# VEDIC CULTURE

> ARRIVAL OF ARYANS

- from steppes regions > Central Asia > sapta sindhu punjab.
- spoke Sanskrit Language.

- aryan name appear in

• Hittite inscription (Anatoilia)

• Kassitte inscription (Iraq)

• Mittani inscription (Syria)

- Iranian text = Zend Avesta, have mentioned aryans gods

- Boghazkoi inscription mention 4 Vedic gods:

• Indra, Varuna, Mitra, Nasatyas.

> VEDIC LITERATURE

- every Vedic literature have generally 4 parts:

(A) SAMHITA (VEDAS)

• Early Vedic Period / Rig-Veda

• Later Vedic Period / Sam Veda, Yajur Veda, Atharva Veda.

> EARLY VEDIC PERIOD
- 1500 BC to 1000 BC.

(1) RIG VED

- oldest surviving text.
- mention the concept of origin of the universe.

- 1028 Hymns and 10,580 verses divided into 10 mandals.

- mandals 2 to 8 = Shaptarishi Mandals (composed by 7 Great sages)

- 10th mandal= Nadi Sukt (describe rivers)

= Nasadiy Sukt (describe universe creation)

= Purush Sukt (4 fold Varn/caste system)

- 3rd mandal = Gayatri Mantr addressing Goddess Savitri

composed by Vishwamitr.

- 6th mandal = mention of term Hariyupiy

- 9th mandal = Dedicated to lord Som.

so this mandal is also called Som Mandala

> Some important terms in Rig Ved:
• Jana = tribe

• Vis = group of village

• Kula = group of Jana (tribe)

• Grihapati = head of Family.

• Grama = group of Kul

• Gana = lineage (direct descent of ancestors)

• Gramani = head of Gram (panch)

• Vrajpati = head of gramani (sarpanch), authority of large

land or territory.

• Rajana = head of Jana

aka (Gopa Janaysa/gopati janyasa = protector of Jana)

(Rajan rule over people not over territory) grey))

• Purohit = priest, 1st ranking official of Rajan

• Senani = army chief

• Vidhata = oldest.

• Ganapati/Jyestha = head of non monarchy states.

• Gomat = wealthy person
• Duhutri = Daughter

• Gauri/Gavala = buffalo
• Samgava = morning
Godhuli = dusk

Gavyuti = distance
• Vap = to sow
• Srini = sickle

• Ksehtr = cultivated field

Urvar = fertile field

• Yav = grains

• Godhum = grain
• Brihi/Vrihi = rice

• Ghrit = butter

• Goghn = Guest who was fed on cattle meat

• Aghany = not be killed; usually cow

• Gojit = hero/winner of cows

• Siri = yarn
• Sir = plough

• Sit = furrow created by ploughing

• Kulal = potter
• Karmar = blacksmith

• Hirany = gold
• Ayas = metal
• Kuly = wells

• Arany = forest animal

• Kusidin = usurer (unethical loan)
• Titau = sieve (Chalni)
• Kshatri = chamberlain (who manage the household or monarch)
• Sthapati = chief judge

• Bhagadugha = revenue collector

• Mahishi = chief/head queen

• suta = charioteer

• Sanghrahriti = treasurer
• Akshavapa = accountant

• Jivgribha = Police inspector

• Spasas = spies
• Madhyamsai = dispute resolver

• Palagala = messenger

• Govikartana = Kepler of forests and games.

• Takshan = Carpenter

• Bhishak = Physician

• Sabha = council of tribe elders,for administrative and Judicial

fucntions also pastoral affairs

(along with dance,music,magic,gambling)
• Samiti = general assembly of tribe, for political business,

electing Rajan.
• Vidhata = earliest tribal assembly, 122 mentions in rig veda
to make decision on secular, military, economic

social and religious purpose.

> Vedic names of rivers and mountains:
• Indus = Sindhu

• Jhelum = Vitast

• Ravi = Parushni
• Chenab = Askiri
• Beas = Vipas/Bipas

• Sutlej = Satudri
• Ghaggar = Drishadvati

• Gomati = Gomal
• Kurram = Krumu

• Himalaya = Himvant

• HinduKush = Munjavant

(give and analyse mock test

- Rig Ved mentions 40 rivers.

