What is the meaning of Samhita in the context of the Rigveda?

Correct — C. Samhita literally means 'put together, joined', a collection. The Rigveda Samhita is the collection of its hymns: 1,028 hymns (suktas) in ten mandalas, about 10,600 verses.

It is the oldest layer of the Veda, the mantras themselves, before explanation or ritual guidance was attached → option (c).

Why the others are wrong

• (a)
  A commentary explaining each verse of the Rigveda — A verse-by-verse commentary is a bhashya, such as Sayana's 14th-century commentary on the Rigveda. It explains the Samhita; it is not the Samhita.
• (b)
  A collection of hymns arranged in prose form — The Rigveda's hymns are verse, set in metres such as trishtubh and gayatri, not prose. Prose mantras are the mark of the Yajurveda.
• (d)
  A ritual handbook for Vedic sacrifices — Guidance on performing sacrifices belongs to the Brahmanas, prose texts attached to each Samhita that explain and instruct on Vedic rituals.

Each Veda has four layers. The Samhita holds the mantras and hymns. The Brahmanas explain the rituals in which those hymns are recited.

The Aranyakas and Upanishads come later and turn from ritual towards philosophy. So 'Samhita' names the core collection, and the Rigveda Samhita gathers hymns addressed to deities such as Indra and Agni.

Key facts

• Samhita literally means 'put together', a collection.
• The Rigveda Samhita has 10 mandalas and 1,028 hymns.
• Rigvedic hymns are metrical, with trishtubh and gayatri the commonest metres.
• Sayana wrote a commentary on the whole Rigveda in the 14th century.

Common traps

• Choosing (b) because 'collection of hymns' sounds right — 'in prose form' makes it wrong for the Rigveda.
• Confusing the Samhita with the Brahmanas — the hymns come first, the ritual explanation later.

No directly related past PYQ was found.