I want to have a basic understanding of the contents and focus of Rig Veda 10th Mandala.

What is the brief thematic outline of Rig Veda 10th Mandala?


First of all i am posting only according to the Sakala shakha of Rig Veda.

RV Mandala 10

This mandala has 191 suktas with 1754 mantras. It has many famous Suktas including the Purusha Suktam (RV 10.90).

The Rishi (seer) of the Purusha Suktam is NArAyana.

Given below are few manadala 10 suktas along with their respective seers (not all suktas are given):

Sukta (#s) ------------------- Seer (Rishi)

1-7 ....... Trita Aptya.

19 ....... BhriguvAruni.

20-26 ....... Vimada Aindra.

27-29 ......... Vasukra Aindra.

28, 86 ......... Indra.

30- 34 .......... Kavasha Ailusha.

42- 44 ......... Krishna Angirasa.

48- 50 .......... Indra Vaikuntha.

51- 53, 79, 80 ...... Agni Sauchika.

54- 56 ...... Brhaduktha VAmadevya.

57- 60 ....... Bandhu GopAyana.

67, 68 ...... AyAsya Angirasa.

81, 82 ...... VisvakarmA Bhauvana.

110, 167 ..... Jamadagni BhArgava.

137 ........... Sapta Rshayah .

In this mandala (RV 10.137) the sapta rishis or the seven celestial sages are mentioned explicitly by their names viz Bharadwaja, Kashyapa, Gotama, Atri, Viswamitra, Jamadagni and Vashishtha.

Other few important suktas of RV mandala 10 :

1) Agahamrashana Suktam ( 10.9.1-3)

This sub hymn is dedicated to the energies of water. It is used in sandhya vandanam. It is known as the destroyer of sins or agha.

2) Yama, Death :

The 5 suktas from 10.14 to 10.18 deal with various aspects of death such as mantras to be chanted during cremation, the paths to be traversed by the soul or jiva after death i.e devayAna and pitryAna etc.

The entire sukta 10. 135 is dedicated to Yama. Ideas here are some what similar to those found in the Katha Upanishad.

3) Purusha Suktam :

This very famous suktam is in this mandala and it is RV 10.90.

4) Creation:

There are several hymns dedicated to the subject of creation such as 10.129, 10.121, 10.81-82, 10.154, 10.190.

5) Healing plants and thoughts :

The sukta RV 10.97 has 23 mantras in all and it discusses the healing power of plants and thoughts.

6) A colloquy between Pururavas and Urvashi

The Sukta 10.95 contains a colloquy between Pururavas and Urvasi. This story has also been mentioned in Puranic literature, but the Vedic story can have deeper interpretations.

This is , in brief, an overview of Rig Veda Mandala 10.


RV 1.164.12 -----> Rig Veda Samhita, Mandala 1, Sukta 164, Mantra 12 etc.

Reference used :

Rig Veda Samhita Mandala 10 by R. L. Kashyap.

Here is the full mandala 10 in sanskrit. You can get the Rishi, Chandah and Devata of all the mantras of mandala 10 from that PDF.

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