- Nadi Sukt hymn of rig Ved mention 21 rivers.

- most mention = Sindhu river

- most pious = Saraswati river
- Ganga = 1 time, Yamuna = 3 times.
> info about early Vedic period:
- Janas (tribes) headed by Rajana, assisted by Purohit, Gramini and Senani.

- society was divided into Aryans and Dasas (non aryans)

- Patriarchal society (men lead)

Family (Gharam) headed by Grahapati.

- no child marriage and sati.

- women were given equal status and allowed to study and join

Sabha, Samiti (once mentioned) and Vidhata (many mentions)

- Niyoga is allowed (widow remarriage to devar).

- two drinks
• Soma = drunk at sacrifice.

• Sura = disapproved by Priests.

- eating cow’s meat was prohibited.

- political system similar to Monarchial, but Gopat (chief) was not hereditary.
he was elected from the Janas and the samiti (assembly)
- occupation primary = Pastoral, Secondary = Agriculture.

- Bali was the voluntary tax to the Rajana.

- worship to nature, Indra (thunder/rain) was most popular.

(if you find difficult to learn this page then there is comparison of early and

later Vedic period in simplier form at the end) (but this is also must read)
> The Battle of Ten Kings
- This war started because of dispute between sage Vishvamitr and sage

Vashist.

- The dispute between them Arise because Bharata tribe chief SuDasa
change his priest from Vishvamitr to Vashisht.

- fought between:

• winner = Bharata tribe chief SuDasa of Trtsu Dynasty

(Grandson of DivoDasa)
also 16th descendant of King Bharata

(from which Bharat country named after)

guided by sage Vashishst.

• loser = alliance of 10 tribes ( 5 non Aryan)

(including Purus) {former ally of Bharata tribe}

guided by Vishwamitr.

- main battle = at banks of river Ravi (Parushni), west of kurukshetra.

- 2nd battle = at the banks of river Yamuna against non Aryan King Bheda

along with 3 tribes.

- after victory Suda perform Ashwamedha on Saraswati river.

- after the war Bharata tribe and Puru Tribe formed Kuru Tribe.
> LATER VEDIC PERIOD
- 1000 BC to 600 BC.

(2) SAMA VEDA

- collection of verses (book of chants).
- 1810 Hymns and 1549 verses

arranged in poetic form.

taken from Rigveda except 75 verses

- contain Dhrupada Raga, which later sung by Tansen.

- earliest book on music = Sama.

(3) YAJUR VEDA

- Book of sacrificial prayers, arranged in poetic form.

- divided into 2 parts:

• Krishna Yajur Veda (contain mantras and prose)

• Shukla Yajur Veda (contain only mantras)

(4) ATHARAVA VEDA

- last Veda.
- collection of magical spells to ward off evil sprits and disease.

- Human work (not god written like all other vedas)

- 711 Hymns, 6000 verses divided in 20 Kandas (books)
> info about Later Vedic period:

- Aryan settlement spread across Aryavarta (northern india),

Madhya desa (central india) and Dakshinapath (south india)

- Janas(tribe) evolved and combine to form Janapadas (kingdom)

- Hastipapur and Indraprastha were the capital of Kuru janapad.

- often war between various janapads not for cattle but for territory.

- Rajana rewards Purohit who helped them to maintain their territory,

for ex. Aitreya Bhahamana says king should give 1000 pieces

of gold and cattle to Brahmans who anoint them.

- Rajana was addressed by different name in different region:

Virat in north, Svarat in west, Samrat in east, Bhoja in south.

- Rajanas started several rituals:

Rajsayu = consecration ceremony

Vajapeya = chariot race (in which winner has to kill others)
Aswamedha = horse sacrifice

consecration = process of officially making something holy

and able to use for religious ceremonies.

(if you find difficult to learn this page then there is comparison of early and
later Vedic period in simplier form at the end) (but this is also must read)
- Dependance on Sabha and Samiti reduced.
while Vidhata completely disappeared.

