Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c9.431

c9.431

ṚGVEDA. The Ṛgveda is the oldest recorded work of the human race. The Egyptians claim that another book entitled "Book of the Dead" was also written during the period of the Ṛgveda. The Babylonians have an ancient work called 'Gilgamish', which according to scholars, is not as old as the Ṛgveda. Ṛgveda is the work that forms the basis of Hindu religion. Of the four Vedas, Yajurveda, Sāmaveda and Atharvaveda were composed after Ṛgveda." The Ṛgveda sūktas were interpreted for the first time in Yāska's "Nirukta" and Sāyaṇa's "Vedārthaprakāśa".