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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Croaking Like Priests: The Frog Hymn (RV 7.103)
A whole Rig Veda hymn is addressed to frogs, who chant after the first rains 'like Brahmins at a sacrifice.' A sourced reading of Vedic satire, humour and the riddle.
The First to Die: Yama and the Vedic Afterlife (RV 10.14)
Yama was the first human to die, and so became king of the dead. A sourced reading of the Rig Veda's funeral hymn, the two four-eyed dogs, and the bright world of the fathers.
Soma: The Pressed God of Mandala 9
A whole book of the Rig Veda is about a drink. Soma as plant, ritual and deity, and the long argument over what the plant actually was.
Agni: The Fire at the Start of the Rig Veda
The Rig Veda's very first word is agni. A sourced look at the fire-god's roles, epithets, and why he stands second only to Indra.