- child marriage and sati system started.

daughter were described as a source of misery according to

Aitareye Brahamana text.

- women were not given equal status and not allowed to study

and they cannot join Sabha and Samiti anymore.

- 4 fold varna (caste) system started

no inter caste and re-marriage can happen.

- untouchability started

Nishad,Chandala and Shabar were untouchables mentioned.

- Gotra system started (no marriage between same Gotra)

(earlier Gotra means where whole Jana cows where kept
but later it started signified descent from common ansector)

- Gopat (chief) post became hereditary and only Kshatriyas

can be gopat.
(if you find difficult to learn this page then there is comparison of early and

later Vedic period in simplier form at the end) (but this is also must read)
- later Vedic period were also called painted grey ware as iron
phase culture, because iron was discovered.

- Agriculture became primary occupation.

- only Vaishya pay compulsory Taxes called Bhaga

1/6th of produced grain to Samgrahita (treasury)

collected by Bhagdukha (collector)

- Shataman (gold coin), Krishnala (silver coin) were used as a coin

(but no archaeological evidence)

- Indra and Varun lost the importance.

while, Prajapati (the creator), Vishnu (the protector) and

Rudra (the destroyer) became prominent.

- Maitrayani Samhita mentions 3 evils = women,dice,liquor.

- at the end of the later Vedic period there was strong

reaction against priest domination, sacrifices and rituals

which let to the rise of Buddhism and Jainism.

(if you find difficult to learn this page then there is comparison of early and
later Vedic period in simplier form at the end) (but this is also must read)
(B) BRAHMANAS
- it describe the rules for the performance of sacrificial ceremonies.

- each vedas contain Brahmans.

• Rig Veda = Aitareya, Kaushitiki
• Sam Veda = Panchvimsh (5)

• Yajur Veda = Satpatha, oldest and largest (m.imp)

it recommends 100 sacred paths

• Athrava Veda = Gopatha.

(C) ARANYAKAS

- it is called forest book.

written by hermits (akele rehene waale)

- it deals with Mysticism, Philosophy and oppose sacrifice.

(D) UPANISHADAS
- Philosophical texts

- sitting closer to teacher to acquire knowledge.

- aka. Vedantas (end of the vedas or final aim of vedas)
- there are 108 Upanishads.

- Oldest = Vrihadaranyaka Upanishad

- Largest = Manduka Upanishad (satyamev jayate phrase in it)
- Chhandogya Upanishad refers first 3 Ashrams (stages) & 2 type of marriages.
 • Anuloma marriage:

- man can marriage in his own varna or below his varna.

(is accepted and it is common form of marriage in society)

• Pratiloma marriage:

- woman cannot marriage below his varna.

(if she marry then is it not sanctioned by the vedas)
————————————————————————————————————

> PRIESTS OF VEDAS:

• Rig Veda = Hotr

• Sam Veda = Udgatar

• Yajur Veda= Adhvaryu

• Atharva Veda = NIL

> UPAVEDA OF VEDAS:

• Rig Veda = Ayur veda (medicine)
• Sam Veda = Gandharva veda (music)
• Yajur Veda = Dhanur veda (archery)

• Atharva Veda = Shilpa veda (Architecture)

> VEDANGA
- limbs of the vedas.

- they are not Shruti (god origin)

they are (Smriti) human origin.

- there are 6 Sutras:

• Shiksha (phonetics) = Pratishakhya is oldest

• Jyotisha (astronomy)

• Vyakaran (grammar) = Astadhyayi (panani) is oldest

• Nirukta (etymology)

• Chhanda (metric)
• Kalpa (ritual science)

(i) ShrautaSutra = deal with sacrifice

(ii) GrihyaSutra = deal with families ceremonies

(iii) DharmaSutra = deals with Varnas, ashrams.

> PURANAS

- it discuss 5 topic of time span of 4 ages (Yugas) :

(Satya, Treta, Dvapara and Kali)
- topics:

(i) Sarga (creation of the world)

(ii) Pratisarga (recreation) (punar jannam)
 (iii) Vamsha = Genealogies (family history) of the Gods & Rishis.
(iv) VamsahanuCharita = text related royal dynasties

Ex. = Surya vanshis etc.

