Rigveda
The Rig Veda ( Vedic, Sanskrit, m. , ऋग्वेद, Rgveda, veda = knowledge, rc = verses ) is the oldest part of the four Vedas and is one of the most important scriptures of Hinduism.
Frequently the term for the Rigvedasamhita is the core of the Rigveda, used, although this actually encompasses a larger text collection. When Rigvedasamhita is a collection of 1028 (according to other counts 1017 ) hymns, divided into ten books, mandalas (song circles) called.
Among the four Vedas belong next to the Rigveda still Samaveda, Yajurveda and Atharvaveda. All Hindu religions accept the sanctity of these four Vedas, but expect individual faiths individually often more fonts added.
The entire Rigveda is like all the Vedas from multiple text layers which form the Samhitas with the hymns of the oldest. The Brahmanas, the following text layer, consist mainly of ritual texts. Then the Aranyakas are called forest texts, and finally the Upanishads, which contain mostly philosophical treatises. While the language of the hymns is Vedic, the last layers in Sanskrit are written.
Historical and geographical context
The time of origin Rksamhita lies in darkness, and is therefore always been a matter of speculation. This ranges from the middle of the first millennium BC to return to the Pleistocene. In the present state of Indo-European Studies and Indology a creation time in the second half of the second millennium BC seems likely the books II to IX emerged earlier than Book I and X. Individual hymns can still be several centuries older.
Poet of this coming from priestly families hymns are people of a nation who called themselves Aryans. Their language is related to the Old Iranian and content are touching poems of the RV and the oldest sacred poetry of Iran. During the time of origin of the Rig -Veda, the Indo-Aryans in the Indus, the present Punjab are said to be migrated. In Afghanistan and the western Punjab which is dependent on the livestock people had to rely on rain and water from rivers, especially when the snow melt. Therefore, in many hymns over and over again the life-giving rain and its bearer, the storm gods, the Maruts, sung.
In RV 10.75 On the rivers are 18 rivers, interestingly, in order from east to west, then listed from north to south, with their Rigvedic names. Among them, it is primarily the Sindhu ( Indus ) and its tributaries, which are praised by the singers because of their volume of water.
The Vedic tribes to have been semi-nomads, who possessed bullock carts, horse carts and bronze weapons. The sacrificial ceremonies were carried out in the great outdoors. In contrast to the later Hinduism they should not have has idols or statues.
Structure and content
During the first song cycle includes the works of 15 Rishis, make the mandalas or circles represent two songs to the seven traditional material of certain families or clans, who passed on the art of poetry generation by generation. These so-called ' family songs circles ' contain the oldest part of the Rig - Veda. The songs circles one and ten shall be construed as younger. The ninth song cycle dealing exclusively with songs that are associated with the production of Somatrankes and Somaopfers. At the tenth song cycle group songs and individual songs are grouped together, which can not be clearly assigned or have been sealed to certain special occasions.
The Rigveda contains those texts for the Hotri ( " caller " ), one of the priests in the Vedic sacrificial cult, are of importance. These are songs of praise to gods like Agni, Indra, Varuna or. These existed in similar or completely different names in other nations of the Indo-European or Indo-European language group.
After Shatapatha Brahmana is the Rigveda of 432,000 syllables, which is the number of Muhurtas (1 day has 30 Muhurtas ) corresponds to 40 years. This statement stresses the underlying philosophy of the Vedas connection between astronomy and religion.
Deities
The focus of the Rigveda religion are the fire and the sacrifice of animals. Therefore, the first hymns of each song cycle to Agni are addressed, the god of fire, the gods flock to the place of sacrifice leads as gods (for example: RV 1.1. ). Most, however, are hymns Indra, who freed the water through his exploits and the sun, the sky and the dawn brought to light (example: RV 1, 32). He once stole the soma and freed the cows. He is known as a big drinker of Soma, which gives it irresistible strength.
Standing behind the phenomena of nature certain deities are invoked in the hymns: Usha, the dawn sky and daughter, who dispels the darkness (examples: RV 7.75 to 81 ); Surya, the Sun God (example: RV 1.50); Vayu, the wind god (example: RV 1.134 and 135); Parjanya, the rain god, which, together with the Maruts, the thunderstorms, the quickening rain brings (for example: RV 5,83,4 ). Soma, the drink and the plant are sometimes addressed as deities (RV 9 songs circle).
A group of gods are the Adityas, the sons of Aditi. They form a group of seven or eight gods (later twelve) are six of whom are named. Make the incarnations of ethical principles is: Mitra, the God of the contract, watches over the sanctity of the contract term; Varuna, the god of truth, the word, is the preserver of law and order in the universe, on earth and in society; Aryaman, the God of the host contract, oversees the hospitality.
For the protection of the gods, who are called in an emergency, include the divine twins who Ashvins. You are called in many hymns for help or it will give them thanks for wonderful deliverances and healings (example: RV or RV 1,157,4 1,158,3 ). Often in the individual hymns several deities are called together, and there are individual hymns to all gods contact (examples: RV 7.34 to 55 ).
Individual hymns
While most of the hymns are addressed to one or more deities, there are also those in which any statements about the origin and order of the world. Thus in RV. 10.90:
This idea of Purusha continues to run in the Upanishads, which arose many centuries later.
In verse 12 of this hymn is found the first clue to the caste system:
This is pronounced so clearly throughout the Rigveda only here. Although it is a late book, one can assume that at this time the caste system was not fully developed in the social life. Noteworthy here is the mythological legitimation of social stratification.
Knowledge transfer
The texts of the Rigveda are oral, written without the knowledge of Scripture and been so handed down through at least three millennia from father to son and from teacher to student. The belief that only the exact word recited poet brings forth that dwelleth in him strength, has a nowhere else to be found, faithful transmission causes, which exceeds that of classical or biblical texts by far. The accuracy is so great that one can speak of a kind of tape recording from about 1000 BC. The knowledge of the Vedas was considered a power, which is why they do not verschriftlichte, even as there was already writing, because it was feared that power might fall into the wrong hands.
Commentaries and Translations
In the 14th century Sayana wrote one of the first with a detailed commentary on the Rigveda. Most common issue ( in Latin transcription ) is the maintenance of Th (Leipzig 1861-1863 ). German Translations: Hermann Grassmann (Leipzig 1876, Two volumes, metric, unaltered reprint: Minerva -Verlag, Frankfurt am Main, 1990), Alfred Ludwig ( Prague 1876-1888, sechsbändig, prose ) and Karl Friedrich Geldner (1923). Meanwhile, a total translation is available into Russian by Tatiana Elizarenkova (Moscow 1989-1999), in the recent research literature is taken into account up to about 1990.