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The Samhitas are named after the Vedas they belong to. For example, the Samhita of the Rig Veda is called the Rig-Veda-Samhita or the Rig-Samhita. These mantras are structured metered verses in Rig veda while prose form is seen in Yajurveda mantras.

The Samhitas are named after the Vedas they belong to. For example, the Samhita of the Rig Veda is called the Rig-Veda-Samhita or the Rig-Samhita. These mantras are structured metered verses in Rig veda while prose form is seen in Yajurveda mantras.

=== ऋक् - संहिता || Rig Samhita ===

=== ऋक् - संहिता || Rig Samhita ===

The Rigveda is the oldest, biggest of the four Vedas and the most highly valued work of the Hindus. This Samhita (Collection) is unique in its nature. The present form of this Samhita clearly indicates that the collection is not a single work, but consists of multiple elements, thus, intact through thousands of years are the seeds of India's religious and philosophical development. Various indications of language, style and ideas prove this point.   

The Rigveda is the oldest, biggest of the four Vedas and the most highly valued work of the Hindus. This Samhita (Collection) is unique in its nature. The present form of this Samhita clearly indicates that the collection is not a single work, but consists of multiple elements, thus, intact through thousands of years are the seeds of India's religious and philosophical development. Various indications of language, style and ideas prove this point. The value of the Rigveda today is not confined to India, for its well-preserved language and mythology have helped a better understanding of languages, literatures and cultures of the whole world.   

Swami Sivananda says: The Rig-Veda Samhita is the grandest book of the Hindus, the oldest and the best. Its immortal Mantras embody the greatest truths of existence, and it is perhaps the greatest treasure in all the scriptural literature of the World. Its priest is called the Hotri<ref name=":12" />.   

Swami Sivananda says: The Rig-Veda Samhita is the grandest book of the Hindus, the oldest and the best. Its immortal Mantras embody the greatest truths of existence, and it is perhaps the greatest treasure in all the scriptural literature of the World. Its priest is called the Hotri<ref name=":12" />.   

Different mantras of this Samhita were composed long before they were systematically arranged. Being a compilation of different stages, there is something which stamps the Rigveda with an individuality of its own. It is much more natural in character and form than other Samhitas.  

Different mantras of this Samhita were composed long before they were systematically arranged. Being a compilation of different stages, there is something which stamps the Rigveda with an individuality of its own. It is much more natural in character and form than other Samhitas.  

==== Structure of Rigveda ====

==== Structure of Rigveda ====

* Shakala samhita is the one surviving shaka available completely in Rig veda.<ref>Pt. Shriram Adhikari's Article : ''[http://vedicheritage.gov.in/pdf/ved_vedang_gp_14.pdf Rigved ka parichay evam vaishistya]'' on Vedic Heritage Portal</ref>  

* Shakala samhita is the one surviving shaka available in entirety for Rig veda.<ref>Pt. Shriram Adhikari's Article : ''[http://vedicheritage.gov.in/pdf/ved_vedang_gp_14.pdf Rigved ka parichay evam vaishistya]'' on Vedic Heritage Portal</ref>  

* [[Veda Vargeekarana (वेदवर्गीकरणम्)|Veda Vargeekarana]] of Rig Samhita includes the vibhajana (classification) of Rig Veda into Mandalas and Ashtakas apart from elucidating the nature of Valakhilya Suktas.   

* [[Veda Vargeekarana (वेदवर्गीकरणम्)|Veda Vargeekarana]] of Rig Samhita includes the vibhajana (classification) of Rig Veda into Mandalas and Ashtakas apart from elucidating the nature of Valakhilya Suktas.   

* The Samhita of the Rigveda in general comprises of 10 ''Mandalas'', 85 ''Anuvakas'', 1028 ''Suktas'' and 10552 ''Mantras''. Usually ''Anuvaka'' is not mentioned for the reference of a Mantra of the Rigveda. For example Rig. Veda. 3.16.7 simply means the seventh Mantra of the sixteenth ''Sukta'' of the third ''Mandala'' of the Rigveda.  

