Rigveda
Etymologically, meaning of a Rik or a Rig is a hymn. Accordingly, Rig Ved means knowledge composed in Riks or hymns. Vedic hymns are considered as most sacred. That’s why they were not reduced into writing fearing defilement. Vedic hymns were remembered by Sages by method of rote and transfered from one generation to anthor orally. Rig vedic hymns are chanted by Brahmanas at the time of performance of Yajnas and Homas along with Yajurveda slokas.
The following texts are extracts from Chapter 2, Rig Veda in author’s BOOK: “A Tribute to the Ancient World of India“
Rig Veda consists of 10580 hymns in turn composed in 1017 Suktas. They are listed in 10 Mandalas.
Agni Sukta
Present day Rig Veda starts with words of a hymn – AgniMILE. And this hymn is attributed to Sage Madhuschanda Viswamitra. This sloka on Agni is in the First Mandala (Chapter) of Rig Veda. We all know that Brahma Prajapati granted Sage Viswamitra the title of Brahma Rishi after Viswamitra conducted Tapas for several thousands of Years and for several times.
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So Brahma precedes Viswamitra. Madhuschanda should be a disciple of Viswamitra. Moreover, it is said that First and Tenth Mandalas are latter day additions of Rig Veda, where as other mandalas from Second to Nineth are considered as Core Mandalas of the Rig Veda. Hence, it is not proper to consider hymn Agnimile as first hymn of Rig Veda as such.
Rig Veda simply consists of numerous hymns composed in praise of several Gods and Goddesses as is the case with other Vedas. And Rig Veda also consists of hymns and suktas in praise of Rudra, Devi, in addition to that in praise of Indra, Agni, Soma, Saraswati, etc. And Rig Veda also has slokas referring to Magic spells.
Magic spells
अञ्जन्ति त्वामाध्वरॆ दॆवयन्तॊ वनस्पतॆ मधुना दैव्यॆन
यदूर्थ्वस्तिष्ठा द्रविणॆह धत्ताद्यद्वा क्षयॊ मातिरस्या उपस्थॆ
a~jjanti tvaamaadhvarE dEvayantO vanaspatE madhunaa daivyEna
yadUrthvastiShThaa draviNEha dhattaadyadvaa kShayO maatirasyaa upasthE
(SlOka 1, sUkta 8, R. V. maMDala 3)
The above sloka from Rig Veda praises Vanaspatis (aushadhas) as magic spells which cure TB and salutes Athvara Rishi for discovering the powers of Vanaspathis. If authors of Rig Vedic and Atharvana Vedic hymns hail from opposing camps or communities, then how could we find a sloka like this ? So we have to understand that ascription of different ethnicities to Rishis of Vedas is not in consonance with the tone and tenor of Vedas.
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