Rig Veda: illustrated cover of the Vedapath edition
Rig Veda: illustrated cover of the Vedapath edition
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VedaShruti Literature10 Mandalas

Rig Veda in German

ऋग्वेद

The Veda of Hymns

The oldest and most revered of the four Vedas: 10,424 mantras of divine knowledge, composed by ancient rishis and transmitted through an unbroken oral tradition spanning millennia.

Start with Mandala 1

About This Text

The Rig Veda (ऋग्वेद) is the foundational text of Vedic civilization and among the oldest surviving literature in any Indo-European language. Composed in Vedic Sanskrit, it contains hymns (suktas) addressed to the devas: Agni, Indra, Varuna, Soma, Ushas, and many others. These hymns were used in Vedic rituals and preserve profound cosmological, philosophical, and spiritual insights that form the bedrock of Sanatana Dharma.

How This Text Is Organised

The Rig Veda follows a three-level hierarchy of mandalas, suktas, and mantras.

Mandalas

Ten books of hymns

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Suktas

Hymns within each mandala

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Mantras

Individual verses (richas)

Available Reading Features

This edition of the Rig Veda on Vedapath includes:

Sanskrit

Samhita Patha (accented Devanagari)

Transliteration

IAST Transliteration

Padapatha

Padapatha (word analysis)

Translations

Translations in 31 languages

Enrichment

Vedic cosmology, ritual, and philosophical enrichments

Mandalas of the Rig Veda

The Rig Veda is traditionally divided into ten Mandalas (books).
Mandalas 2-7 are the “Family Books” attributed to specific rishi lineages, while 1, 8, 9, and 10 are mixed collections.

Rig Veda - Mandala 1

Mandala 1

The Grand Opening

Maṇḍala 1 eröffnet die Ṛgveda mit einer programmatischen Opfer-Vision: Agni als der angerufene Priester, Soma als das weihende Getränk und Indra als die siegreiche Macht, die Licht, Wasser und Reichtum sichert.

AgniIndraCreation Hymns

191 Suktas

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Rig Veda - Mandala 2

Mandala 2

The Family Book of Gritsamada

Das zweite Mandala des Rigveda ist ein Familienbuch der Linie Gṛtsamada und entwirft eine straff geordnete Ritualwelt, in der inspirierte Rede (vāc) mit ṛta in Einklang steht, um den Göttern und den Gönnern den „Weg zu öffnen“.

GritsamadaIndraBrihaspati

43 Suktas

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Rig Veda - Mandala 3

Mandala 3

The Family Book of Vishvamitra

Die dritte Maṇḍala des Rigveda ist das Familienbuch des Viśvāmitra und entfaltet eine streng rituell zentrierte Sicht: Agni als Hotṛ und Jātavedas begründet das Opfer, trägt den Soma und sichert dem Yajamāna Sieg und Glanz.

Gayatri MantraVishvamitraAgni

62 Suktas

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Rig Veda - Mandala 4

Mandala 4

The Family Book of Vamadeva

Das 4. Maṇḍala des Ṛgveda ist ein Familienbuch (gotra-maṇḍala), das vor allem der Linie Vāmadevas (Gautama) zugeschrieben wird. Es verbindet formelhafte Opferpreisungen mit lebendiger Naturbildlichkeit und einer nach innen gewendeten, reflektierenden Theologie.

VamadevaRitaRibhus

58 Suktas

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Rig Veda - Mandala 5

Mandala 5

The Family Book of Atri

Das fünfte Mandala des Rigveda ist das fünfte der „Familienbücher“ und wird traditionell der Atri-Linie zugeschrieben; es bietet eine geschlossene Stimme einer häuslichen Schule innerhalb des frühen rigvedischen Korpus.

AtriVishnuMitra-Varuna

87 Suktas

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Rig Veda - Mandala 6

Mandala 6

The Family Book of Bharadvaja

Mandala 6 ist ein Bharadvāja-Familienbuch mit 75 Hymnen (762 Mantras), geprägt von kraftvollem Indra-Lob, Soma-Einladungen und einer kampfbereiten königlichen Ideologie.