* The Samhita of the Rigveda in general comprises of 10 ''Mandalas'', 85 ''Anuvakas'', 1028 ''Suktas'' and 10552 ''Mantras''. Usually ''Anuvaka'' is not mentioned for the reference of a Mantra of the Rigveda. For example Rig. Veda. 3.16.7 simply means the seventh Mantra of the sixteenth ''Sukta'' of the third ''Mandala'' of the Rigveda.  

* [[Vedic Language (वैदिकभाषा)|Vedic Language]] of Rigveda is believed to be the oldest even among the four vedas.  

* [[Vedic Language (वैदिकभाषा)|Vedic Language]] of Rigveda is believed to be the oldest even among the four vedas. The information regarding Vedic Language, the tones and accents used are explained in Siksha part of the [[Shad Vedangas (षड्वेदाङ्गानि)|Vedaangas]].  

* Every ''Mantra'' has a ''Rishi (Mantra Drashta),'' a ''Devata (deity)'' and a ''Chandas (meter)''.  

Every ''Mantra'' has a ''Rishi (Mantra Drashta),'' a ''Devata (deity)'' and a ''Chandas (meter)''.   

Rigveda mantras are chanted by the [[Hota (होता)|होता || Hota]] (the Rigveda priest), to invoke the deities to the यज्ञः ॥ [[Yagya (यज्ञ)|yajna]].    

Purusha sukta states that Richas (ऋचाः) arose from the Thousand-headed Purusha (स॒हस्रशीर्षा पुरुषः) who is yajna-swaroopa Himself.<blockquote>तस्माद्यज्ञात्सर्वहुत ऋच: सामानि जज्ञिरे । छन्दांसि जज्ञिरे तस्माद्यजुस्तस्मादजायत ॥९॥ (Rig. Veda. 10.90.9)<ref>Rig Veda ([http://vedicheritage.gov.in/samhitas/rigveda/shakala-samhita/rigveda-shakala-samhita-mandal-10-sukta-090/ Mandala 10 Sukta 90])</ref></blockquote><blockquote>tasmādyajñātsarvahuta r̥ca: sāmāni jajñirē । chandāṁsi jajñirē tasmādyajustasmādajāyata ॥9॥ (Rig. Veda. 10.90.9)</blockquote>

=== विषयविभागाः ॥ Vishayavibhaga ===

==== विषयविभागाः ॥ Vishayavibhaga ====

==== '''स्तुतिपराः || Eulogical'''  ====

==== '''स्तुतिपराः || Eulogical'''  ====

The third group deals with several secular subjects like marriage, war etc., which show the nature of society of those times. A just and equitable social order existed. However, social life was conditioned by spiritual consciousness. There was समन्वयः || Samanvaya or harmony of life here and hereafter. सत्यम् || Satya (truth) and धर्मः || Dharma (righteousness) are glorified and अमृतत्वम् || Amritatva (immortality) as the goal of life was accepted.

The third group deals with several secular subjects like marriage, war etc., which show the nature of society of those times. A just and equitable social order existed. However, social life was conditioned by spiritual consciousness. There was समन्वयः || Samanvaya or harmony of life here and hereafter. सत्यम् || Satya (truth) and धर्मः || Dharma (righteousness) are glorified and अमृतत्वम् || Amritatva (immortality) as the goal of life was accepted.

