SSC
Which river, later the most sacred river of India, is mentioned only once in the Rigveda (in the Nadistuti Sukta)?
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Answer: Option A — Ganga
Detailed Solution
The river Ganga is mentioned only once by name in the Rigveda, in the "Nadistuti Sukta" (Hymn in Praise of Rivers), in the tenth mandala.
About the Nadistuti Sukta:
- It is hymn 75 of the tenth mandala (book) of the Rigveda.
- It praises the rivers of the region where the Vedic people lived.
- It lists the rivers from east to west, beginning with the Ganga and the Yamuna, followed by the rivers of the Punjab, and then the western tributaries of the Indus.
- This list is important for understanding the geography of the early Vedic period.
Why the Ganga is mentioned so rarely:
- The early Vedic people lived mainly in the region of the Indus and its tributaries, in present-day north-western India, Pakistan and Afghanistan.
- The Ganga lay at the eastern edge of their known world.
- In the later Vedic period (about 1000-600 BCE), the Vedic people moved eastwards into the Ganga-Yamuna Doab and beyond, and the Ganga became central to their life.
- Later, the Ganga became the most sacred river of Hinduism, worshipped as a goddess.
Rivers in the Rigveda:
- The Sindhu (Indus) is the most frequently mentioned river.
- The Yamuna is mentioned a few times.
About the Ganga today:
- It rises at Gangotri glacier (Gaumukh), in Uttarakhand, as the Bhagirathi, which joins the Alaknanda at Devprayag to form the Ganga.
- It was declared the "National River" of India in 2008.
Why not the other options?
- ✗The Saraswati is mentioned many times in the Rigveda.
- ✗The Sindhu is the most frequently mentioned river.
- ✗The Yamuna is mentioned more than once.
Quick tip
Remember: Ganga = mentioned only once in the Rigveda (Nadistuti Sukta, Mandala 10); Sindhu = most mentioned; Ganga = National River (2008).
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Vedic Period — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Vedic Period, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
The Vedic period followed the arrival of the Indo-Aryans and is divided into the Early (Rig Vedic) and Later Vedic ages. This topic covers the four Vedas, the Brahmanas, Aranyakas and Upanishads, Vedic society, polity, economy and religion, and the rivers and gods mentioned in Vedic texts. Exams often ask which Veda deals with what (the Sama Veda with music, the Atharva Veda with charms and medicine), the most important Rig Vedic god (Indra), and Vedic assemblies such as the Sabha and Samiti. Note how society changed from the Early to the Later Vedic age, especially the rise of the varna system and the growth of kingship. Practise the Vedic period questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.