Rig Veda
Daksha
Aditi gives birth to her and vise versa
Tiamat
battle between Indra (storm god) vs. Vritra (serpent) is like the battle of ___ and Ea; Vritra and ___ both bodies are used to create the universe
Purusha
cosmic giant/primeval male; dismembered by creator god and used to create universe; earth, sky, gods, humans, and animals are all created from him; he is the first sacrifice
Panis
demons; live beyond the river Rasa; stole cattle from Angirases; bribe cattle to Sarama
Vritra
dragon/serpent; holding back all of the waters of the world; Indra uses thunderbolts to kill him and then rivers are then created
River Rasa
encircle heaven/earth (gods/humans); where Panis (demons) live
Aditi
female creative force/infinity; gives birth to earth (which bears sky); gives birth to Daksha and vise vera; bears 8 sons
Golden Embyro
unknown creator god; referred to as Hiranyaagarbha; He arises from primordial waters and creates waters, earth and sky; he separates earth and sky
Agni
"fire"; binatural god; all sorts of fire: domestic, ritual, natural, poetry, and funeral;
Sanskrit
Indo-European language; what Rig Veda was written in
Sarama
Indra's female dog; goes to look for the Panis because they stole the cattle of Angirases; Panis bribes cattle to her but she resists
Three Days of Soma
after you die you're cremated and the fire burns for you for three days, during these three days soma is offered to the gods;it takes three days for your soul to travel to the afterlife
Yama
king of dead; first mortal to reach death realm (in heaven); path maker for humans
Indra
king of gods; god of thunder and war (storm god); connected to rain and fertility; avid drinker of soma; poet/seer; when born: bursts out of mother's side and kills father
Prajapati
later added to Rig Veda; name of creator god
Hiranyagarbha
name that refers to the unknown creator god; "gold" "womb/seed/embryo/egg"
Rig Veda
oldest work in India; written in Sanskrit by the Vedic people; means "praise" and "knowledge"; sacred to Hindus
Vedic People
people who composed the Rig Veda
Soma
sacred drink; binatural; it was a hallucinogenic; made out of an unknown plant found high in the mountains; drank by gods (and priests); promoted vitality, and immortality (gods) and poetry; also caused fear and exultation
Martanda
the sun; is rejected and dies