ABOUT THE BOOK The book contains Samhita texts of Rigveda, the Padapatha, Sayana's commentary, English translation and notes. The notes after the Padapatha and Sayana's commentary on each mantra are of a lexicographical and exegetical nature. The lexicographical notes can substitute the complete Vedic dictionary. There are appendices on Grammar, Metre, Accent, Vedic mythology and also some remarks on the age of the Rgveda. The quotations in Sāyaṇa's commentary have been traced, compared, and the figures given where it was possible and practical. The English translation is very much useful to understand the Samhita texts which are very carefully selected in the present section. The Bibliography is a mine of important source books. The book was prepared by an eminent Vedic scholar Peter Peterson and it is edited further and thoroughly revised by R. Zimmermann, S.J. The students of Vedic studies will be highly benefited by this well-prepared book by a scholar of outstanding merit.
PREFACE The Hymns from the Rgveda in this selection were prescribed by the University of Bombay as an alternative course for candidates for its B. A. degree. Two of the Hymns (Nos. 1 and 22 here) are repeated from the previous volume as, perhaps by inadvertence, they figure in other selections. I am not responsible for the choice of the Hymns in the present selection. In editing Sayana's commentary I have made constant reference to two manuscripts, one of the first five ashtakas belonging to the Bhao Daji collection, and one of the last seven ashtakas which was kindly lent to me by my friend, Professor Apte, of Kolhapore. The manuscript in the collection at Elphinstone college was also occasionally consulted, but not to much purpose. It is really a greatly abbreviated edition of Sayana of little or no value for critical purposes. It need not, I hope, be said that wherever I have differed from Max Müller it has only been after careful consideration and from what seemed to me to be strong reasons. It is matter of gratification to me that the introduction of the Veda into the B. A. course of the University at Bombay, originally made at my instance, has proved so successful an experiment, and has wiped away the reproach of the exclusion from the ordinary curriculum in Sanskrit here of the most important books in the Sanskrit language. I cannot hope that have not made mistakes in my two volumes. But do hope that I have done something in them the student's way.
**Contents and Sample Pages**
