Republics in Ancient India, c. 1500 B.C.–500 B.C. c7.542

c7.542

We have examined the six central *maṇḍalas* (ii to vii) of the *Ṛg Veda* in order to see how various hymns are concluded by the *ṛṣi*-poets who composed them. After an analysis of 620 hymns which comprise these six *maṇḍalas*, we come to the conclusion that the manner of ending the hymn is a matter of individual style and no implicit faith can be put in such repetitions. The second *maṇḍala* contains as many as 23 hymns which end with the *pāda* quoted above.⁸ In the third *maṇḍala*, 12 out of 62 hymns end in "who slays the Vṛtras, wins and gathers riches," ¹ and seven end with yet another stock formula, while the remainder have individual final *pādas*. In the fourth at least 8 hymns end in a set style.² The fifth and sixth books also have hymns ending in the same words, and in the seventh *maṇḍala* we find as many as 65 hymns ending with the same *pāda*, "Ye gods, preserve us evermore with blessings".³