Vedic Age

                              

       Vedic Age

• Rig-Veda (RV) is considered to be earliest collection of hymns
• The early & later Vedic periods are separated with 1000 BC as the point of demarcation

1.  EARLY VEDIC SOCIETY:-
• RV Samhita comprises 10 books (mandals) of which books II & VII are considered oldest
• Books I, VIII, IX, & X are considered to be late additions to Samhita.
• The geographical area referred to in the RV includes those drained by western tributaries of the Indus; eastern limit formed by Yamuna & Ganga
• Valleys of Indus, Saraswati & Drasavati as well as five rivers of Punjab seem to have formed the core area

ECONOMY:-

• Appears to be pastoral
• Term ‘gau’ is referred 176 times in ‘’
• ‘gomat’ – man who possesses cattle
• ‘gaviti’ – search for cattle
• ‘gopati’ - raja/ chief
• ‘duhitri’ – daughter
•  ‘godhuli’ – measurement of time
• ‘gavyuti’ – distance
• ‘gotra’ – most likely cattle were owned by large patrilineal family which gave rise to concept
• Early vedic period didn’t use iron technology. Nor did copper with which they were familiar
• ‘shifting agriculture’ was practiced
• Tools used for agricultural operations: ‘Langala/sira’ – plough; ‘phala’ – ploughshare; ‘khanitra’ – hoe; ‘datra’ – sickles; & ‘parasue’ – axe.

SOCIETY:-

• It was a tribal society; society was not divided according to castle lines, and even the rajas, the purohitas, the artisans etc. were part of clan networks
• The tribe was referred to as jana
• Inter-tribal conflicts were frequent. eg, “Battle of ten Kings”. This battle was fought between 10 clans some of them are: the Bharatas; the Purus; the Vadus; the Druhyus; the Anus; the Turvasus

• Four fold Varna system was virtually absent

• There are only 14 references of ‘Brahamanas’, 9 of ‘Kshatriyas’ &  1 of ‘ Shudras’, the last one being referred to only in context of ’ Purusasukta’, the cosmic man
• Child marriage was unknown

POLITY:-

• 10th book of RV contains ’ Purusasukta’ hymn, where it is stated that Brahamna, Rajanya, Vaisya & Sudra sprang respectively from the mouth, arms, thighs & feet of cosmic man Purushasva
• Tribal assemblies e.g. Gana, Vidhata, Sabha & Samiti  are mentioned in RV

• ‘Sabha’ - council of select clan members

• ‘Samiti’ – general tribal assembly
• These assemblies performed functions of government & were involved in selection of  raja.

RELIGION:-

• Rigvedic people venerated the natural forces around them (like wind, water, etc.)
• Indra – god of strength; god of thunder & rain
• Agni – god of fire; intermediary between heaven & earth; marriages were solemnized in his presence
• Varuna – personified water & was upholder of natural order of universe.
• Yama – god of death
• Ashwins – twin god of heaven
• Dyaus (sky god); Mitra (God of light); Prajanya (rain deity); Prithvi (earth goddess); Aditi (mother goddess)
• Religion was not based on magic/ ritual formulae
• RV offers no consistent theory regarding life after death.

1. LATER VEDIC SOCIETY (1000-600BC):-
• Later additions specially 10thMandala to RV Samhita & the Sama , the Yajur, and the Atharva veda Samhitas  are other vedia\c texts assigned to later vedic phase.
• Sama Veda – book of prayers & chants
• Yajur Veda – elaborates rituals which accompany the recitation of hymns
• Atharva Veda – contains folk tradition
• Besides, we have earliest Aranyakas  & Upanishads
• This area has been characterized as ‘Ganga- Yamuna Doab’. However regions to the east, such as Kosala, Kashi & Videha and Magadha are also referred
• Important PGW sites – Panipat, Purana Qila, Atranjikhera, Ahichhatra, Hastinapur, Kurukshetra, Bhagwanpura, Noh and Jakhera.

ECONOMY:-

• Growing importance of Agriculture
• Grains planted – Yava (Barley); Vrihi (Rice); Godhuma (Wheat); Mudga (Moong); Mass (Urad); Syamaka (Millet); tila (sesame) & sugar cane
• Mixed farming was practiced
• Granting of land s& its merits demerits are debated for the first time in the legend of ‘Vishwakarma Bhauvana’
• Rights of vis are explicitly recognized in Satapatha Brahmana, which states that the Kshatriya can grant land only with permission of the vis.

SOCIETY:-

• Sacrifices – rajasuya; vajapeya; ashvamedha
• Vratya Stoma – to incorporate outsiders within Aryan fold
• Rudra, become increasingly important
• Clear indications of women subordination
• Untouchability was however absent

POLITY:-

• Emergence of Janapadas, such as those of the Kuru-Panchala,  with their aurthority extending over upper & middle reaches of Ganga- Jamuna doab.
• Sabha became more important than Samiti
• Choice of rajas was restricted to Kshatriyas
• Republican form of government was evolved by the Shakyas & the Lichchhavis in Bihar

RELIGION:-

• Vedic religious tradition is documented in Sama  & Yajurveda Samhitas and the Brahamanas while the non-vedic / perhaps folk tradition is documented in Atharvaveda.

2. SMRITI LITERATURE:-
• Smriti is traditional knowledge & its designates almost the entire body of post-vedic classical Sanskrit literature; which includes following subjects
1. Vedanga:- divided into six headings:
• Kaipa or ritual canon, including dharma shastras  or legal codes
• Jyotisha (Astronomy),
• Siksha (Phonetics)
• Chanda (Metre)
• Vikruta (Etymology)
• Vyakarana (Grammar)
2. Shad-Darsana:-

Nyaya, Vaiseshikha, Snakhya, Yoga, Mimasa, Vedanta

3. Itihasa:-

Ramayana, Mahabharta

4. Puranas:-
• Heavily coloured with superstitions
• Represents most corrupt form of Hindu Literature

5. Upveda:-

Deals with medicine, music, architecture, eroticism, archery, various arts & crafts

e.g.     Ayurveda- was Upveda of Atharvaveda

Arthveda (Atharvaveda); Dhanurveda (Yajurveda); Gandharvaveda (Samaveda)

6. Tantra:-

Writings of Saka & Shaivite sects & also certain antinomian Buddhist scholars

7. Agama:-

Contained scriptures of sectarian Hindus like Vaishnavaites, Shaivites & Sakas

8. Upanga:-

Generic name for any collection of treaties

3. EPICS:-
• Mahabharta & Ramayana were edited 184-320 BC

MAHABHARTA:-

• Probably longest of world’s epics
• Original Prakrit ballad elaborated into a larger work in Sanskrit consisting of 8000 shlokas
• At present consists of 110000 couplets in 18 Parvans (section), plus the Harivamsa supplement

RAMAYANA:-

• Existed in a ballad form in Prakrit