Which is the oldest of the Vedas?

The Rig Veda is recognized as the oldest of the four Vedas in Hindu tradition. It is primarily a collection of hymns composed in Sanskrit, dating back to about 1500-1200 BCE. The Rig Veda consists of 10 books called Mandalas, containing praise and invocations to various deities, reflecting the religious and cultural practices of early Vedic society.

Its significance lies not only in its antiquity but also in its foundational role in the development of Vedic literature and the formation of later religious thought in Hinduism. The other Vedas, such as the Samaveda, Yajurveda, and Atharvaveda, were composed later and build upon the foundations of the Rig Veda, incorporating different aspects of liturgy, ritual, and philosophy which are present in the subsequent texts.