The Rigveda: A Guide

I. Introduction A. What is the Rgveda: A Brief Overview B. A significant moment C. World literature and religion II. Historical Context A. Migration B. Indo-Iranian background II. Dating and Authorship A. Dating B. Oral tradition and composition C. Poets and poetic lineages IV. Structure of the Text A. Collection and ordering of the hymns B. The transmission of the text and the state of the transmitted text C. Structure of the text V. Social and Political Context A. Way of life B. Social organization C. Kingship D. Mundane daily life and the depiction of women VI. Ritual A. Overview B. The Soma Sacrifice in later Vedic texts C. Changes between Rgvedic ritual and middle Vedic ritual D. Pre-Rgvedic ritual E. The Rgvedic ritual model F. Other types of ritual in the Rgveda VII. The Gods A. Overview B. The major gods VIII. Eschatology IX. Rgvedic Poetry and Poetics A. The purpose of Rgvedic poetry: the power of the word B. The poet C. The status of the poet D. Homologies, semantic webs, secret names, and riddles E. Praise and request in the R?gvedic praise hymn F. Structures and types of R?gvedic hymns: Some organizing principles G. Imagery, metaphors, similes H. Language I. Meter X. Canonical Status and the Reception of the R?gveda A. The Rgveda in the srauta tradition B. Rgvedic Schools C. Transmission D. Interpretation E. Reception F. Publication G. Text and Translation Selection of Rgvedic Hymns Bibliography