Rigveda

The Rigveda is the oldest of the four Vedas, a collection of hymns composed in the ancient Indo-Aryan language known as Rigvedic Sanskrit. It is a foundational text of Vedic religion and Hinduism, though it predates later Hindu theology and philosophy. Most scholars date its composition to roughly 1500–1200 BCE, with material likely older, and it was transmitted orally for centuries before being compiled into its canonical form.

The text comprises about 1,028 hymns (suktas) organized into ten books called mandalas. The hymns largely praise a pantheon of deities such as Agni (fire), Indra (the warrior god), Soma, and Varuna, and they are used in yajna (sacrifice) and ritual contexts. Many hymns are attributed to individual seers, or rishis, rather than to a single author. Central themes include cosmic order (rita), the practices of ritual sacrifice, and early reflections on creation and the divine.

The language of the Rigveda is early Vedic Sanskrit, distinct from later Classical Sanskrit in phonology, morpho-syntax, and vocabulary. Its verse is known for its varied metres, with Gayatri being particularly prominent. Notable hymns include the Purusha Sukta in Mandala X and the Nasadiya Sukta, also in Mandala X, which address creation and the origins of the universe.

Transmission and influence: The Rigveda was preserved through oral tradition and later written down, with manuscripts appearing in the medieval period. It has profoundly influenced later Hindu liturgy, ritual practice, and Indian thought, and it is a crucial source for the study of early Indo-Aryan religion and linguistics.