Chapter 2
The Composers of the Rigveda
The composers of the Rigveda are divided into ten families. These ten families are identified on the basis of the fact that each family has its own AprI-sUkta.
An AprI-sUkta is a particular type of ritual hymn ‘consisting of invocations to a series of deified objects, and said to be introductory to the animal sacrifice’.^(1)
The ten AprI-sUktas, and the ten families of composers to whom they belong, are:
- I.13 KaNvas (Kevala-ANgirases)
- I.142 ANgirases
- I.188 Agastyas
- II.3 GRtsamadas (Kevala-BhRgus)
- III.4 ViSvAmitras
- V.5 Atris
- VII.2 VasiSThas
- IX.5 KaSyapas
- X.70 Bharatas
- X.110 BhRgus
In addition to hymns and verses composed by members of these ten families, we also have the two following categories of hymns and verses:
11. Those composed jointly by members of different families.
12. Those composed by RSis whose family identity is unknown or unidentifiable.
The family-wise distribution of the hymns in each MaNDala is as follows:
MaNDala I (191 hymns, 2006 verses)
1 KANVAS (27 hymns, 321 verses): 12-23, 36-50
2. ANGIRASES (96 hymns, 1047 verses): 31-35, 51-64,
74-98, 100-126, 140-164
3. AGASTYAS (27 hymns, 239 verses): 165-191
5. VISVAMITRAS (18 hymns, 207 verses): 1-11, 24-30
7. VASISTHAS (9 hymns, 91 verses): 65-73
8. KASYAPAS (1 hymn, 1 verse): 99
9. BHARATAS (13 hymns, 100 verses): 127-139
MaNDala II (43 hymns, 429 verses)
- GRTSAMADAS (39 hymns, 398 verses): 1-3, 8-43
- BHRGUS (4 hymns, 31 verses): 4-7
MaNDala III (62 hymns, 617 verses)
- VISVAMITRAS (60 hymns, 588 verses): 1-35, 37-61
- JOINT (2 hymns, 29 verses): 36, 62
- ANgirases (1 verse): 36.10
- ViSvAmitras (25 verses): 36.1-9, 11; 62.1-15
- Joint ViSvAmitras and BhRgus (3 verses): 62.16-18
MaNDala IV (58 hymns, 589 verses)
2. ANGIRASES (58 hymns, 589 verses): 1-58
MaNDala V (87 hymns, 727 verses)
- ANGIRASES (3 hymns, 19 verses): 15, 35-36
- AGASTYAS (1 hymn, 4 verses): 24
- VISVAMITRAS ( 2 hymns, 19 verses): 33-34
- ATRIS (79 hymns, 655 verses): 1-14, 16-23, 25-28,
30-32, 37-43, 45-87 - VASISTHAS (1 hymn, 15 verses): 29
- JOINT (1 hymn, 15 verses): 44
- Atris (1 verse) 44.13
- KaSyapas (11 verses): 44.1-9, 14-15
- Joint Atris and KaSyapas (3 verses): 44.10-12
MaNDala VI (75 hymns, 765 verses)
2. ANGIRASES (75 hymns, 765 verses): 1-75
MaNDala VII (104 hymns, 841 verses)
7. VASISTHAS (102 hymns, 832 verses): 1-100, 103-104
11. JOINT (2 hymns, 9 verses): 101-102
11. Joint ANgirases and VasiSThas
(2 hymns, 9 verses): 101-102
MaNDala VIII (103 hymns, 1716 verses)
1. KANVAS (55 hymns, 933 verses): 1, 3-22, 32-34, 39-41,
45, 48-66, 72, 76-78, 81-83, 103
2. ANGIRASES (25 hymns, 460 verses): 23-26, 43-44, 46,
68-71, 75, 80, 85-86, 88-90, 92-96, 98-99
3 AGASTYAS (1 hymn, 21 verses): 67
6. ATRIS (7 hymns, 88 verses): 35-38, 73-74, 91
8. KASYAPAS (6 hymns, 74 verses): 27-31, 97
10. BHRGUS (4 hymns, 46 verses): 79, 84, 100-101
11. JOINT (4 hymns, 76 verses): 2, 42, 87, 102
- KaNvas (2 verses): 2.41-42
- Joint KaNvas and Angirases (40 verses): 2.1-40
Joint KaNvas and Atris (1 hymn, 6 verses): 42
