This articleneeds additional citations forverification. Please helpimprove this article byadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Mandala 10" – news ·newspapers ·books ·scholar ·JSTOR(February 2012) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

Thetenth mandala, or chapter, of theRigveda contains 191 hymns. Together withMandala 1, it forms the latest part of the Rigveda, containing material, including thePurusha Sukta (10.90) and the dialogue ofSarama with thePanis (10.108), and notably containing severaldialogue hymns.

The subjects of the hymns cover a wider spectrum than in the other books, dedicated not only to deities or natural phenomena, including deities that are not prominent enough to receive their own hymns in the other books (Nirrti 10.59, Asamati 10.60,Ratri 10.127,Aranyani 10.146,Indrani 10.159), but also to objects like dice (10.34), herbs (10.97), press-stones (forSoma, 10.94, 175) and abstract concepts like liberality (towards therishi, 10.117),creation (10.129 (theNasadiya Sukta), 130, 190),knowledge (10.71),speech,spirit (10.58),faith (10.151), a charm against evil dreams (10.164).

10.15, dedicated to the forefathers, contains a reference to the emerging rite ofcremation in verse 14, where ancestors "both cremated (agnidagdhá-) and uncremated (ánagnidagdha-)" are invoked.

10.47 to 50 are to Indra Vaikuntha, "Indra son of Vikuntha". Vikuntha was anAsuri whom Indra had allowed to become his second mother. The rishi of 10.47 is called Saptagu, while that of 10.48–50 is likewise called Indra Vaikuntha.

10.85 is a marriage hymn, evoking the marriage of Suryā, daughter ofSurya (the Sun), another form ofUshas, the prototypical bride.

RV 10.121 (theHiranyagarbha Sukta) is another hymn dealing with creation, containing elements ofmonotheism. It has a recurring pada "what God shall we adore with our oblation?", in verse 1 namedHiranyagarbha "the golden egg" orCosmic egg,^[1][2][3] later a name ofBrahma, in verse 10 addressed asPrajapati.

10.129 (theNasadiya Sukta) and 130 are creation hymns, probably the best known Rigvedic hymns in the west, especially 10.129.7:

He, the first origin of this creation, whether he formed it all or did not form it, / Whose eye controls this world in highest heaven, he verily knows it, or perhaps he knows not. (Griffith)

These hymns exhibit a level of philosophical speculation very atypical of the Rigveda, which for the most part is occupied with ritualistic invocation.

10.145 is attributed toIndrani. It is a spell for a jealous wife to get rid of more favoured rival. Atypical of the Rigveda, similar spells are found in theAtharvaveda.

10.154 is a funeral hymn, asking for that the departed may join those who attained heaven throughtapas. Padas 1 cd is reminiscent of theNorse concept ofValhalla:

To those for whom the meath flows forth, even to those let him depart. (Griffith)

10.155 is against the "one-eyed limping hag" Arayi.

10.166, attributed to Anila, is a spell for the destruction of rivals, similar to 10.145, but this time to be uttered by men who want to be rid of male rivals.

10.173 and 174 are benedictions of a newly elected king.

Therishis of the 10th Mandala are divided intoShudrasuktas andMahasuktas, that is, sages who have composed "small" vs. "great" hymns.

• Rigvedic dialogue hymns
• Gambler's Lament

SanskritWikisource has original text related to this article:

Original Sanskrit text in Devanagari

• Works related toThe Rig Veda/Mandala 10 at Wikisource – English translation byRalph T. H. Griffith

• Rigveda

• Articles with short description
• Short description is different from Wikidata
• Articles needing additional references from February 2012
• All articles needing additional references