* It begins with a sukta to Agni and concludes with a sukta to the same deity. Agni sukta (01.01.01) by Rushi : Madhucchanda Visvamitra, Devata : Agni, Chandas: Gayatri goes as follows<blockquote>"''अग्निसूक्तम् in प्रथमं मण्डलम्।''"</blockquote><blockquote>"''९ मधुच्छन्दा वैश्वामित्रः । अग्निः।  गायत्री।'' "</blockquote><blockquote>"''अ॒ग्निमी॑ळे पु॒रोहि॑तं य॒ज्ञस्य॑ दे॒वमृ॒त्विज॑म् । होता॑रं रत्न॒धात॑मम् ॥१''"</blockquote><blockquote>"''अ॒ग्निः पूर्वे॑भि॒र्ऋषि॑भि॒रीड्यो॒ नूत॑नैरु॒त । स दे॒वाँ एह व॑क्षति ॥२''"</blockquote><blockquote>"''अ॒ग्निना॑ र॒यिम॑श्नव॒त् पोष॑मे॒व दि॒वेदि॑वे । य॒शसं॑ वी॒रव॑त्तमम् ॥३''"</blockquote><blockquote>"''अग्ने॒ यं य॒ज्ञम॑ध्व॒रं वि॒श्वत॑: परि॒भूरसि॑ । स इद् दे॒वेषु॑ गच्छति ॥४''"</blockquote><blockquote>"''अ॒ग्निर्होता॑ क॒विक्र॑तुः स॒त्यश्चि॒त्रश्र॑वस्तमः । दे॒वो दे॒वेभि॒रा ग॑मत् ॥५''"</blockquote><blockquote>"''यद॒ङ्ग दा॒शुषे॒ त्वमग्ने॑ भ॒द्रं क॑रि॒ष्यसि॑ । तवेत् तत् स॒त्यम॑ङ्गिरः ॥६''"</blockquote><blockquote>"''उप॑ त्वाग्ने दि॒वेदि॑वे॒ दोषा॑वस्तर्धि॒या व॒यम् । नमो॒ भर॑न्त॒ एम॑सि ॥७''"</blockquote><blockquote>"''राज॑न्तमध्व॒राणां॑ गो॒पामृ॒तस्य॒ दीदि॑विम् । वर्ध॑मानं॒ स्वे दमे॑ ॥८''"</blockquote><blockquote>"''स न॑: पि॒तेव॑ सू॒नवे ऽग्ने॑ सूपाय॒नो भ॑व । सच॑स्वा नः स्व॒स्तये॑ ॥९''"</blockquote>As seen in the above example, the Vedic mantras are notated with lines above and below the letters which indicate the svara or tone of the particular letter in which it has to be uttered. The information about Vedic Language, the tones and accents used are explained in Siksha part of the [[Shad Vedangas (षड्वेदाङ्गानि)|Vedaangas]]. This division of the Rigveda is most popular and systematic. There is also the ashtaka system of dividing the contents of the Rigveda, but today that is uncommon among the students of the Veda.The value of the Rigveda today is not confined to India, for its well-preserved language and mythology have helped a better understanding of languages, literatures and cultures of the whole world.  

It begins with a sukta to Agni and concludes with a sukta to the same deity. Agni sukta (01.01.01) by Rushi : Madhucchanda Visvamitra, Devata : Agni, Chandas: Gayatri goes as follows<blockquote>अग्निसूक्तम् in प्रथमं मण्डलम्।</blockquote><blockquote>९ मधुच्छन्दा वैश्वामित्रः । अग्निः।  गायत्री। </blockquote><blockquote>अ॒ग्निमी॑ळे पु॒रोहि॑तं य॒ज्ञस्य॑ दे॒वमृ॒त्विज॑म् । होता॑रं रत्न॒धात॑मम् ॥१</blockquote><blockquote>अ॒ग्निः पूर्वे॑भि॒र्ऋषि॑भि॒रीड्यो॒ नूत॑नैरु॒त । स दे॒वाँ एह व॑क्षति ॥२"</blockquote><blockquote>अ॒ग्निना॑ र॒यिम॑श्नव॒त् पोष॑मे॒व दि॒वेदि॑वे । य॒शसं॑ वी॒रव॑त्तमम् ॥३</blockquote><blockquote>अग्ने॒ यं य॒ज्ञम॑ध्व॒रं वि॒श्वत॑: परि॒भूरसि॑ । स इद् दे॒वेषु॑ गच्छति ॥४</blockquote><blockquote>अ॒ग्निर्होता॑ क॒विक्र॑तुः स॒त्यश्चि॒त्रश्र॑वस्तमः । दे॒वो दे॒वेभि॒रा ग॑मत् ॥५</blockquote><blockquote>यद॒ङ्ग दा॒शुषे॒ त्वमग्ने॑ भ॒द्रं क॑रि॒ष्यसि॑ । तवेत् तत् स॒त्यम॑ङ्गिरः ॥६</blockquote><blockquote>उप॑ त्वाग्ने दि॒वेदि॑वे॒ दोषा॑वस्तर्धि॒या व॒यम् । नमो॒ भर॑न्त॒ एम॑सि ॥७</blockquote><blockquote>राज॑न्तमध्व॒राणां॑ गो॒पामृ॒तस्य॒ दीदि॑विम् । वर्ध॑मानं॒ स्वे दमे॑ ॥८</blockquote><blockquote>स न॑: पि॒तेव॑ सू॒नवे ऽग्ने॑ सूपाय॒नो भ॑व । सच॑स्वा नः स्व॒स्तये॑ ॥९</blockquote>As seen in the above example, the Vedic mantras are notated with lines above and below the letters which indicate the svara or tone of the particular letter in which it has to be uttered.  