Joint ANgirases and VasiSThas
(1 hymn, 6 verses): 87
Joint ANgirases and BhRgus
(1 hymn, 22 verses): 102
MaNDala IX (114 hymns, 1108 verses)
- KANVAS (8 hymns, 50 verses): 2, 41-43, 94-95,
104-105 - ANGIRASES (30 hymns, 217 verses): 4,27-31, 35-40,
44-46, 50-52, 61, 69, 72-74, 80-83, 93, 98, 112 - AGASTYAS (2 hymns, 12 verses): 25-26
- VISVAMITRAS (5 hymns, 44 verses): 1, 3, 70-71, 84
- ATRIS (2 hymns, 16 verses): 32, 68
- VASISTHAS (1 hymn, 6 verses): 90
- KASYAPAS (36 hymns, 300 verses): 5-24, 53-60,
63-64, 91-92, 99-100, 113-114 - BHARATAS (2 hymns, 27 verses): 96, 111
- BHRGUS (14 hymns, 136 verses): 47-49, 62, 65,
75-79, 85, 87-89 - JOINT (6 hymns, 196 verses): 67, 86, 97, 101,
107-108 - ANgirases (32 verses): 67.1-3, 7-9; 97.
45-48; 107.1, 3; 108.4-13 - GRtsamadas (3 verses): 86.46-48
- ViSvAmitras (8 verses): 67.13-15; 101.
13-16; 107.5 - Atris (12 verses): 67.10-12; 86.41-45;
101.1-3; 107.4 - VasiSThas (54 verses): 67. 19-21; 97.1-44;
107.7; 108.1-3, 14-16 - KaSyapas (4 verses): 67.4-6; 107.2
- BhRgus (4 verses): 67.16-18; 107.6
- Joint ANgirases and VasiSThas
(11 verses): 67.22-32
Joint SaptaRSis (19 verses): 107. 8-26 - UNKNOWN (8 hymns, 104 verses):
33-34, 66, 102-103, 106, 109-110
MaNDala X (191 hymns, 1754 verses)
- KANVAS (1 hymn, 9 verses): 115
- ANGIRASES (58 hymns, 485 verses); 11-12, 37,
39-44, 47-56, 67-68, 71-72, 75, 79-80, 87-88, 100,
105, 111-114, 117-118, 126, 128, 131-132, 134,
138, 149, 152, 155-156, 158, 164, 169-170,
172-174, 178, 182, 187-188, 191. - AGASTYAS (4 hymns, 40 verses): 57-60
- VISVAMITRAS (12 hymns, 91 verses): 89-90, 104,
121, 129-130, 160-161, 177, 183-184, 190 - ATRIS (8 hymns, 112 verses): 45-46, 61-64, 101, 143
- VASISTHAS (26 hymns, 276 verses): 20-29, 38, 65-66,
73-74, 83-84, 86, 95, 99, 103, 119, 122, 147, 150, 180 - KASYAPAS (3 hymns, 24 verses): 106, 136, 163
- BHARATAS (4 hymns, 42 verses): 69-70, 102, 133
- BHRGUS (24 hymns, 255 verses): 10, 13-19, 77-78,
91-93, 97-98, 110, 120, 123, 135, 144, 148, 154,
165, 171 - JOINT (7 hymns, 49 verses): 96, 107, 127, 137, 167,
179, 181 - ANgirases (4 verses): 137.1,3; 181. 2-3
- ViSvAmitras (1 verse): 137.5
- Atris (1 verse): 137.4
- VasiSThas (2 verses): 137.7; 181.1
- KaSyapas (1 verse): 137.2
- Bharatas (1 verse): 179.2
- BhRgus (1 verse): 137.6
- Joint KaNvas and ANgirases
(1 hymn, 8 verses): 127
Joint ANgirases and ViSvAmitras
(1 hymn, 11 verses): 107
Joint ANgirases and VasiSThas
(1 hymn, 13 verses): 96
Joint ViSvAmitras and BhRgus
(1 hymn, 4 verses): 167 - Unknown (2 verses): 179.1,3
- UNKNOWN (44 hymns, 371 verses): 1-9, 30-36,
76, 81-82, 85, 94, 108-109, 116, 124-125, 139-142,
145-146, 151, 153, 157, 159, 162, 166, 168, 175-176,
185-186, 189
Clarifications regarding MaNDala X
MaNDala X is a very late MaNDala, and stands out from the other nine MaNDalas in many respects. One of these is the general ambiguity in the ascriptions of the hymns to their composers. In respect of 44 hymns, and 2 other verses, it is virtually impossible even to identify the family of the composer.
