Which of the following is a characteristic of Mandala IX of the Rigveda?
- AIt is attributed to the Kanva clan and the Angirasa poets.
- BIt contains hymns to Soma Pavamana, about the sacred purification of soma.
- CIt contains the Nadi Sukta, which praises the rivers as sacred.
- DIt contains philosophical speculation about the creation of the universe.
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: (b) It contains hymns to Soma Pavamana, about the sacred purification of soma.
Explanation
The Rigveda has ten books (mandalas) with 1,028 hymns. Mandala IX is the only one given wholly to a single god: all its hymns praise Soma Pavamana, "soma as it is being purified". They describe how the soma plant was pressed and its juice filtered through wool for the ritual.
- Mandala VIII is attributed mainly to the Kanva family, with poets of the Angirasa line.
- The Nadi Sukta (hymn to the rivers) and the Nasadiya Sukta (on creation) are in Mandala X.
Mandalas II–VII are the "family books", each attributed to a family of seers. Mandalas I and X are the latest.