Book Review

Rigveda- – A Study of the Forty Hymns: Nagesh D Sonde; Published by the author, 318, Raheja Crest 3, Link Road, Andheri West, Mumbai 400 053. Rs.50.

Study of the hymns of the Rig Veda is indispensable for getting an adequate overview of Indian thought. The hymns are highly philosophical and they attempt to explain the mysteries of the world by means of reason. It is a work representing the thought of successive generations of thinkers and hence contains different strata of thought. The Rig Veda Samhita or collection comprises 1017 hymns or Suktas covering a total of about 10,600 stanzas. Popularly it is divided into 10 mandalas or circles.

The first mandala contains 191 hymns and is ascribed to nearly 15 different authors. There is a principle involved in the arrangement of hymns here. Those addressed to Agni come first, that to Indra second, and then the rest. The 10th mandala, which is considered as a later appendage, covers the views prevalent during the last stage of the development of Vedic hymns. The hymns here embody the mature results of conscious reflection on the meaning of the world and man’s place in it. All along India has looked upon the Veda as containing all that is great in her religion and philosophy.

A striking feature of the hymns in this Veda is their polytheistic character. A great many gods are named and worshipped. At the same time, there are some conveying highly abstract philosophical ideas.

The introduction gives in a nutshell all the general information required by the reader. The work is done exceedingly well and will be of great use to students of Vedic literature.

S Revathy

© "The Hindu" (dated August 1, 2006). Reprinted with permission.

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