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| Lesson
- 55: Selections and Collections of Rig and Yajur Vedas
What
are the divisions and how much of it we have got | ||||
Rig Veda Samhita consists of 10,170 Riks, or hymns, collected as 1028 Sookthas, divided into 21 Sakhas [Sections]. Rig Veda is written wholly in the form of hymns in praise of various devathas like Agni or fire. It is taken to elevate the Soul's Consciousness or the glow of the soul's awakening. They are mostly prayers to Vedic Deities and rituals of sacrifice for fire. In Rig Veda, one can see the earliest human thoughts, prayers to natural elements and early versions of poetry and drama with artistic dialogues in Hindu literature. There should have been five Samhiathas for this: 1. Sakala, 2. Bashkala, 3. Asvalayana, 4. Sankhayana and 5. Mandukayana. Of these we have Sakala and small fragments of Bashkala that are scattered. We have Two Brahmanas, Two Aranyakas and Three Upanishads in this Veda. We see the earliest ideas that Atman produces everything and we see the thoughts of Evolution and Creation of the Universe in this Veda. Yajur Veda contains 109 Sakhas. | ||||
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Rg-Veda
- First Sooktha | ||||
Agnimeele'Purohitham
Yagyasya De'vam Rithvijam Hothaaram
Rathna Dhaathamam - [ Rik - 1 ] 1.
I pray to Agni, the household priest who is the god of the sacrifice, the
one who chants and invokes and brings most treasure. | ||||
Agnih'
Poorve'bhirrishibhi Ridhyo' Noothanairutha Sa
De'vaan E'ha Vakshathi - [ Rik - 2 ] 2.
Agni earned the prayers of the ancient sages, and of those of the present too;
he
will bring the gods here. | ||||
Agninaa
Rayimashshnavath Poshameva Dhive'dive' Yashasam
Veervaththamam - [ Rik - 3 ] 3.
Through Agni one may win wealth, and growth from day to day, glorious
and most abounding in heroic sons. | ||||
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Sanãthana
Dharma ãsthra | ||||