Rail Adda

The Vedic Age

(1500-600 BC)

ANCIENT RIVERS

S No.	Rigvedic Names	Modern Name
1	Sindhu	Indus
2	Vitasta	Jhelum
3	Askini	Chenab
4	Parushni	Ravi
5	Vipasa	Beas
6	Satudri	Sutlej
7	Drishadvati	Ghaggar
8	Krumu	Kurram
9	Gomal	Gomati

 Ø Aryans are said to be propounders of vedic civilization.

 Ø They spoke a language called arya which was similar to later days Sanskrit.Hence , they are called Aryans.

 Ø The vedas are collection of hymns, prayers, charms, litanies and sacrificial formulae. These are four in number.

1.     Rigveda…………..A collection of hymns.

2.     Samaveda………….A collection of songs.

3.     Yajurveda…………A collection of sacrificial foemulae.

4.     Atharvaveda..…..A collection of spells and charms.

1. Rigveda

·        It  was compiled around 1500-1000 BC.

·        The literal meaning of the word rig is ‘to praise’.

·        It is a collection of hymns in praise of gods.

·        It has been divided into 10 volumes called Mandals.

·        Mandal 3 contains the Gayatri Mantra which was compiled in the praise of sun god Savitri.

·        Those Rishis who were experts in Rigveda were called Hotra or Hotri .

·        Mandal 9 is dedicated only to soma god , the Lord of Plants.

2.Samaveda

·        Samveda consists of 1810 hymns.

·        Compilation of Samaveda is known to be the beginning of Indian music.

·        It is a collection of Songs mostly taken from the hymns of Rigveda and set to tune.

·        The expert in the knowledge of Samaveda were called Udgatri.

3.Yajurveda

·        It is a collection of sacrificial formulae.

·        The experts in the knowledge of Yajurveda were called adhvaryu.

·        It is found in both prose and poetry.

·        It consists of two parts,viz. Krishna Yajurveda and Shukla Yajurveda.

4.Atharvaveda

·        It is a collection of charms and sspells.

·        Indian medicinal science called Ayurveda has its origin from Atharvaveda.

·        It consist magical hymns to get  from diseases.

 Ø The Upanishads

·        Upanishads deal with metaphysics .

·        These are also called Vedanta because these were the last books to be compiled in the series of vedic literature.

·        These contain subject matter about soul, Brahman, rebirth, theory of karma , etc.

·        The word satyameva jayate in the National Emblem is taken from Mundaka Upanishad.

 Ø EARLY  VEDIC ARYANS

·         Ganga and Yamuna were not the important vivers in the Rigvedic period.

·         The tribe was called jana and the tribal chief was called rajana.

·         Women were allowed to participate in the proceedings of Sabha and Vidatha.

·         In the day to day administrations, the king was assisted by a Purohita. Vasishtha and Vishwamitra were the important Purohitas.

·         Rajana used to get a voluntary offering called Bali.

·         Barley was the most important crop which was called Yava. Wheat was a secondry crop.

·         Cow was the most important animal of the Rigvedic Aryans.

·         Rigvedic Aryans used the horses on a large scalewhich were absent in the harappan culture.

·         The term ayas used for copper or bronze shows that metal working was known.

·         Agni was only next to Indra. Agni acted as a kind of intermediary between the gods on the one hand, and the people on the other.

·         Indra played the role of a warloard and ha is also considered to be the rain god.

·         Rigvedic society comprised of four varnas based on occupation of individuals.

·         The four varnas (brahmana, Kshatriya, vaishya, and shudra)

·         Every member of same family was free to take any occupation.

·         Child marriage was not in vogue.

·         The fathers property was inherited by son.The daughter could inherit it, only if the she was the only child or her parents .

·         The system of joint family prevailed.

·         Gayatri mantra is addressed to Savitri.

·         Vishnu was a less important god in early vedic period.

·         Agni is the only god who is regarded as present among all the categories of god. 

·         The niyoga system provided a childless widow could remarry the younger brother of her deceased husband for the sake of progeny.

 Ø Rigvedic Gods

1.      Diti………………………Mother of the Daityas.

2.      Agni…………………….Priest of God, Intermediary between God and Man.

3.      Aditi……………………Goddess of Eternity.

4.      Usha…………………..Goddess of Dawn.

5.      Indra…………………..Destroyer of enemies.

6.      Varuna………………..God of water, clouds, oceans.

 Ø LATER  VEDIC ARYANS

·         The political system of the later  vedic Aryans shifted towards monarchy .

·         The king now ruled over an area of land called Janapada.

·         The king started maintaining army and the bureaucracy also got developed.

·         Agriculture became primary occupation in later vedic times, though cattle rearing  continued as secondary occupation.

·         The plough was known as sira and the furrow was known as sita.

·         Rice (vrihi) and wheat (Godhuma) became the chief crops of the later vedic Aryans they continued to produce barley (yava).

·         Cow dung was used as manure.

·         A new metal iron was introduced in the vedic age .

·         In later vedic period varna came to be birth based rather than profession based.

·         The society came to be divided into four varnas called Brahmanas, Rajanyas or Kshatriyas, vaishyas and shudras.

·         Occupation based four Varnas

1.     Teacher and priests……………….Brahmanas

2.     Rulers, Admminstrators…………Kshatriyas

3.     Farmer, Merchant, Bankers……Vaishyas

4.     Artisan and Labourers…………….Sudras