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The Rig Veda contains translations of a few selected verses from the Rig Veda. Summary Of The Book The Rig Veda, is a translation of selected hymns from the ancient composition. The Rig Veda is the oldest of the four Vedas, the Rig, Yajur, Sama and Atharva. It is the oldest religious composition, the oldest of Sanskrit hymns, and is still studied and recited by Hindus during religious rituals. The Rig Veda, thousands of years old, gives a picture of not just the religious life of the people, but also a glimpse into the cultural and social circumstances of that time. These poetic compositions explore many things besides rituals and mythology. The Vedas explore the origin of the world, the environment, the life of people, and codes for life. They contain prayers to Gods, stories of various Gods like Varuna, Indra, Mitra and Soma, besides the Adityas and Rudras, among others. The intricately beautiful compositions have always been handed down through oral traditions rather than being written down. There are many ways of reciting the Vedas, different for memorization, and for recitation in rituals. The Rig Veda is divided into ten books known as Mandalas. The Vedas do not have a single author, the verses were composed by many different Rishis, and so they are a compilation of various styles and not a uniform composition. The ten Mandalas contain various hymns addressed to many Gods, and some of the Mandalas are noted for the very important verses they contain, significant to Hindu culture through the ages. The third Mandala contains the important Gayatri Mantra. The fifth Mandala contains the valakilya hymns. The tenth Mandala contains the Nadistuthi Suktha, in praise of the sacred rivers, and the Purusha Sukta. It also contains the Nasadiya sukta which pertains to creation. The Rig Veda, contains selected verses from the ten books, with translations and the authors notes containing her interpretations, based on these verses, on the social and cultural situation of the times. About Wendy Doniger Wendy Doniger is a Professor of the University of Chicago. Other books by this author are On Hinduism, The Hindus: An Alternative History, and Hindu Myths. She writes mostly on Hindu religion and the Hindu religious texts. Wendy Doniger is an expert on South Asian culture. She is currently the Professor of History of Religions in the University of Chicago’s Divinity School. She is also the Professor of South Asian Civilizations and Languages.