Journeys into Vedic Thought
Long-form, researched essays on the deities, language, ritual and history of the Rig Veda. All free to read.
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How Old Is the Rigveda? Three Thousand Years of Dating Debates
Scholars have proposed dates for the Rigveda ranging from 6000 BCE to 1000 BCE. The gap between the earliest and latest serious proposals spans five millennia. This article traces every major approach, from Max Muller's backward arithmetic to ancient DNA, and is honest about what each one can and cannot prove.
Counting the Stars: Nakshatra Astronomy in the Rigveda and What It Tells Us About Dating
The Rigveda contains astronomical references that scholars have tried to use as a clock. From Jacobi and Tilak in the 1890s to modern archaeoastronomy, the debate over whether star positions can date the Vedic hymns remains one of Indology's most contested questions. The precession math is real; the interpretive problems are harder.