SHRI RAM MURTI SMARAK ENGINEERING

INSTITUTIONS
Subject Name:- Indian Traditions, Culture & Society
Unit- I, PPT- IV
Lecture- 4
Topic Name :- Political and Social Condition of Ancient
India (Part-2)

Dr. Ashok Kumar

SRMS, Collage of Law
Indian Traditions, Cultural & Society/ Unit-I 1
 Content
1:- Sources of Study of Political Ideas in Ancient India
2:- Council of Minister
3:- Administration
4:- Political ideals in Ancient India
5:- Purusartha
6:- Varna System
7:- Ashram
8:- Types of Marriage
9:- Position of Women
Indian Traditions, Cultural & Society/ Unit-I 2
 Social Condition of
Ancient India
Chaturashrama or Four Stages of Life
• This is the first social change that was manifested in the life style
of the Aryans. They now started the system of Chaturashrama
meaning dividing human life into four important stages, for
maintaining certain healthy and ethical standards.
• Fixing the average longevity of lifespan with hundred years they
divided it into four stages each of about twenty-five years. They
are: 
1. Brahmacharya Ashram
2. Garhasthya Ashram
3. Vanaprastha Ashram
4. Sannyasa Ashram 
Indian Traditions, Cultural & Society/ Unit-I 3
 Continued…
• Each stage had its individual characteristics. 
• The first stage of life was called Brahmachary Ashrama -
the phase of foundation for future life. At this stage the
Aryans used to study in Gurukulas and practiced
celibacy. Through moral, intellectual and physical
training they were imparted value- based education. A
convocation ceremony was held after the completion of
studies.
•  Next was inaugurated the second stage that is
Garahasthy Ashrama. It was meant for marriage and
family life.
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 Continued…
As a family man, the Arya was supposed to perform
all his duties and responsibilities within the family
circle.
• After fifty, an Arya had to take recourse to
Vanaprasthy Ashrama that means enouncing family
and social bonds and to stay away from families in
forests for spiritual refuge and realization of God.
• Last stage was Sannyas Ahrama or the phase of
meditation and penance, prayer and devotion to
almighty for the ultimate salvation of soul.
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 Continued…
Sanskar
Sanskar or Rituals are the activities performed to
elevate the body, mind and soul. They alter the
nature of an object and give it a new shape. Just like
a goldsmith burns the gold in fire to purify it,
similarly in Vedic culture, an infant is put in a
furnace of excellent impressions (sanskaar). His
flaws are burnt out and attempts are made to
incorporate virtues into him. This attempt takes the
form of ritual. These are 16 in numbers.
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 Continued…
Their names, in sequence, are as follows:-
1. Garbhaadhaan - The ritual of conception.
2. Punsavan - The ritual performed for the physical health
of the fetus.
3. Seemantonnayan - The ritual performed for the mental
development of the fetus.
4. Jaatakarm -The ritual performed at the time of birth.
5. Naamakaran -The ritual of giving the child a name.
6. Nishkraman- The ritual of taking an infant out of the
house for the first time.
Indian Traditions, Cultural & Society/ Unit-I 7
 Continued…
7. Annapraashan – The ritual of giving solid grain
to an infant for the first time.
8. Choodaakarn- The ritual of shaving the child’s
head for the first time.
9. Karnavedhan- The ritual of piercing the ear.
10. Upanayan- The ritual of investiture with the
sacred thread.
11. Vidya-Arambh- The ritual of initiating Vedic
Study)
Indian Traditions, Cultural & Society/ Unit-I 8
 Continued…
12. Samaavartan- The ritual of completion of
Education
13. Vivaah- The wedding ritual.
14. Vaanaprasth- The ritual of leaving
household for a life of austerity.
15. Sanyaas- The ritual of renunciation)
16. Antyeshti- The last/funeral rites.

Indian Traditions, Cultural & Society/ Unit-I 9

 Continued…
Forms of Marriage
There were eight forms of marriage prevalent in the
society. Four of them are valid and others four are
invalid. They were as follows-
1. Brahma Vivaah 2. Prajapatya Vivaah
2. Daiva Vivaah 4. Arsha Vivaah
5. Asur Vivaah 6. Gandharva Vivaah
7 . Rakshasa Vivaah 8. Paisacha Vivaah

