Answer» Correct Answer - Option 2 : Rigveda
The correct answer is Rigveda.
- Vedas
- The Vedas are the earliest surviving literature of the Indian subcontinent.
- There are four Vedas: the Rig Veda, the Sama Veda, the Yajur Veda, and the Atharva Veda.
- Of these, the Rig Veda is the oldest and was composed about 3500 years ago. Hence, Option 2 is correct.
- All the other Vedas are based upon it and consist to a large degree of various hymns from it.
- It consists of a thousand such hymns of different seers, each hymn averaging around ten verses.
- The Rig Veda is also the oldest book in Sanskrit or any Indo-European language.
- Rigveda:
- The oldest Veda is the Rigveda. It has 1028 hymns called ‘Suktas’ and is a collection of 10 books called ‘Mandalas.’
- It is the oldest form of Veda and the oldest known Vedic Sanskrit text(1800 – 1100 BCE)
- The meaning of the word ‘Rigveda’ is Praise Knowledge
- It has 10600 verses
- The meters used to form hymns are Gayatri, Anushtubh, Trishtubh, and Jagati (Trishtubh and Gayatri are most important)
- Samaveda:
- Known as the Veda of melodies and chants, Samaveda dates back to 1200-800 BCE. This Veda is related to public worship.
- There are 1549 verses (except 75 verses, all have been taken from Rigveda)
- There are two Upanishads embedded in Samaveda – Chandogya Upanishad and Kena Upanishad
- The Samaveda is considered the root of Indian classical music and dance
- It is considered as the storehouse of the melodious chants
- Yajurveda:
- Stands to mean ‘Worship Knowledge’, Yajurveda dates back to 1100-800 BCE; corresponding with Samaveda. It compiles ritual-offering mantras/chants. These chants were offered by the priest alongside a person who used to perform a ritual (in most cases yajna fire.)
- It has two types – Krishna (Black/Dark) & Shukla (White/Bright)
- Krishna Yajurveda has an un-arranged, unclear, motley collection of verses
- Shukla Yajurveda has arranged and clear verses
- Atharvaveda:
- Stands to mean a tatpurusha compound of Atharvan, an ancient sage, and knowledge (atharvan+knowledge), it dates back to 1000-800 BCE.
- The daily procedures of life are very well enumerated in this Veda
- It has 730 hymns/suktas, 6000 mantras, and 20 books
- Paippalada and the Saunakiya are two surviving recensions of Atharvaveda
- Called a Veda of magical formulas, it includes three primary Upanishads – Mundaka Upanishad, the Mandukya Upanishad, and the Prashna Upanishad
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