SHORT NOTES ON VEDIC AGE
Arrival of Indo-Aryans:
 Early Aryans resided in eastern
Afghanistan, North-West Frontier
Province, Punjab, and western
Uttar Pradesh.
 Rig Veda mentions Afghan rivers
like Kubha and Indus, with
Sarasvati revered.
 Aryans arrived in waves, with Rig
Vedic people arriving around 1500
BC.
 Clash with indigenous population
(dasas, dasyus) noted in Rig Veda.
Vedic Civilization:
 Flourished along Saraswati river,
in present-day Haryana and
Punjab.
 Named after Vedas, early literature
of Hinduism.
 Epics Ramayana and Mahabharata
significant in Vedic period.
Culture and Society in Early Vedic Period
(1500 - 1000 B.C.):
 Social organization based on
kinship and clan loyalty.
 Allegiance pledged to tribe (Jana),
not territory (Janapada).
 Patriarchal family structure
predominant; joint family units
common.
 Marriage institution formed;
evidence of polyandry, levirate,
widow remarriage.
 Women could attend assemblies,
make sacrifices, with few noted
hymn composers.
 No cases of child marriage in Rig
Veda; marriageable age around 16-
17.
Horse and Chariot in Vedic Culture:
 Horse crucial to Aryan culture;
extensively mentioned in Rig Veda.
1
 Indo-European languages
reflected horse's importance.
 Horse-drawn chariots widely used;
described in Vedic, Avestan, and
Homeric texts.
 Horse's early use evidenced in
western Asia, Anatolia; linked to
Kassite invasion.
Material Culture and Changes:
 Later Vedic period saw sedentary
lifestyle, extensive agriculture, iron
usage.
 Painted Grey Ware pottery
associated with later Vedic period.
 Metal referred to as shyama ayas
(dark metal) linked to iron.
 Chariot races described in later
Vedic texts and Homer; wheeled
chariot likely originated in western
Asia.
Social Class Divisions:
 Rig Veda mentions physical
appearance distinctions between
Aryans and Indigenous Inhabitants.
 Overstatement of racial
differences by Western writers.
 Aryans subjugated dasas and
dasyus, treating them as slaves
and shudras.
 Social disparities within tribes due
to unequal distribution of plunder.
 Tribal society evolved into three
groups: warriors, priests, and
common people.
 Emergence of shudras noted in
later Rig Vedic period.
 Slaves, mainly female, often
presented to priests; domestic
work.
 Unequal allocation of war booty
fosters social inequalities.
Rig Vedic Polity:
  Tribal states controlled by leaders;  Tax and tribute collection
Bharatas prominent tribe. increased; sangrihitri likely
 Dasrajna Yudha, battle of 10 kings, responsible.
referenced in Rig Veda.
 Sudas of Bharatas victorious Political Organization:
against confederacy of 10 tribes.  Royal authority strengthened at the
 Purus, allies of Bharatas, dwelt expense of assemblies.
along Saraswati; prominent tribe.  Vidatha disappeared; sabha and
 Jana tribe led by Rajan; no concept samiti controlled by nobles.
of territory, Janapada.  Chiefs attempted to perpetuate
 Grama referred to military tribal hereditary rule.
unit; led by Vajrapati.  Tax collection handled by
sangrihitri; governance at village
Imposition of Taxes: assemblies.
 Limited administrative apparatus;  Lesser governance by chiefs of
Rajan received offerings (bali) from main clans at local level.
conquered.
 Rare instances of land or grain Economic Situation:
offerings; domestic slaves, not  Iron usage increased, enabling
wage earners. deforestation and expanded
 Tribal society remained tribal and agriculture.
egalitarian; no social distinctions  Agriculture became predominant,
based on tax. with improved tools and cultivation
techniques.
Rig Vedic Religion:  Rice, wheat, and barley were
 Rig Veda rich in hymns to various cultivated, along with enhanced
divinities. knowledge of manure.
