Rig Veda, derived from the root word 'rik' meaning 'to praise' is divided into ten books (each book called mandala, meaning 'the circle'), and further subdivided into chapters and sections. It includes 1,028 suktas (hymns), comprising 10,528 Sanskrit verses, and over 150,000 words. The Rig Vedic hymns of prayer and worship are addressed to Vedic deities, such as Indra (250 hymns), Agni (200 hymns), Soma (100 hymns), and numerous hymns addressed to Surya. Most doctrines of Hinduism have been, in one way or another, derived from the Rig Veda.
One of the most profound and significant doctrines of the Rig Veda is, 'Truth is one, the wise call It by various names.' The Rig Vedic hymns possess mystic potency and richness. These hymns reflect a devotee's relationship to the deities as a friend, as a child to his parents, as a servant to his master, or as a lover to his beloved.
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