In respect of many other hymns and verses, where we have identified the family affiliations of the composers, the following clarifications are in order:
Family 1: KANVAS (1 hymn)
1. Upastuta VArSTihavya (1 hymn): X.115
a. This RSi practically identifies himself as a KANva
in verse 5 of the hymn.
b. Outside this hymn, three out of four references to
Upastuta are by KaNvas (I.36.10, 17; VIII.5.25; 103. 8),
and in the fourth reference, Upastuta is named
along-with Kali (another KANva RSi, composer
of VIII.66).
Family 2: ANGIRASES (19 hymns)
1. Indra VaikuNTha (3 hymns): X.48-50
Saptagu ANgiras, the composer of X.47, is clearly the composer of these three hymns, which constitute a continuation of the theme in hymn 47. Hymn 47 is addressed to Indra as Indra VaikuNTha, and these three hymns, in the manner of a dialogue-hymn, constitute Indra’s ‘reply’ to Saptagu.
2. AGNEYAS (8 hymns): X.51-53, 79-80, 156, 187-188
Agni SaucIka/Sapti VAjambhara: X.51-53, 79,-80
Ketu Agneya: X.156
Vatsa Agneya: X.187
Syena Agneya: X.188
a. Agni SaucIka is identifiable with the BharadvAja
RSi Agni BArhaspatya (joint composer of VIII. 102).
b. SUcI is a BharadvAja gotra.
c. The word VAjambhara is found in only two verses
outside this hymn, both by ANgirases:
I. 60. 6; IV.1.4.
d. VAja-m-bhara is clearly an inverted form of
Bhara-d-VAja.
e. The only gotras with Agni are BharadvAja and
KaSyapa gotras.
3. SAURYAS (4 hymns): X.37, 158, 170, 181 (joint)
AbhitApa Saurya: X.37
CakSu Saurya: X.158
VibhrAT Saurya: X.170
Gharma Saurya:X.181 (joint)
a. The only gotras with SUrya are BharadvAja
and ViSvAmitra gotras.
b. The only other hymns to SUrya are by g BharadvAja
(I.115) and a KaNva (I. 50).
c. The joint hymn b y Gharma Saurya is with a
BharadvAja and a VasiSTha.
d. A word meaning asura-slayer, asurahan/asuraghna,
occuring in X.170. 2, is found elsewhere only in
hymns by a BharadvAja (VI. 22. 4) and a VasiSTha
(VII.13.1).
e. The three above hymns by Saurya RSis have
repetitions in common only with hymns by
ANgirases and by GRtsamada (a descendant
of BharadvAja):
X.37.4: X.127.2 (RAtrI BhdradvAjI)
JyotiSA bAdhase tamo.
X.37.10: II.23.15 (GRtsamada Saunahotra)
DraviNam dhehi citram.
X.158.5: I.82.3 (Gotama RAhUgaNa)
SusandRSam tvA vayam.
X.170.4: VIII.98.3 (NRmedha ANgiras)
VibhrAjanjyotiSA svaragaccho rocanam divah.
4. AURAVAS (3 hymns): X.11-12, 138
ANga Aurava: X.138
HavirdhAna ANgi: X.11-12
The patronymics of these RSis show them to be descendants of Uru ANgiras (joint composer of IX.108).
5. AriStanemi TArkSya (1 hymn): X.178.
a. The only other hymns to horses are by ANgirases
(I.162-163; IV. 38-40) and a VasiSTha (VII. 44).
b. The word TArkSya, outside this hymn, is found only
in one verse by an ANgiras, Gotama RAhUgaNa
(1.89.6).
c. The only hymns which have repetitions in common
with X.178 are by VAmadeva Gautama:
X.178.2: IV.23.10
PRthvI bahule gabhIre
X.178.3: IV.38.10
SavasA pañca kRSTIh sUrya iva
jyotiSApastatAna.