The concluding sukta of the Rgveda (10.191) also has Agni as Devata and should be regarded as having a higher significance than the national anthem of any country: it is a prayer for amity among all nations, a true international anthem. Rushi : Samvanana Angirasa, Devata : Agni, Chandas: Anusthub and Tristubh<blockquote>"''संगठन सूक्त''"</blockquote><blockquote>"''४ संवनन आङ्गिरसः। १ अग्निः,२-४ संज्ञानम्। अनुष्टुप्, ३ त्रिष्टुप्।''"</blockquote><blockquote>"''संस॒मिद्यु॑वसे वृष॒न्नग्ने॒ विश्वा॑न्य॒र्य आ । इ॒ळस्प॒दे समि॑ध्यसे॒ स नो॒ वसू॒न्या भ॑र ॥१''"</blockquote><blockquote>"''सं ग॑च्छध्वं॒ सं व॑दध्वं॒ सं वो॒ मनां॑सि जानताम् । दे॒वा भा॒गं यथा॒ पूर्वे॑ संजाना॒ना उ॒पास॑ते ॥२''"</blockquote><blockquote>"''स॒मा॒नो मन्त्र॒: समि॑तिः समा॒नी स॑मा॒नं मन॑: स॒ह चि॒त्तमे॑षाम् । स॒मा॒नं मन्त्र॑म॒भि म॑न्त्रये वः समा॒नेन॑ वो ह॒विषा॑ जुहोमि ॥३''"</blockquote><blockquote>"''स॒मा॒नी व॒ आकू॑तिः समा॒ना हृद॑यानि वः । स॒मा॒नम॑स्तु वो॒ मनो॒ यथा॑ व॒: सुस॒हास॑ति ॥४''"</blockquote>Meaning : "May mankind be of one mind, " it goes. "May it have a common goal. May all hearts be united in love. And with the mind and the goal being one may all of us live in happiness".

The concluding sukta of the Rgveda (10.191) also has Agni as Devata and should be regarded as having a higher significance than the national anthem of any country: it is a prayer for amity among all nations, a true international anthem. Rushi : Samvanana Angirasa, Devata : Agni, Chandas: Anusthub and Tristubh<blockquote>संगठन सूक्तम्</blockquote><blockquote>४ संवनन आङ्गिरसः। १ अग्निः,२-४ संज्ञानम्। अनुष्टुप्, ३ त्रिष्टुप्।</blockquote><blockquote>संस॒मिद्यु॑वसे वृष॒न्नग्ने॒ विश्वा॑न्य॒र्य आ । इ॒ळस्प॒दे समि॑ध्यसे॒ स नो॒ वसू॒न्या भ॑र ॥१</blockquote><blockquote>सं ग॑च्छध्वं॒ सं व॑दध्वं॒ सं वो॒ मनां॑सि जानताम् । दे॒वा भा॒गं यथा॒ पूर्वे॑ संजाना॒ना उ॒पास॑ते ॥२</blockquote><blockquote>स॒मा॒नो मन्त्र॒: समि॑तिः समा॒नी स॑मा॒नं मन॑: स॒ह चि॒त्तमे॑षाम् । स॒मा॒नं मन्त्र॑म॒भि म॑न्त्रये वः समा॒नेन॑ वो ह॒विषा॑ जुहोमि ॥३</blockquote><blockquote>स॒मा॒नी व॒ आकू॑तिः समा॒ना हृद॑यानि वः । स॒मा॒नम॑स्तु वो॒ मनो॒ यथा॑ व॒: सुस॒हास॑ति ॥४</blockquote>Meaning : "May mankind be of one mind, " it goes. "May it have a common goal. May all hearts be united in love. And with the mind and the goal being one may all of us live in happiness".