BharadvajaPushanAshvins

75 Suktas

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Rig Veda - Mandala 7

Mandala 7

The Family Book of Vasishtha

Die siebte Maṇḍala des Rigveda ist das große Familienbuch der Vasiṣṭhas und entfaltet eine eng gefügte priesterliche Stimme, die das Soma-Ritual durch inspirierte Rede (brahman), Schutz und gemeinschaftlichen Zusammenhalt sichert.

VasishthaDasharajnaVaruna

104 Suktas

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Rig Veda - Mandala 8

Mandala 8

The Kanva Collection

Mandala 8 ist eine Sammlung der frühen Schicht, eng verbunden mit den dichterischen Linien der Kāṇva und Aṅgiras, und besonders geprägt von überschwänglichem Indra-Lob, das an das Soma-Pressritual gebunden ist.

KanvaSomaPragatha

103 Suktas

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Rig Veda - Mandala 9

Mandala 9

The Soma Mandala

Mandala 9, die Soma-Mandala, ist ganz Soma Pavamāna gewidmet – dem ausgepressten Soma, der sich, während er durch den wollenen Filter (pavitra) in die Bottiche des Opfers schießt, selbst reinigt.

SomaPavamanaPurification

114 Suktas

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Rig Veda - Mandala 10

Mandala 10

The Closing Collection

Mandala 10 ist das späteste und zugleich weitgespannteste Buch des Rigveda; es bewahrt Hymnen, die von rituellem Lobpreis in ausdrückliche philosophische und soziale Reflexion übergehen.

Purusha SuktaNasadiyaVivaha

191 Suktas

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Deities of the Rig Veda

  • Indra

    In 269 hymns

    • Mandala 1: 45 hymns (RV 1.4, RV 1.32, RV 1.80)
    • Mandala 2: 12 hymns (RV 2.11, RV 2.12, RV 2.13)
    • Mandala 3: 16 hymns (3.3)
    • Mandala 4: 24 hymns (RV 4.17, RV 4.18, RV 4.30)
    • Mandala 5: 18 hymns (RV 5.30, RV 5.31, RV 5.33)
    • Mandala 6: 45 hymns (RV 6.17, RV 6.47, RV 6.56)
    • Mandala 7: 30 hymns (RV 7.18 (Indra in the Dāśarājña context), RV 7.19, RV 7.20, RV 7.32)
    • Mandala 8: 55 hymns (RV 8.2, RV 8.48, RV 8.69)
    • Mandala 10: 24 hymns (RV 10.22 (Indra’s might and victory), RV 10.48 (Indra’s self-praise; power and benefaction))
  • Agni

    In 174 hymns

    • Mandala 1: 30 hymns (RV 1.1, RV 1.26, RV 1.59)
    • Mandala 2: 16 hymns (RV 2.1, RV 2.3, RV 2.4)
    • Mandala 3: 24 hymns (3.22, 3.23, 3.24)
    • Mandala 4: 10 hymns (RV 4.1, RV 4.5, RV 4.6)
    • Mandala 5: 20 hymns (RV 5.11, RV 5.25, RV 5.28)
    • Mandala 6: 12 hymns (RV 6.1, RV 6.16, RV 6.48)
    • Mandala 7: 22 hymns (RV 7.1, RV 7.2, RV 7.3, RV 7.16)
    • Mandala 8: 12 hymns (RV 8.44, RV 8.60, RV 8.71)
    • Mandala 10: 28 hymns (RV 10.1 (Agni as first among gods; renewed kindling), RV 10.45 (Agni as messenger and guardian))
  • Soma

    In 162 hymns

    • Mandala 1: 12 hymns (RV 1.91, RV 1.93, RV 1.104)
    • Mandala 4: 6 hymns (RV 4.26, RV 4.27)
    • Mandala 6: 4 hymns (RV 6.27, RV 6.57)
    • Mandala 7: 8 hymns (RV 7.21, RV 7.22, RV 7.23, RV 7.24)
    • Mandala 8: 8 hymns (RV 8.48, RV 8.79, RV 8.83)
    • Mandala 9: 114 hymns (RV 9.1, RV 9.2, RV 9.82, RV 9.83)
    • Mandala 10: 10 hymns (RV 10.25 (Soma praise; exhilaration and insight), RV 10.94 (Soma-related praise and ritual context))
  • Maruts