(v) Manavantaras = (period of various manus)

manus are legendary figures.

There are 14 manus.

Father of Manus is Brahma.

- Matsya puran is the oldest.

- Puranas are further divided into 18 MahaPuranas.

Off topic :

current Manu = Vaivasvata (7th) who is prominent of human race.

> according to Matsya puran:

Vaivasvata manu ride the boat along with Saptarishi ,animals and seed

During great flood.

Boat was guided by the Matsya (fish) 1st avatar of Vishnu.
> Puran is composed by Vyas.

4 Yugas (age) = 1 Mahayugas

100 Mahayuagas = 1 Kalpa (aeon)
1 Kalpa divided into 14 Manavantaras on which specific Manu

preside. Each Yuga is periodically destroyed and recreation

of world occur with the cyclical decline and revival of Dhrama.
> EPICS (MAHA KAVYAS)

(i) Mahabharata
• Author = Ved Vyas

• 18 Parvas (books) & near 1 lakh verses.

• happened in Dvapara Yug

• longest epic in the world.

• Bhagavad Gita is extracted from Bihshama Parva.

• Shanti Parva is the largest Parva.

(ii) Ramayana

• aka = Adi-Kavya (First Kavya)

• Author = Valmiki
• 7 Kandas (books) & 24,000 verses.

• happened in Treta Yug.

• oldest epic in the world.
> DHARAMSHASTRA
- related to Dharma (code of conduct)

- Jabala Upanishad = 4 fold ashram (stage) for

4 Purusharthas (goals) of life.

• Brahmacharya (celibate studenthood) for dharma

• Grihastha (household caretaker) for artha

• Vanaprastha (Partial renunciation) for spiritual wisdom

• Sanyasa (complete renunciation) for moksh

- not applicable to women or shudras.

- out of 4 varna, Brahmanas, Kshatriyas and Vaishyas were

considered Dvija (right to twice born)

> SHAD DHARSHAN:

- (6 theistic philosophies)
• Sankhya by Kapila

• Yoga by Patanjali
• Vaisheshika by Kanad
• Nyaya by Gautam

• Mimansa by Jaimini
• Vedanta by Badrayan
> KEY CONCEPT & THEIR SOURCES:

• Gotra = Atharva veda

• Sabha and Samiti as the twin daughter of prajapati = Atharva veda

• Purusaskhukta hymn (4 fold caste system) = 10th Mandal of Rig veda

• Origin of the universe = 10th mandal of rig veda

• First 3 ashrams = Chadogya Upnishad

• Four ashrams = Jabal Upnishad

• Samsara (transmission of soul) = Brihadaranyaka Upanishad

• Satyamev Jayate = Mandukya Upanishad

• Doctrine of Trimurti = Maitrayani upanishad

• Kshatriyas precedence over Brahmans = Atreya Brahamana

• Mention of the eastern & western sea = Satpatha Brahamana

• Great floods = Satpatha brahamana
• Devasur Sangram = Satpatha Brahamana

• Nagar (town) (urbanisation) = Taittiriya Aranyaka

> TYPES OF MARRIAGES IN VEDIC PERIOD

• Bhramha Vivah = marriage in same varna and with rituals

• Gandharva Vivah = Love marriage

• Daiva Vivah = Father donated his daughter to a priest

as a dakshina

• Arsha Vivah = 1 or 2 pair cow and bull were given by bridegroom

to the bride father.

• Prajapati Vivah = Marriage without dowry

(rest similar to Bramha Vivah type)

• Asura Vivah = Marriage by purchase

• Rakshasa Vivah = marriage by Abduction

• Paishacha Vivah = marriage by seduction or trickery.

 DIFFERENCE BETWEEN

EARLY VEDIC PERIOD | LATER VEDIC PERIOD

Time period Time period

• 1500-1000 BCE • 1000-500 BCE

Area Area

• East afghan, Punjab and West UP. • Ganga plains (northern india plains)

Political Political

• Age of Janas (tribe) • Age of Janapadas (kingdom)

• Rajana/gopat/chief was selected from • Rajana/gopat/chief was selected from

the janas (tribe) same family.