Among the 1028 ''Suktas'' of the Rigveda Samhita some ''suktas'' are very popular and frequently referred by the readers of Vedas. Some of them are:

Among the 1028 ''Suktas'' of the Rigveda Samhita some ''suktas'' are very popular and frequently referred by the readers of Vedas. Some of them are:

In its character Yajurveda is quite different from the Rigveda & Samaveda Samhitas. It is principally in prose form. The Yajur-Veda Samhita is meant to be used by the Adhvaryu, the Yajur-Vedic priest, for explanation of rites, supplementing the Rig Vedic Mantras<ref name=":22">Swami Sivananda, All About Hinduism, Page 32</ref>.

In its character Yajurveda is quite different from the Rigveda & Samaveda Samhitas. It is principally in prose form. The Yajur-Veda Samhita is meant to be used by the Adhvaryu, the Yajur-Vedic priest, for explanation of rites, supplementing the Rig Vedic Mantras<ref name=":22">Swami Sivananda, All About Hinduism, Page 32</ref>.

The word '<nowiki/>''Yajush''<nowiki/>' in the Yajurveda is explained variously. But one of its definitions says -<blockquote>"'<nowiki/>''Gadyatmakam yajuh''<nowiki/>' A ‘''Yajuh''’ is that which is in prose form'. "</blockquote>Another definition – <blockquote>"‘''Yajur Yajateh''’ "</blockquote>talks about its relation with the sacrifice (''Yajna'') because both the terms are derived from the root. '''Yaj'' '.

The word '<nowiki/>''Yajush''<nowiki/>' in the Yajurveda is explained variously. But one of its definitions says -<blockquote>'<nowiki/>''Gadyatmakam yajuh''<nowiki/>' A ‘''Yajuh''’ is that which is in prose form'. </blockquote>Another definition – <blockquote>‘''Yajur Yajateh''’ </blockquote>talks about its relation with the sacrifice (''Yajna'') because both the terms are derived from the root. '''Yaj'' '.

* The Yajurveda is a ritual Veda for it is essentially a guide-book for the Adhvaryu priest who had to do practically all ritualistic works in a sacrifice. His works vary from the selection of a plot of land for the sacrificial altar down to offering oblations to the sacred fires. Just as the Samaveda-Samhita is the song-book of the ''Udgata'' priest, so the Yajurveda-Samhitas are the mantra-books for the ''Adhvaryu'' priest. It is solely meant for the purposes of sacrificial rituals.  

* The Yajurveda is a ritual Veda for it is essentially a guide-book for the Adhvaryu priest who had to do practically all ritualistic works in a sacrifice. His works vary from the selection of a plot of land for the sacrificial altar down to offering oblations to the sacred fires. Just as the Samaveda-Samhita is the song-book of the ''Udgata'' priest, so the Yajurveda-Samhitas are the mantra-books for the ''Adhvaryu'' priest. It is solely meant for the purposes of sacrificial rituals.  

* The Yajurveda is also important for its presentation of philosophical doctrines. It preaches the concept of ''Prana'' and ''Manas'' also. Many times, it is quoted for depicting religious and social life of the Vedic people. It is also known for giving certain geographical data.  

* The Yajurveda is also important for its presentation of philosophical doctrines. It preaches the concept of ''Prana'' and ''Manas'' also. Many times, it is quoted for depicting religious and social life of the Vedic people. It is also known for giving certain geographical data.