    In 33 hymns

    • Mandala 4: 3 hymns (RV 4.3, RV 4.4)
    • Mandala 5: 5 hymns (RV 5.54, RV 5.55, RV 5.56)
    • Mandala 6: 3 hymns (RV 6.66)
    • Mandala 7: 12 hymns (RV 7.56, RV 7.57, RV 7.58, RV 7.59)
    • Mandala 8: 10 hymns (RV 8.7, RV 8.20, RV 8.94)
  • VarunaVaruṇa

    In 23 hymns

    • Mandala 6: 5 hymns (RV 6.51, RV 6.67)
    • Mandala 7: 10 hymns (RV 7.86, RV 7.87, RV 7.88, RV 7.89)
    • Mandala 10: 8 hymns (RV 10.85 (often read with social/ritual themes; includes cosmic order motifs), RV 10.124 (themes of sovereignty and order in the divine sphere))
  • Mitra-VarunaMitra-Varuṇa (Ādityas)

    In 16 hymns

    • Mandala 1: 8 hymns (RV 1.24, RV 1.25)
    • Mandala 5: 4 hymns (RV 5.62, RV 5.63, RV 5.64)
    • Mandala 8: 4 hymns (RV 8.25, RV 8.41, RV 8.42)
  • VishvedevasViśve Devāḥ

    In 12 hymns

    • Mandala 1: 10 hymns (RV 1.89, RV 1.106)
    • Mandala 2: 2 hymns (RV 2.29, RV 2.30)
  • UshasUṣas (Dawn)

    In 10 hymns

    • Mandala 4: 4 hymns (RV 4.51, RV 4.52)
    • Mandala 5: 6 hymns (RV 5.79, RV 5.80, RV 5.81)
  • Ashvins

    In 9 hymns

    • Mandala 5: 9 hymns (RV 5.73, RV 5.74, RV 5.75)
  • Savitar

    In 7 hymns

    • Mandala 3: 2 hymns (3.62 (esp. 3.62.10))
    • Mandala 5: 1 hymn (RV 5.82)
    • Mandala 7: 4 hymns (RV 7.45, RV 7.46)
  • Indra-Agni

    In 6 hymns

    • Mandala 3: 6 hymns (3.12)
  • Indra-Maruts

    In 5 hymns

    • Mandala 2: 5 hymns (RV 2.17, RV 2.18, RV 2.19)
  • Rudra

    In 5 hymns

    • Mandala 2: 1 hymn (RV 2.33)
    • Mandala 10: 4 hymns (RV 10.92 (Rudra-related praise/protection themes), RV 10.136 (munis/keśin imagery; Rudra-like power and ascetic vision))
  • RibhusṚbhus

    In 5 hymns

    • Mandala 4: 2 hymns (RV 4.33, RV 4.34)
    • Mandala 7: 3 hymns (RV 7.48, RV 7.49)
  • Yama and the PitrisYama and the Pitṛs (Fathers)

    In 5 hymns

    • Mandala 10: 5 hymns (RV 10.14 (Yama; funerary guidance), RV 10.15 (Pitṛs; ancestral invocation))
  • SuryaSūrya

    In 3 hymns

    • Mandala 5: 3 hymns (RV 5.45, RV 5.47, RV 5.81)
  • BrihaspatiBṛhaspati

    In 2 hymns

    • Mandala 2: 2 hymns (RV 2.23, RV 2.24)
  • Parjanya

    In 1 hymn

    • Mandala 5: 1 hymn (RV 5.83)

Key episodes

  1. Indra Slays Vritra and Frees the Waters

    Mandala 1, sukta 32

    With Indra, Vritra and Tvashtr

  2. The Purusha Sukta: Creation from the Cosmic Person

    Mandala 10, sukta 90

    With Purusha and the gods and the Sadhyas

  3. Pururavas and Urvashi

    Mandala 10, sukta 95

    With Pururavas and Urvashi

  4. The Nasadiya Sukta: The Hymn of Creation

    Mandala 10, sukta 129

    With That One

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