VEDIC AGE/ VEDIC PERIOD
- It existed between 500- 1500 BC.
- It gets its name from the Vedas.
- The Vedic society was patriarchal and patrilineal.
- Saw the emergence of a hierarchy of social classes.
Aryans
- The Aryans were semi-nomadic pastoral people.
- They originated from the area around the Caspian Sea in Central Asia.(the Central Asian theory is given by Max Muller)
- Entered India probably through the Khyber Pass (Hindukush Mountain).
The period of Vedic Civilization is divided into two parts:
- Early Vedic Period (1500-1000 BC)
- Later Vedic Period (1000-600 BC)
Early Vedic Period
- Rig Veda was composed.
- Battle of Ten Kings happened; Dasrajan war(King Sudas won)
- Aryans were organized into tribes rather than kingdoms.
- Concept of Varna, along with the rules of marriage, was made quite stiff.
- Cows and bulls were accorded religious significance.
- Brahmins and the Kshatriyas being considered higher than the Shudras and the Vaishyas.
- Standard unit of exchange was Cow.(coins were also there)
- Rishis were considered to be divine.
- Main deities were Indra, Agni and Soma.
- Yoga and Vedanta became the basic elements of religion.
Later Vedic Period
- Emergence of agriculture as the principle economic activity.
- Land and its protection started gaining significance and as a result several kingdoms arose.
- Concept of Varna and the rules of marriage became more rigid than before.
- The
four fold division of society became clear, initially based on
occupation which later became hereditary: Brahmins (priests), Kshatriyas
(warriors), Vaishyas (traders), Shudras (servers of upper three). - The institution of ‘gotra’ appeared for the first time.
- Indra and Agni lost their importance. Prajapati became supreme.
- Vishnu came to be conceived as the protector of the people.
- Rise of sixteen Mahajanapadas.
- Rituals like Rajasuya (royal consecration), Vajapeya (chariot race) and Ashvamedha (horse sacrifice) became widespread.
- The tribes had consolidated into small kingdoms, which had a capital and a rudimentary administrative system.
The Vedic Literature
- It was composed in Sanskrit.
- They were called Sruti and Smriti.
- The major literary and religious works of Vedic period are the four Vedas and the Upanishads.
There are four Vedas called
- The Rig Veda
- The Sama Veda
- The Yajur Veda
- The Atharva Veda
- Rig Veda
- Collection of hymns.(contains 1028 hymns)
- Oldest religious text in the world.
- Compiled in 10 mandalas.(second and seventh mandala were the oldest)
- Contains the famous Gayatri Mantra.
- Samveda
- Rhythmic compilation of hymns for Rig-Veda.
- It has only 75 fundamental hymns.
- Veda of melodies and chants.
- The Yajur Veda
- Book of sacrificial prayers.
- Rituals of Yajnas.
- Deals with the procedure for the performance of sacrifices.
- Has been divided into Krishna Yajurveda and Shukla Yajurveda.
- Atharvaveda
- Mantras for magic spells.
- Populate ritualistic systems and superstitions.
- Has been divided into 20 ‘Kandas’.
- Provides freedom from the evil spirit.
- Oldest text on Indian medicine.
Upanishads
- Literary meaning is ‘Satra’ in which Guru Offers a band of knowledge to their disciplines.
- Also called Vedanta.
- They are the main source of Indian Philosophy, 108 in numbers.
The Brahmanas
- Explain the meaning of sacrifices and also the methods of performing them.
- Shahpath Brahmin or Yajur Veda is the largest among Brahmins.
The Aryanakas
- Provides the description of Moral Science and Philosophy.
- They form the concluding parts of the Brahmanas.
- Provides details of saints and hermits who lived in jungles.
- Protest the system of Yajnas.
Epics
- Mahabharata
- It was written in Sanskrit by Ved Vyas.
- It describes a war between Kauravas and Pandavas of 950 BC in Kurukshetra.
- Divided into 18 parvas (books).
- Ramayana
- It was written by Rishi Valmiki in Sanskrit.
- It has 24000 shlokas.
- Ramcharitmanas is written by Tulsidas.
- Puranas
- They are 18 in number.
- It was written during Gupta Age in AD 4th
- Matsya Purana is the oldest Purana.
The end of Vedic period is marked by linguistic, cultural and political changes.
