A hymn of the Rigveda presents a dialogue between the sage Vishvamitra and two rivers, which he asks to make way for his followers. These rivers were the:

A hymn in the third mandala of the Rigveda (3.33) presents a dialogue between the sage Vishvamitra and the rivers Vipash (Beas) and Shutudri (Sutlej).

About the hymn:

• The sage Vishvamitra, along with the Bharata tribe, wants to cross the two rivers, which are in flood.
• He praises the rivers and requests them to become shallow, so that his followers can cross with their chariots and carts.
• The rivers are described as two mothers, or as two cows licking their calf, flowing together towards the sea.
• At first, the rivers reply that they are following the path given to them by Indra, who released them by killing the demon Vritra.
• Finally, the rivers agree to lower themselves and let the Bharatas cross.
• NCERT uses this hymn as an example of how the Rigveda describes the life and landscape of the early Vedic people.

What it tells us:

• The early Vedic people lived in the Punjab region, with its many rivers.
• They travelled with horses, chariots and cattle.
• They worshipped the rivers and considered them sacred.

About Vishvamitra:

• He was one of the most famous sages of the Rigveda.
• According to tradition, he was born a Kshatriya (a king) and became a Brahmana sage through hard penance.
• He was a rival of the sage Vasishtha.
• He appears in the Ramayana as the teacher of Rama and Lakshmana.

The "family books" of the Rigveda:

Mandalas 2 to 7 are called the "family books", as each is attributed to a particular family of sages, such as those of Vasishtha, Atri, Bharadvaja and Vishvamitra.

Why not the other options?

• ✗The Ganga and Yamuna were at the eastern edge of the early Vedic world.
• ✗The Indus and Jhelum and the Saraswati and Drishadvati are other rivers of the Vedic region, but they are not the rivers of this hymn.