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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Cracking the Cave: The Vala Myth and the Recovery of the Dawn Cattle
A demon named Enclosure hides the cattle, the dawn, and the sun inside a rock. The gods break it open with song. This is the Rigveda's other great combat myth, and it argues that the universe is held together by correctly spoken words.
The Purusha Sukta (Rig Veda 10.90) and the Origins of Varna — A Critical Reading
The Purusha Sukta is the Rig Veda's most-discussed hymn outside the Gayatri. A careful reading of RV 10.90 — Cosmic Person, primordial sacrifice, and the four-fold social classification this single hymn placed into Hindu thought.
Indra Slays Vritra (Rig Veda 1.32): The Cosmogonic Myth at the Heart of the Veda
Vṛtra-han, 'slayer of Vṛtra,' is Indra's central epithet. A close reading of RV 1.32 — Hiraṇyastūpa's celebrated hymn — and the wider cosmogonic significance of the dragon-slaying narrative.