Rigveda

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.