The Vedic Period

Rig Veda.

a war fought between the Pandavas and Kauravas.

The Rig Vedic Age

family

i-b, ii-c, iii-a

In the Later Vedic Age, the kings performed several yajnas or sacrifices. When a king ascended the throne, the rajasuya yajna was performed. After this yajna, the king had supreme powers in the area. Another important yajna was the ashvamedha yajna, which was performed by powerful kings to establish their supremacy over lands.

The rigid varna system in the Later Vedic Age was beneficial to the society.

Inter-varna marriages may have led to the decline of the Later Vedic Age.

According to some historians, the Indo-Aryans originated from among a group of people in Central Asia, who spoke Indo-European languages. When the population of people who spoke Indo-European languages increased, a group of people were forced to migrate from Central Asia. This group of people, who entered India came to be called the Indo-Aryans.

'The land of seven rivers' in the Punjab region is known as Sapta-Sindhu.

The sabha and the samiti were assemblies, which resolved disputes among tribesmen and decided upon possession of resources. The sabha was made up of important members of the tribe and the samiti included all members of the tribe.

During the Early Vedic period, men and women wore garments made of cotton and wool. Both men and women wore different kinds of ornaments such as earrings, necklaces and bangles. Shoes made of leather and wood were also used.

Gurukul system was a remarkable feature of the Vedic education. In this system, boys lived in the guru's ashrama from the age of 7 to 25. They learnt philosophy, art, logic, religion, grammar, medicine and moral codes of conduct such as obedience and respect for the teachers. The gurus did not charge any fee for the education. At the end of their training, the disciples thanked their gurus with a gift called guru dakshina, which means offerings to the guru.

During the Early Vedic Age, Indo-Aryans settled in 'the land of seven rivers' in the Punjab region, also known as Sapta-Sindhu.

During the Later Vedic Age, Indo-Aryans gradually moved further eastwards and settled in the Gangetic Valley. The entire region under their control came to be called Aryavarta, which means 'the land of the Aryans'.

During the Later Vedic Age, tribal units expanded to form kingdoms and chieftains evolved into hereditary monarchs. The king’s authority grew, he led wars, kept order, and staged grand yajnas to assert supremacy. The role and character of the sabha and samiti changed.

In the Later Vedic Age, the position of women appears to have declined. Women were expected to serve their husbands and look after the family.

In the Early Vedic Age, society was divided into four varnas based on occupation—Brahmanas (priests), Kshatriyas (warriors), Vaishyas (traders/farmers), and Shudras (labourers). This system was flexible, and movement between varnas was possible.

However, in the Later Vedic Age, the varna system became rigid and hereditary. A clear social hierarchy emerged: Brahmanas and Kshatriyas held the highest positions, Vaishyas occupied the middle tier, and Shudras were at the bottom, expected to serve the upper classes. Inter-varna marriages and mobility were no longer allowed.

Nature of worship in the Early Vedic period —

1. People worshipped the forces of nature as gods and goddesses. Indra, the god of thunder and rain, was the most important. Agni—the god of fire, Surya—the Sun god, Varuna—the god of water, Vayu—the god of wind, Soma—the god of plants, Prithvi—the Earth-god, Yama—the god of death and Usha—the goddess of dawn, were important gods.
2. Yajnas or sacrifices were common rituals.
3. Since gods had no definite shape, there were no statues and temples.
4. The mode of worship was through chanting of the Rig Vedic hymns, and making offerings of sacrifices, grain, ghee and milk.
5. Priests conducted the rituals.
6. People usually prayed for good health and cattle and for the birth of sons.

Nature of worship in the Later Vedic period —

1. Prajapati (later known as Brahma) became an important god.
2. Complicated prayers, elaborate rituals and sacrifices became more important in worshipping the Gods.
3. Religion became ritualistic and expensive.
4. The brahmanas gained power and rose in prominence as only they were allowed to perform rituals.

The four stages of life of an upper class man in Vedic society are:

1. Brahmacharya
2. Grihastha
3. Vanaprastha
4. Sanyasa

In the beginning, the Indo-Aryans were nomads who moved from one place to another. Cattle rearing and cattle farming were their major occupations. Cattle, horses, sheep, goats and asses were reared. The cow was a mark of wealth, and considered very valuable.

As the Vedic people settled down, agriculture became an important occupation. People developed the art of weaving, carpentry, chariot-making and metal work.

Agriculture was the chief occupation of the Later Vedic people. Cattle rearing continued. Coppersmiths produced war weapons and ornaments. Ironsmiths produced arrowheads and spearheads. Weavers, leather workers, carpenters, chariot-makers and jewellers lived in the villages. Painted Grey Ware pottery were also produced.