Vedic Metre in its Historical Development c4.2

c4.2

Almost all western students of the Rigveda have perceived that the Rigveda contains a number of poems which by their special characteristics in language, subject, and metre are to be distinguished from the main body of the hymns, and to be associated instead with the poems of the Atharvaveda. These poems have generally been described as ‘later additions to the Rigveda,’ and in my opinion this description is correct. Since however Professor MAURICE BLOOMFIELD in his work on the Atharvaveda (Strassburg, 1899) questions this view, I have not thought it right to take it for granted, but have adopted from him the title ‘popular Rigveda’ for these poems.