• Non Hereditary. • Hereditary.

• Wars were fought on cattle • Wars were fought on territories

cattle was wealth territory was wealth

 DIFFERENCE BETWEEN

EARLY VEDIC PERIOD | LATER VEDIC PERIOD

Political Political

• tribal assemblies like Sabha,Samiti & • Dependance on Sabha & Samiti reduced

Vidatha were there for administrative while Vidhata completely disappeared.

tasks.

• No compulsory taxes. • compulsory taxes.

Bali was voluntary tax to the rajan Bali & Bagha (1/6th) of grain produced
by Vaishyas to the Rajan.

Social Social

• no Varna (caste) system • Varna (caste) system started

occupation was not based on birth. occupation was based on birth.

• women had equal rights & study allowed • women right degraded,study not allowed

and can attend assemblies. and cannot attend assemblies.

 DIFFERENCE BETWEEN

EARLY VEDIC PERIOD | LATER VEDIC PERIOD

Social Social

• no child marriage, no sati system • child marriage & sati system started

• widow remarriages were allowed • widow remarriages were not allowed

Economic Economic

• primary occupation was Pastoral • primary occupation was Agriculture

secondary occupation was Agriculture. secondary occupation was Pastoral.

• no private land ownership. • private land ownership started

• no knowledge of iron. • have knowledge of iron.

 DIFFERENCE BETWEEN

EARLY VEDIC PERIOD | LATER VEDIC PERIOD

Religion Religion

• no temples and no idol worshiping. • temples & idol worshiping started

• nature forces are worshiped • nature forces are less worshiped.

• Indra,Agni,Varuna,soma was most • Rudra,Prajapati,Vishu became was most

prominent gods. prominent gods.

• more rituals like Yajnas. • less rituals like Yajnas.

• less Animal Sacrifices. • more Animal Sacrifices.

> VEDIC GODS:

- Indra = god of lighting

greatest god of the Aryans

most mentioned, in 250 Hymns

destroyer of the Forts (Puruandhar)

slayer of Vrita/chaos (Vritanhan)

lost Prominence in later Vedic period

- Agni = god of Fire, for Yajna

2nd most important god

mentioned in 200 Hymns

the son of Earth and Heaven

intermediary between Gods and men.

- Varun = god of water and morals

third most important

most powerful, maintain cosmic order (rita)
lost prominent in later Vedic period

- Soma = god of plant and moon

all hymns are assigned to him

9th mandal is dedicated to him, includes 114 Hymns

- Rudra = god of destruction as rudra (having 11 avatars)
but also benevolent (kind,calm and friendly) as Shiva.

god of animals

worship for healing from disease

amoral archer whose arrow brought diesease

lived in the mountain (Kailash)

guardian of the healing herbs

4th most important in rig ved

resembled to Greek god apollo

- Dyaus = father of all other gods

oldest god
sky god

resembled to Greek god Zeus- grey

- Prithivi = goddess of earth

fertility mother of all living being & nurture them.

companion (consort) of Dyaus.

- Aditi = mother of Gods and god of eternity.

- Surya = 5th most important in rig ved
worshiped in 5 forms (aspect):

• Surya = as a life source (sun)

- who drive all over the sky in his chariot driven

by 7 horses and spread light and drive away

darkness.

• Savitri = god of light

the famous Gayatri mantra in 3rd mandal

of Rig Ved is attributed to her.

• Mitra = god of Solar

• Pushan = god of marriage

god of sudras
protection and guidance for the travellers

supposed to look after cattle.

• Vishnu = least mentioned, only in 3 Hymns

- Prajapati/Adipurush/Bharma = Supreme God

Most prominent in later Vedic period
- Vayu = god of Air
- Usha = God of dawn

-Marut = wind

- Prajanya = rain
- Yama = death

- Sindhu = god of river

- Ashwini twins = god of healing, health and immorality.