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| Mantra

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|}Rig Veda contains 10552 mantras (about 10, 170 rks according to some other scholars) spread over 1028 Sooktas and 85 Anuvakas in 10 Mandalas. The topics dealt with in the Rig Veda Samhita can be classified into 3 groups. Only one Shaka (school) of the Rigveda is available today called as  '''Shaakala.''' Patañjali referred to twenty­ one Śākhā-Saṁhitās of the Ṛigveda; the '''Āśvalāyana-Saṁhitā''' being one of them (Ref 2).

|}Rig Veda contains 10552 mantras (about 10, 170 rks according to some other scholars) spread over 1028 Sooktas and 85 Anuvakas in 10 Mandalas. The topics dealt with in the Rig Veda Samhita can be classified into 3 groups. Only one Shaka (school) of the Rigveda is available today called as  '''शाकल ||''' '''Shaakala.''' Patañjali referred to twenty­ one Śākhā-Saṁhitās of the Ṛigveda; the '''आश्वलायन ||''' '''Āśvalāyana-Saṁhitā''' being one of them (Ref 2).

The first group is in praise of the deities like अग्नि || Agni, इन्द्र || lndra, वरुण || Varuna, मित्र || Mitra and others. The Vedic deities numbering 33 are assigned to the three regions of the universe  viz. पृथ्वी || Prithvi (earth), द्यौस् || Dyaus (heaven) and अन्तरिक्ष || Antariksha (intermediary space). Although these deities appear as personifications of forces of nature, they are actually different facets of Brahman, the Only One Supreme Reality. The famous mantra on this point 

The first group is in praise of the deities like अग्नि || Agni, इन्द्र || lndra, वरुण || Varuna, मित्र || Mitra and others. The Vedic deities numbering 33 are assigned to the three regions of the universe  viz. पृथ्वी || Prithvi (earth), द्यौस् || Dyaus (heaven) and अन्तरिक्ष || Antariksha (intermediary space). Although these deities appear as personifications of forces of nature, they are actually different facets of Brahman, the Only One Supreme Reality. The famous mantra on this point occurs in this Samhita. <blockquote>एकम् सत् विप्रः बहुध वदन्ति || ‘ekam sat viprah bahudha vadanti’ </blockquote><blockquote>Truth is one, learned call it by various names </blockquote>The second group is concerned with philosophical speculations like the origin of the Universe and the real nature of human beings. Although the Samhita is a book of laudatory hymns still all the later ideas of Vedanta including Jnana and Bhakti are found therein at least in a rudimentary form. However, advocacy of worship of God with form and qualities - सगुनोपसन || Sagunopasana - is predominant.

 

एकम् सत् विप्रः बहुध वदन्ति || ‘ekam sat viprah bahudha vadanti’ (Truth is one, sage’s call it by various names) occurs in this Samhita.

 

The second group is concerned with philosophical speculations like the origin of the Universe and the real nature of human beings. Although the Samhita is a book of laudatory hymns still all the later ideas of Vedanta including Jnana and Bhakti are found therein at least in a rudimentary form. However, advocacy of worship of God with form and qualities - सगुनोपसन || Sagunopasana - is predominant.

The proclamation contained in various mantras show that it teaches एक देवता वद || eka-devata-vada or monotheism and not polytheism. For example, the Samhita states that God creates the world out of Himself and rules over it; He is omnipresent (present everywhere), omnipotent (all powerful) and omniscient (all knowing), He is ever perfect, infinitely compassionate, easily approachable by the devotees and He grants us immortality. But the idea about actual process of creation of the universe finds a place only in the later Vedantic  literature i.e. the Upanishads.

The proclamation contained in various mantras show that it teaches एक देवता वद || eka-devata-vada or monotheism and not polytheism. For example, the Samhita states that God creates the world out of Himself and rules over it; He is omnipresent (present everywhere), omnipotent (all powerful) and omniscient (all knowing), He is ever perfect, infinitely compassionate, easily approachable by the devotees and He grants us immortality. But the idea about actual process of creation of the universe finds a place only in the later Vedantic  literature i.e. the Upanishads.