 Indra most significant god; rain  Industrial activities diversified,
deity, commander against demons. including metalwork, leatherwork,
 Worship through prayers and woodworking, and ceramics.
sacrifices; individual and group  Overseas trade expanded, with the
prayers. Later Vedic people engaging in
 Tribes worshipped specific gods trade with places like Babylon.
collectively; offerings of food made.  Emergence of hereditary
 Female divinities present but less merchants (vaniya) and
influential under patriarchal involvement of Vaisyas in trade.
system.
Social Life:
 Later Vedic society organized into
Later Vedic Period (1000–600 B.C.): four varnas: Brahmanas,
 Aryans expanded eastward; rise of Rajanyas/Kshatriyas, Vaishyas,
big kingdoms like Kuru, Panchala. and Shudras.
 Shift towards territorial power;  Rising authority of brahmanas due
establishment of larger kingdoms. to sacrifice cult; surpassing other
 Decline of Rig Vedic assemblies; priestly groups.
rise of royal authority.  Brahmanas prayed for patrons'
 Sabha and Samiti remained but victory in battle in exchange for
controlled by aristocrats and protection.
brahmanas.

2
  Line drawn between higher varnas
and Shudras, but some Shudras
participated in public rites.
 Artisans like chariot-makers held
high rank, qualified for holy rituals.
 Male forefathers worshipped;
women generally assigned lower
positions.
 Emergence of gotra institution;
four ashramas mentioned,
primarily grihastha practiced.
Religion and Philosophy:
 Upper doab became Aryan cultural
center; Vedas compiled there.
 Prajapati rose to prominence; Indra
and Agni lost significance.
 Lesser gods like Rudra and Vishnu Aranyakas:
gained importance.
 Brahmanas claimed exclusive
priestly knowledge, developed
rituals.
 Sacrifice rites included offerings
like cows and gifts to priests.
 Priestly territory claimed as gifts;
land not commonly given as
sacrifice charge.
Vedic Literature:
 Vedas considered earliest
documents of human thought,
divine revelation.
 Divided into srutis (four Vedas,
Upanishads) and Smriti (Puranas). Puranas:
 Vedic literature divided into
Mantra, Brahman, and Sutra
periods.
 Vedanga comprises six auxiliary
disciplines; Upaveda refers to
specific technical works.
The Upanishads:
 "Upanishad" means "sitting close,"
indicating close learning from a
spiritual instructor.
 Written during 800-600 BCE; total
of 108 Upanishads.
 Core slogan: "Knowledge Brings
Salvation."
3
 Known as Vedanta, marking the
end of the Vedic period and
revealing the Veda's ultimate goal.
 Focus on Brahman (ultimate
reality) and Atman (soul, self);
thematic focus on realizing the self
as Atman.
 Mukhya Upanishads
(Prasthanatrayi) lay foundation for
Vedanta schools, including
monistic Hinduism.
 Developed by famous sages like
Yajnavalkya, Uddalaka Aruni, etc.
 Oldest Upanishads are
Brhadaranyaka and Chandogya
Upanishads.
 Final portions of Brahmanas,
authored in forests, less emphasis
on rituals.
 Derived from "aranya" meaning
"forest"; meant to be read in
seclusion.
 Emphasize meditation over
sacrifices, focus on moral ideals.
 Serve as a link between ritualistic
Brahmanas and philosophical
Upanishads.
 Seven Aranyakas classified,
significant ones include Aitareya,
Brihadaranyaka, Taittiriya.
 Puranas meant to cover five topics:
creation, secondary creation,
genealogy of gods and patriarchs,
reigns of Manus, history of
dynasties.
 Creation and dissolution explained
as cyclical processes, involving
Prajapati.
 Cover religious changes from 400
to 1500 CE, rituals, festivals, caste
obligations, etc.
 Genealogies of gods, Manus, kings
provide flexible frameworks for
authors.
  Deeply sectarian, dedicated to
various deities like Shiva, Vishnu,
and goddesses.
 Bhagavata-purana, with Krishna's
early life, is most popular; 18 lesser
Puranas and sthala-puranas also
exist.