Rig Veda
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 ReadingAbout 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
Suktas
Hymns within each mandala
Mantras
Individual verses (richas)
Available Reading Features
This edition of the Rig Veda on Vedapath includes:
Samhita Patha (accented Devanagari)
IAST Transliteration
Padapatha (word analysis)
Translations in 30 languages
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.
Mandala 1
The Grand Opening
The longest mandala with 191 suktas, featuring hymns by multiple rishis including Agni invocations, Indra praises, and the famous Nasadiya Sukta on creation.
Mandala 2
The Family Book of Gritsamada
Attributed primarily to Rishi Gritsamada, this mandala contains hymns to Indra, Agni, Brihaspati, and various Maruts.
Mandala 3
The Family Book of Vishvamitra
Contains the sacred Gayatri Mantra (3.62.10) and hymns by Vishvamitra, including praises of Agni, Indra, and the Ashvins.
Mandala 4
The Family Book of Vamadeva
Hymns by Vamadeva Gautama celebrating Agni, Indra, Ribhus, and the cosmic order (Rita).
Mandala 5
The Family Book of Atri
Attributed to the Atri family, featuring hymns to Agni, Indra, Maruts, Vishnu, and Mitra-Varuna.
Mandala 6
The Family Book of Bharadvaja
Hymns by Bharadvaja praising Agni, Indra, Pushan, and Ashvins with ritual and cosmic themes.
Mandala 7
The Family Book of Vasishtha
Contains hymns by Vasishtha including the famous Battle of the Ten Kings (Dasharajna) and praises of Indra, Varuna, and Agni.
Mandala 8
The Kanva Collection
A mixed collection primarily by Kanva rishis, featuring hymns to Indra, Agni, Soma, and the Ashvins with distinctive Pragatha meter.
Mandala 9
The Soma Mandala
Entirely dedicated to Soma Pavamana — hymns accompanying the pressing and purification of the sacred Soma juice.
Mandala 10
The Closing Collection
A diverse collection including the Purusha Sukta, Nasadiya Sukta (Creation Hymn), Vivaha Sukta, and the Yama-Yami dialogue.