The Rigveda is the most important one of the four Sacred Books of Vedism (Rig, Yajur, Sama and Atharva). These four Vedas are composed in Vedic Sanskrit. The texts constitute the oldest layer of Sanskrit literature and the oldest scriptures of Hinduism. Hindus consider the Vedas to be « not of a man, superhuman » and « impersonal, authorless »

The Rigveda, or Veda of stanzas, was composed in the north-western region of the Indian subcontinent, most likely between circa 1700-800 BCE. It consists of 1 028 hymns (sukta), divided into ten circles (mandala). The total number of the stanzas is 10.462, unevenly distributed. These hymns are each assigned to a Rishi (cantor-author of Vedic hymns, sage, hermit, ascetic or saint), the names of these authors, with nothing to recognize personality, perhaps cover those families of hereditary bards.

The cosmogony of the Rigveda has several similarities with the Popol Vuh, the Sacred Book of Mayan-Quiche, but the Rigveda would be less old than the latter according to many researchers. The Rigveda contains several mythological and poetical accounts of the origin of the World, hymns praising the gods, etc. In this sacred Book of the Vedism, the domestic and magical ritual has an important place, as well as the solemn rites.