhitas

The Veda is composed of ten Mandalas each of which serves significant purposes. The primary purpose is seen as hymns in the praise of the Hindu deities.

Mandalas

The stories within the Rig Veda called the Suktas were a reflection of the Hindu philosophy and belief system. They were used for ritualistic purposes in marriages and other religious ceremonies.

Suktas

The Veda also speaks about issues of morality and the right societal behaviour. It tackles important issues of the time like gambling and the right measures for good governance.

Morality Issues

The Veda influenced life in the subcontinent for the years to come. It presents the rightful duties of different classes which were followed and deep-rooted in the society. The importance of religion and goodwill are the fundamental highlights of the compilation.

Influence