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