RigVeda

Of all the Vedic samhitas, the RIGVEDA SAMHITA has a pre-eminent place in the Vedic literature. It is a collection of Suktas or hymns revealed to various sages. Through it is said to have 21 Sakhas, only two are known to be remaining Sakala, and Bashkala. Since ancient days, two methods of dividing this Veda are in vogue.

In the first, it is divided into eight Astakas. Each Astaka is again subdivided into Vargas, containing Mantras. This mode of division has been done obviously with a view to facilitating memorization, since the number of Vargas in each Astaka and Mantras in each Varga are more or less the same. A total of 10,552 Mantras are spread over 2,024 Vargas, included in the 64 Adhyayas of the 8 Astakas.

In the second method, the whole Samhita has been divided into ten Mandalas. The Mandalas are sub-divided into Anuvakas, the Anuvakas into Suktas and the Suktas into Mantras. The number of Anuvakas is 85, that of the Suktas 1,028, the total number of Mantras being, of course, the same.

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