Family 5: VISVAMITRAS (9 hymns)
1. PRAJAPATYAS (9 hymns): 90, 107 (joint), 121,
129-130, 161, 177, 183-184
NArAyaNa: X.90
DakSiNA PrAjApatya: X.107 (joint)
HiraNyagarbha PrAjApatya: X.121
PrajApati ParameSThin: X.129
Yajña PrAjApatya: X.130
YakSmanASana PrAjApatya: X.161
PataNga PrAjApatya: X.177
PrajAvAn PrAjApatya: X.183
ViSNu PrAjApatya: X.184
a. PrajApati ParameSThin, clearly the patriarch of
this group of RSis, is identifiable with PrajApati
VaiSvAmitra (composer of III.54-56).
b. The only hymn which has a repetition in common
with X.129 (by PrajApati ParameSThin) is III.54
(by PrajApati VaiSvAmitra):
X. 129.6: III.54.5
Ko addhA veda ka iha pra vocat.
c. All the above hymns deal with the subject of
creation. The only other hymn dealing with this
subject is X.190, composed by AghamarSaNa
VaiSvAmitra; and the only other verse to which the
AnukramaNIs assign the same subject is I.24.1,
composed by SunahSepa AjIgarti (VaiSvAmitra).
d. ViSvAmitra is traditionally associated with creation.
The epics relate the story of TriSanku, in which
ViSvAmitra sets out to teach the Gods a lesson by
creating a parallel universe. He finally desists only
when the Gods plead with him and accede to his
demand. But, even today, ‘duplicate’ objects in
nature are called ViSvAmitra-sRSTi or ViSvAmitra’s
creations.
e. NArAyaNa is a ViSvAmitra gotra; and the hymn by
NArAyaNa a, who is not given any patronymic, is
placed immediately after a hymn by a ViSvAmitra:
Renu VaiSvAmitra (X.89).
Family 7: VASISTHAS (23 hymns)
1. Suvedas SairISI (1 hymn): X. 147
SairISI is a VasiSTha gotra.
2. Vamra VaikhAnasa (1 hymn): X.99
a. The word SiSnadeva (X.99.3) is found only once
outside this hymn in VII.21.5, composed by
VasiSTha MaitrAvaruNI.
The word SiSnA by itself occurs only thrice in
the Rigveda, once in a hymn by a VasiSTha,
Vasukra Aindra (X.27.19), and once in a hymn
by a VasiSTha associate, Kutsa ANgiras
(1.105.8). The third occurence, in X.33.3, is in a
hymn by a RSi whose family cannot be identified.
b. The only hymn which has a repetition in common
with this hymn is X.20, composed by a VasiSTha,
Vimada Aindra:
X.99.12: X.20.10
ISamUrjam sukSitim viSvamAbhAh.
3. Manyu TApasa (2 hymns): X.83-84
a. Manyu TApasa is identifiable with Manyu
VAsiSTha (joint composer of IX.97).
b. TApasa, an epithet signifying heat or passion, has
an added symbolic significance in this case: Tapa
is a VasiSTha gotra.
c. The word Manyu is translated, by Griffith, as a
name in only one other hymn, X.73.10, composed
by GaurivIti SAktya, a VasiSTha.
4. PurUravas AiLa and UrvaSI (1 hymn): X.95.
a. Verse 17 of the hymn clearly declares:
‘I, VasiSTha, call UrvaSI to meet me.’ The name
VasiSTha is translated by Griffith as ‘her best love’.
b. Outside this hymn, the word UrvaSI occurs only
twice throughout the Rigveda: once in a hymn
by an Atri (V.41.19), where it is an epithet for a
deified river; and once in a hymn by a VasiSTha
(VII.33.11) where UrvaSI is referred to as the
mother of VasiSTha.
