Nature Consciousness in the Ṛigvedic Contemporary Age: A Study/ ঋগ্বৈদিক সমকালীনযুগে প্রকৃতিচেতনা : একটি অধ্যয়ন

Abstract

The Vedas are an ancient body of knowledge. Originally, the Vedas were divided into four parts based on the reading; namely: Ṛigveda, Sāmveda, Yajurveda and Atharvaveda. The oldest of these four Vedas is the Ṛigveda.

           The nature of Ṛig Vedic religion, as described in the Ṛigveda, was characterized by the worship of various natural forces and deities through hymns and sacrifices. It was a polytheistic religion where deities like Indra (God of thunder and rain), Agni (God of fire), and Varuna (God of cosmic order) were revered. There was no temple or idol worship, and rituals were performed in the open air. The focus was on seeking blessings for material prosperity and well-being. The Ṛig Vedic people worshipped natural forces like the sun, moon, stars, fire, wind, rain, and thunder by personifying them into gods and goddesses. The Ṛigvedic Aryans worshipped natural forces like earth, fire, wind, rain and thunder. They transformed these natural forces into many gods and worshipped them. They usually worshipped under the open sky through sacrifices. There were no temples or idol worship in the early Ṛigvedic period. In the context of this research, an attempt has been made to highlight the nature awareness of people during the era contemporary with the Ṛigveda.