Rigveda- The Earliest Scripture of Hinduism

Of the four Vedas (Veda means knowledge), the Rigveda, Samveda, Yajurveda and Atharvaveda, the Rigveda is the oldest religious text in the world still looked on as sacred, and therefore, is also known as the first testament of mankind. Dating the Rigveda is a subject of conjecture. the probable date for its composition may be around 1700 BC.

Vedas are written is Sanskrit. The first three Vedas are collectively known as Trayi or trio. Each Veda is further divided into Samhitas or collections. These were learnt by heart and then passed on from the teachers to the disciples.

The Rigveda is neither a historical nor a heroic poem but is mainly a collection of hymns of praise composed by many authors. It describes the religious life of the early Aryans in India. The hymns of Rig Veda were recited at the time of sacrificial rites and other rituals with utmost devotion. These hymns are still recited by the Hindus at different ceremonies that include weddings and funerals. In fact they are daily devotions of many Brahmins.

The Rigveda contains 1028 hymns (sukta) and is divided into ten “circles” (mandalas). The tenth mandala is said to have been added later as its language differs slightly from other mandalas, contains the famous Purushasukta which explains the four varnas (Brahmana, Kshatriya, Vaishya and Shudra) were born from the mouth, arms, thighs and feet of the creator.

Rigveda contains the famous Gayatri mantra, addressed to the old solar god Savitr, still considered to be the most sacred by the Hindus. The oldest exegetical work on Rig Veda is the Nirukta (Etymology) of Yashka dating back to 500 BC.

Comments

Muhammad Shah Rangila

Aurangzeb, the last great Mughal emperor, died in 1707. Muhammad Shah became Mughal emperor in 1719. During the interregnum, Bahadur Shah I , JahandarShah , Farrukhsiyar r, Rafi-ud-Darajat and Rafi-ud-Daula ascended the Mughal throne. Jahandar Shah was murdered on the orders of Farrukhsiyar who had the support of the two powerful Mughal nobles Sayyid Abdullah and his brother Sayyid Husain Ali at that time. They are famous in history as Sayyid brothers, the King-makers. In 1719, Farrukhsiyar were murdered in utter disregard of a Mughal emperor by Sayyid brothers. Rafi-ud-Darajat died of consumption in a few months. Rafi-ud-Daula was addicted to opium and died in 4 months. Sayyid brothers now chose Raushan Akhtar, a son of Jahan Shah (the fourth son of Bahadur Shah I), to be the emperor. Raushan Akhtar ascended the throne under the title of Muhamamd Shah in September 1719. In the beginning Muhammad Shah was a puppet in the hands of Sayyid brothers who soon began to lose their...

Ghaseti Begum: The Begum of Motijheel

Clive meeting Mir Jafar after the Battle of Plassey, (By Francis Hayman) Ghaseti Begum, originally named Mehar un-Nisa, was the eldest daughter of Alivardi Khan, the Nawab of Bengal. She was married to Nawazish Muhammad Khan. Ghaseti Begum went all out to conspire against her nephew Siraj-ud-Daula who was the last independent Nawab of Bengal. Siraj-ud-Daula was defeated by the British under Lord Clive in the Battle of Plassey in 1757 and was killed on the orders of Miran, the son of Mir Jafar who was now made the Nawab of Bengal by the British. Ghaseti Begum was called the Begum of Motijheel due to her residence at the bend of this reservoir in Murshidabad. Motijheel or Pearl Lake is an oxbow lake in Murshidabad. The lake was created by her husband Nawazish Muhammad Khan. Nawazish Muhammad Khan died of grief when his adopted son Ekram-ud-Daulah succumbed to smallpox at a yo...

Chauth and sardeshmukhi: Two important taxes in the Maratha taxation system

Chauth and sardeshmukhi were the two most important taxes in the taxation system of the powerful Maratha state founded by brilliant Maratha leader Shivaji (1627-1680). According to Mahadev Govind Ranade , a famous Indian scholar and freedom fighter, chauth was a military tribute that was levied as a quid pro quo for protection against the invasion of a third power. But eminent historian Jadunath Sarkar does not ascribe to this view. According to him, chauth, 25% tax on revenue or produce, was realized from the alien territories to save themselves from the unwelcome presence of the Maratha soldiers and civil underlings. Shivaji was not under obligation to guard the territory from foreign invasion or internal disorder. According to another authority S. G Sardesai , chauth was a military tribute paid by the conquered or hostile territories. Since Shivaji was the hereditary sardeshmukh (Chief Headmand) of Maharashtra, he demanded an additional levy of 10 percent know...

Indian History

Search This Blog