Of all Vedic scriptures, Rigveda is the oldest existing script.
Classical Rigveda is the basis of all other Vedas and it contains of a
vast variety of hymns, some of which date back to almost 2000 B.C. The
Rig Veda is the oldest book in Sanskrit or any other Indo-European
languages. Different spiritual leaders have contributed their thoughts
and sayings in the form of hymns. These hymns make up the vast
collection that have assimilated together in the Rig Veda. The hymns are
composed in Vedic Sanskrit.
Many great scholars and Yogis who possessed a high level of
understanding about the deeper aspects of life have composed these
hymns. Most of these hymns have been composed in the praise of God. Each
hymn has around 10 lines on an average, written in Sanskrit. These
sacred hymns are the oldest form of Sanskrit mantras and have been in
use since ancient times. Each letter is pronounced in a way that the
full meaning and power of the letter is clear. These hymns have been
composed on the science of sound so that the pronunciation of each
letter hits hard and sounds powerful.
The Rig Veda is a plethora of knowledge that is relevant in day-to-day
life. The fine aspects of leading a satisfying life with the help of
yoga, meditation, etc. have been mentioned in much detail in Rigveda.
People are slowly realizing the importance of meditation and yoga as the
stress of their day-to-day life gets the better of them. Rig Veda also
mentions the ancient form of medication of Ayurveda and highlights its
significance in our lives. This natural form of curing illness and
fatigue is slowly regaining its importance in the era of laser surgery
and other medical advancements.
It is believed that many different versions of revised and critically
analyzed forms of Rig Veda have existed. But, only one form of Rig Veda
is found to exist in the contemporary world. This version has been
restructured in different ways so that through time, it is preserved and
its authenticity is not questioned. Ralph T. H. Griffith translated the
Rig Veda in English in the year 1896. The entire Rig Veda is divided
into a series of 10 books. Of these, book number 2 and 7 are considered
to be the oldest while the others are much more recent. You shall find
the significance of each book as given below.
 |
