Written by London Swaminathan
Post No. 16,013
Date uploaded in London – 24 July 2026
Contact – swami_48@yahoo.com
Pictures are taken from various sources for spreading knowledge.
this is a non- commercial blog. Thanks for your great pictures.
tamilandvedas.com, swamiindology.blogspot.com
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Rik Veda or Rig Veda
The oldest anthology in the world; the first Veda of the four Vedas in Hinduism (the other three are Yajur, Sama and Atharva). Modern Indologists in western countries dated it between 1200 BCE and 6000 BCE. And archaeological proof for the Rig Vedic hymn is available from 1380 BCE from Bogazkoy inscription in Turkey. Freedom fighter and great scholar B G Tilak and German scholar Herman Jacobi have independently arrived at a date of 4000 BCE for the Vedas.. Hindus consider them eternal and not composed by humans. They only hear it (see it) and so the Vedic Rishis seers are called Mantra Drshtas. There are approximately 450 poets ; of them 25 are women.
It has 40, 000 lines
It is divided into TEN mandalas (books/divisions); of these six Mandalas are family Mandalas.
Another division is Eight Chapters
It has 1028 Hymns (suktas)
In those 1028 hymns we have 10,600 verses (mantras)
The number of syllables in the Rig Veda is 432,000. (The total number of years in Kali Yuga is 432,000 years. Other Yugas have the multiple of this number).
Sayana’s commentary is followed by the scholars.
The words in the RV – 1,53,826
Mandala 2: Attributed to the Grtsamada family (43 hymns)
Mandala 3: Attributed to the Vishvamitra family (62 hymns)
Mandala 4: Attributed to the Vamadeva family (58 hymns)
Mandala 5: Attributed to the Atri family (87 hymns)
Mandala 6: Attributed to the Bharadvaja family (75 hymns)
Mandala 7: Attributed to the Vasistha family (104 hymns
Mandalas one and ten contain Hymns from many Rishis.
Mandala 8 primarily contains 103 hymns dedicated to various deities, notably Indra, Agni, and the Ashvins, predominantly composed by the Kanva and Angira poet families. Mandala 9 is entirely dedicated to Soma Pavamana, containing 114 hymns exclusively focused on the purification and ritual pressing of the sacred Soma plant.
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Rishikesh
Rishikesh on the banks of holy river Ganga is at the foothills of the holy Himalayas. It is in the state of Uttarkhand. A tiny place was made known to the world by great Tamil saint Swami Sivananda who established Divini Life Society. Now it is fully commercialised and the natural beauty has disappeared. Beatles made it more popular. Now hundreds of Ashrams are doing good business in the name of Yoga.
Rishikesh is accessible by air, train, and road. The nearest airport is Jolly Grant Airport in Dehradun (21 km away), the primary major railhead is Haridwar (25 km away), and direct motorable roads connect it via National Highway 58.(Author London Swaminathan had been to Rishikesh twice from 1977)
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Rishyasrnga
Sage born with a horn. His father was Rishi Vibhandak. He was raised by his father in the forest. He had never seen any women in his life until Romapada, King of Anga Desa sent some courtesans to attract him and bring him to his country. In the ancient days, Rishis visit different places and their presence brought rain and prosperity. When Angadesa was under severe drought Rishya sringa’s presence saved the country. Romapada offered his daughter Shnata to the sage. Both retired to the forest and led family life. Dasaratha brought him to his country Kosala to do Putra Kameshti Yaga.
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Romaharshana
Romaharshana was an intelligent Suta or storyteller known for his engagement with sages, reflecting the tradition of oral storytelling of mythological narratives. He was the disciple of Krishna Dvaipayana Vyasa. “Ugrasrava, the son of L/Romaharshana, surnamed Sauti, was the one who narrated Mahabharata.
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Rtu
Ṛtu (ऋतु) refers to the “seasons”, according to the Puranas. They are six in number. A season, a period of two months. The Hindu year is divided into six Rtus/seasons. The six seasons are
1. Vasanta, or spring (Phālguna to Vaiśākha—mid March to mid May);
2. Grīṣma, or summer (Vaiśākha to Āṣāḍha—mid May to mid July);
3. Varṣa, or rainy season (Āṣāḍha to Bhādrapadā—mid July to mid September );
4. Śarad, or autumn (Bhādrapadā to Kārtika—mid September to mid November);
5. Hemanta, winter, before the frost (Kārtika to Pauṣa—mid November to mid January);
6. Śirśa, or winter (Pauṣa to Phālguna—mid January to mid March).