Indian Traditions, Cultural & Society/ Unit-I 10

 Continued…
1. Brahma Vivaah:- It is considered the best
marriage. In this the boy and girl belonging to
good families and the same varna get married.
The boy should have completed his
Brahmacharya Ashram (age of learning). In this
marriage, the boy's family approaches the girl's
family. “Kanyadaan”, which is the handing of
the bride by her father to the groom, is an
important ritual of the Brahma Vivah.
Indian Traditions, Cultural & Society/ Unit-I 11
 Continued…
2. Prajapatya Vivaah:- This type of marriage is
the same as the Brahma vivaah in all respects,
except that the bride's father gives her away as a
gift, not to the groom, but to the groom's father.
This type of marriage is resorted to when the
groom and bride are both very young. Thus, the
protection of the bride or daughter is handed
over by her father to the groom's father during
the Panigrahan (hand-receiving) ceremony.
Indian Traditions, Cultural & Society/ Unit-I 12
 Continued…
3. Daiva Vivaah:- In this type of wedding, there are no
feasts or celebrations that are specific to the
wedding, but the wedding of the daughter of a poor
family is held as an act of charity by wealthy people.
It was customary for kings, landlords and rich
merchants to facilitate rituals for social upliftment
where charity would be given to all. During these
great events, a poor man would sometimes approach
the wealthy host and seek the charity that his
daughter's wedding be performed at this time.
Indian Traditions, Cultural & Society/ Unit-I 13
 Continued…
4. Arsha Vivaah:- In this type of marriage, the
family of the groom pays kanya-shulkam or
bride-price to the parents of the bride.
According to certain texts, the prescribed
bride-price is a cow with a calf and a pair of
bulls. The sacred texts provide various lists of
specific communities where this custom
prevailed and imply that it is unfitting in
general society.
Indian Traditions, Cultural & Society/ Unit-I 14
 Continued…
5. Ashura Vivaah:- In the Ashura type of
marriage the groom is not at all suitable for the
bride. In no way is he a match for the girl but
he willingly gives as much wealth as he can
afford to the bride's parents and relatives. In
Arsha type cows are given in exchange for the
bride but there is no such limitation in the
Ashura type of marriage. Generally the groom
is of lower social rank or caste than the bride.
Indian Traditions, Cultural & Society/ Unit-I 15
 Continued…
6. Gandharva Vivaah:- When a man and a
woman marry for love and without the consent
of their families, that marriage is called
Gandharva Vivaah or 'love marriage.'
7. Rakshasa Vivaah:- This is essentially marriage
by abduction. In cases where the girl is willing
to marry the boy but her family is against the
alliance, the girl may be abducted and married.
It is essential that the girl be willing.
Indian Traditions, Cultural & Society/ Unit-I 16
 Continued…
8. Paishacha Vivaah:- In the case where the
bride is intoxicated, possessed or not in a
conscious state of mind when being married
and thus is married unwillingly, is an example
Paishacha vivaah, and which has been
outlawed by Manu.

Indian Traditions, Cultural & Society/ Unit-I 17

 Continued…
Position of Women
• In the early Vedic period women were held in great
respect. In every sphere of life they enjoyed equality
with male.
• No religious right and ritual would be complete
without her presence. Women enjoyed much liberty
and there is no trace of the seclusion of women.
• There is no evidence to show that women had a
subordinate position in society. In intellectual and
spiritual life, they occupied the same position as men.
Indian Traditions, Cultural & Society/ Unit-I 18
 Continued…
• In Vedic age women were sufficiently educated and
civilized. They had similar education as men and obtain
participated in philosophical debates like men.
• The Vedic literature mentions many a women’s name,
who attend eminence as philosophers along with men.
• Visvavara is described as a philosopher. Ghosa and
Lopamudra were the author of hymns and verses.
• Women were educated in the spiritual and secular
subjects. The secular side of their education consisted of
finance and military science.
Indian Traditions, Cultural & Society/ Unit-I 19
 Continued…
• Girl wear given in marriage when they attained full
maturity. The girls sometimes at least, had chosen their
own husbands with the consent of their parents.
• Weddings were celebrated in the house of the bride's
parents. Marriage ceremony was performed the same way
in Vedic times as it is performed today.
• Monogamy was the usual rule in Rig Vedic society.
• Polygamy existed but only among the kings and the chief.
There is no reference to Polyandry in Rig Veda.
• Widow marriage was also allowed during this period.

Indian Traditions, Cultural & Society/ Unit-I 20

 Continued…
• There was no Purdha system nor the evils like Sati
system and the early marriage. The standard of female
morality was pretty high.
• Women were not independent persons in the eye of the
law, they had to look to their male relation for aid and
support.
• There is no evidence in the Rig Veda that women were
isolated in social functions or gatherings.
• The privileges enjoyed by women wear more than what
they were today and they enjoyed sufficient freedom .
Women had a position of honor in the household.
Indian Traditions, Cultural & Society/ Unit-I 21
 Continued…
• They also participated in ‘Vidath’ and ‘Sabha’.

Position of Women (During Later Vedic Age)

- The status of women declined in the later Vedic period relative
to the early Vedic period. There was an attempt towards
establishment of social stratification on gender lines.
- The birth of the girl child was not welcome.
- Upnayana ceremony or investiture ceremony was not
performed for girls. Though right to education was denied for
girls but we have reference to great scholarly women as
Gargi, Maitreyi and Katyayani.
Indian Traditions, Cultural & Society/ Unit-I 22
 Continued…
- Many religious ceremonies earlier performed by women
were now performed by Priests.
- Polygamy was practiced and married women of the
upper classes had often to suffer the presence of rival
wives.
- Though the general position of the women had declined
yet Satpath Brahmana says that she is half of the husband
and completes him.
- Thus, though the position of women was inferior to that
of men, it was not as bad as it came to be in later periods.
Indian Traditions, Cultural & Society/ Unit-I 23
 Important Questions
Q1.What do you know about the political
organization of the Ancient people?
Q2. Write short note on Varna Ashram system.
Q3. Write short note on marriage system prevailed
during Ancient India.
Q4. What do you know about the Social life of
Ancient people?
Q5. Write short note on position of women during
Ancient period.

Indian Traditions, Cultural & Society/ Unit-I 24

 References
• Reference Books:-
1. Romila Thapar, “Reading in Early Indian
History”.
2. A.L. Basham, “The Wonder that was India”.
3. R.S. Sharma, “Aspects of Political Ideas and
Institutions in Ancient India”.
• Notes:- IGNOU.

Indian Traditions, Cultural & Society/ Unit-I 25

Thank You

Indian Traditions, Cultural & Society/ Unit-I 26