5. AINDRAS (18 hymns): X.20-29, 38, 65-66, 86, 96
(joint), 103, 119, 180
Vimada Aindra and VasukRta VAsukra: X.20-26
Vasukra Aindra: X.27-29
Indra MuSkavAn: X.38
VasukarNa VAsukra: X.65-66
VRSAkapi Aindra: X.86
Sarvahari Aindra: X.96 (joint)
Apratiratha Aindra: X.103
Laba Aindra:X. 119
Jaya Aindra: X.180
a. The only hymns, other than X.38, in which Indra
is named as composer, are hymns in which the
God Indra is depicted as speaking in the first
person. But X.38 does not depict Indra speaking
in the first person, and it is clear that Indra here
is the name of the composer, who is the patriarch
of the Aindra group of RSis in MaNDala X.
b. Indra is a VasiSTha gotra.
c. Indra MuSkavAn is identifiable with Indrapramati
VAsiSTha (joint composer of IX.97).
d. The word muSka (X.38.5), which gives the RSi
his epithet MuSkavAn, is found only once outside
this hymn, in X. 102.4, composed by a Bharata.
The Bharatas are very closely associated with the
ANgirases and VasiSThas.
e. X.38.5 refers to the RSi Kutsa. The Kutsas are
very close associates of the VasiSThas: the only
reference to Kutsas by non-Kutsas are in hymns
by VasiSTha (VII.25.5; X.29.2); the only references
to VasiSTha by a non-VasiSTha is in a hymn by
a Kutsa (I.112.9); and the only hymn in which a
Kutsa figures as a joint composer is IX.97, which
is jointly attributed to eleven VasiSTha RSis
(including Indrapramati) and a Kutsa.
f. Vasukra Aindra is identifiable with Vasukri
VasiSTha (joint composer of IX.97).
g. VasukarNa VAsukra calls himself a VasiSTha
(in X.65.15), and, in verse 12 of the same hymn,
he refers to Vimada (Aindra).
h. Jaya is a VasiSTha gotra
i. All the four other hymns (including the joint hymn)
have repetitions in common with VasiSThas or
their associates:
X.86.5: VII.104.7 (VasiSTha MaitrAvaruNI)
X.103.4: VII.32.11 (VasiSTha MaitrAvaruNI)
X. 119.13: X. 150.1 (MRLIka VAsiSTha): III.9.6.
(ViSvAmitra GAthina).
X.96.13: I.104.9 (Kutsa ANgiras)
X.96.2: I.9.10 (Madhucchandas VaiSvAmitra):
X.133.1 (SudAs Paijavana).
Apart from these, the four hymns have only two other repetitions (one of which is in common with a ViSvAmitra).
Family 10: BHRGUS (11 hymns)
1. YAMAYANAS (11 hymns): X.10, 13-19, 135, 144, 154
Yama Vaivasvata and YamI VaivasvatI: X.10
VivasvAn Aditya: X.13
Yama Vaivasvata: X.14
Sankha YAmAyana: X.15
Damana YAmAyana: X.16
DevaSravas YAmAyana: X. 17
Sankhasuka YAmAyana: X.18
Mathita YAmAyana: X.19
KumAra YAmAyana: X.135
UrdhvakRSana YAmAyana: X.144
YamI VaivasvatI: X.154
a. YAmAyana or YAmyAyaNa is a BhRgu gotra.
b. Mathita is also a BhRgu gotra.
c. The alternative names given in the AnukramaNIs
for the composer of X.19, Mathita YAmAyana,
are BhRgu or Cyavana BhArgava.
d. Yama is mentioned alongwith ancient, mythical
BhRgu RSis, AtharvaNa and USanA KAvya
in I.83.5.
e. Hymn X.14.5 states: ‘Our fathers are ANgirases,
Navagvas, AtharvaNas, BhRgus.’ BhRgu hymns
in MaNDalas IX and X often identify with both
ANgirases and BhRgus (see, for example,
IX. 62.9, and the comment on it in Griffith’s
footnotes).
f. All the above hymns deal with the topics of
funerals and death. Tradition ascribes the
initiation of funeral rites and ceremonies to
Jamadagni BhArgava.
The family identities of the other composers of MaNDala X are either obvious from their patronymics, or known from the gotra lists, or else unidentifiable.
All this information is summarized in the two following tables:
TABLE A. FAMILY-WISE NUMBER OF HYMNS AND VERSES
TABLE B. FAMILY-WISE HYMNS AND VERSES
Footnotes:
^(1)HOR, fn. I.13.