Kalidasa’s Rtu Samhara was the first book in the world describing seasons. Tamils also followed the Puranic six rtus.
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Rudraksha
Rudraksha (botanically Elaeocarpus ganitrus) are the dried seeds of a large evergreen tree native to the Himalayan region and Southeast Asia. Deeply revered in Hinduism and Buddhism, the name translates to “Eyes of Shiva” in Sanskrit, symbolizing spirituality, meditation, and energetic protection.
The surface of the seed features natural vertical lines or grooves known as mukhis. Rudraksha beads can have anywhere from 1 to 21 faces, with the 5-faced (Panchamukhi) seed being the most common.
Devi Bhagavatam, Siva Purana and other scriptures explain the benefits of wearing Rudraksha Mala/garland. Saivite saints wear Rudraksha malas in large number.
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Rudra
Lord Siva is worshipped as Rudra in one form. In the Rig Veda we see Siva as Rudra. In Sangam Tamil literature and later devotional literature, Rudra and Siva are one and the same. But hale baked foreigners are saying they are different. Rudra is clad in animal skins and armed with bow and arrow according to Rig Veda and Tamil literature. Rudra married Rudrani. Both Rudra and Rudrani are in 2700 year old Grammar book of Panini. Rudra’s abode is in the mountains; Till this day Mt Kailash in the Himalaya is worshipped by the Hindus. Svetasvatara Upanishad praises Rudra-Siva.
God is called Doctor and Medicine in the Rig Veda. Though mantras dealing with all Vedic Gods associate them with medicine and cure, Rudra commands the highest position in the field of Medicine. He was called Bhisak/ Doctor and Bhesajam/Medicine. Later we come across Dhanvantri, the Father of Medicine. We should call him the ‘father of MODERN medicine’. He is considered Vishnu or his Avatar.
References to Rudra in the Vedas
Yajur Veda (YV) has a part called Rudram-Chamakam. That is recited by all orthodox Saivite Hindus every day. The priests use it during Abishek of idols in all Siva Temples. Most sacred mantra OM NAMA SIVAYA and Trayambaka Mantra occur in it. God is praised as Bhesajam and Bhisak in it. But RV is older than YV.
Let us look at some of the mantras where physician and medicine occur in RV:-
1-43-2- Rudra’s medicines
1-43-4-Rudra, the possessor of healing remedies. Prayer for health and wealth.
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Yajur Veda -Vajasaneyi Samhita 16-48; Taittriya samhita5-10-1
Prayer to Rudra for men and beasts to be prosperous and free from disease.
Prayer to obtain what health and wealth father Manu acquired
Rudra carries in his hands the best remedies.
Prayer not to kill the old men, boys, fathers, mothers, adults, foetus, and our bodies.
Prayer not to kill our sons, grandsons, and men, cows and horses.
2-33-1
Prayer for 100 years of life by Rudra’s blissful medicines. Put away far from us sickness in all directions.
One YV mantra mentioned Rudra has 1000 remedies.
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Rudram
It is a hymn on Lord Shiva found in Yajur Veda. It is recited along with Camakam. Since Rudram is also known as Namakam, both are called Namakam -Chamakam.
In the Rudra section, Lord Shiva is praised as a great person doing various jobs. It means he controls everything in the universe. We come across the Five Lettered Mantra – panchaksharam – OM NAMASIVAYA in Rudram. So Saivites consider it most important Mantra. Orthodox Hindus recite it every day. In temples, when the Abishekam is done to the idol, Rudram is repeated.
Ati Rudram
Rudra Ekadasi: When Rudram is recited 121 times (11 priests recite it 11 times) it is Rudra Ekadasi.
When Rudram is recited 1331 times (11X11X11) it is Maha Rudram
When Rudram is recited 14641 times (11X 11X11X11) it is Ati Rudram
Sri Sathya Sai Baba performed Ati Rudram in Chennai and Puttaparthi. It was the biggest.
To be continued………………………
Tags-HINDU DICTIONARY IN ENGLISH AND TAMIL 86; இந்து மத கலைச்சொல் அகராதி-86 , Rudra, Rudram, Rig Veda, Rtu, Rishyasrnga, Rishikesh


