Overview
Includes
- Ancient and Mediaeval History Class 01
- VEDIC AGE (09:12 AM)
- Advent of Aryans
- Around 1500 BCE, mainly tribal communities from Central Asia or steppes grasslands of Russia started to enter into Indian subcontinent.
- They belong to Aryan linguistic community, which means their languages were quite similar in terms of sound.
- They were semi nomadic and pastoralist in nature.
- They were always in search of good pasture land.
- They were successful in Indian Sub-Continent because of their use of horses and horse driven chariots, which provided swiftness to their army.
- Apart from it, they also use good quality bronze weapons, which further included helmets and mail coats.
- The very first activity of Aryans after settling in Indian subcontinent was the Composition of Veda.
- Rig Veda was the first composition, followed by Sam Veda, Yajur Veda and Atharva Veda.
- Early Vedic Period (09:31 AM)
- After their arrival in India, Aryans settled mainly in North and North Western part of Indian subcontinent.
- These areas in Vedic texts are referred to as Aryavart and Brahmavart.
- In Rig Veda, some of the important rivers were mentioned, which are as follows:
- Indus ⇾ Sindhu
- Jhelum ⇾ Vitasta
- Chenab⇾ Ashkini
- Ravi⇾ Parushani
- Beas⇾ Bipasa
- Satluj⇾ Shatudri
- Saraswati⇾ Naditarna and sometimes also referred as Matetama.
- Rig Veda also mentions to Mountain ranges as Himavana (Greater Himalayas); and Mujuvanta (Middle and Lower Himalayas)
- Economy during Early Vedic Period:
- Cattle was the most important economic wealth of Early Aryans.
- Even battles were organized to secure large numbers of cattle.
- The importance of cattle is highlighted through many words mentioned in Rig Veda which are associated with cattle.
- Gavyu⇾ Cow
- Gavisthi⇾ Search for cows
- Godhuma⇾ The plant which emerges from cow dung
- Gopajanya⇾ Master of the cows
- Godhuli⇾ Dusk
- Duhitri⇾ Milchar of cow (daughter)
- Aghanya⇾ the one which must not be killed
- Goghana⇾ The most important guest who is served beef
- From the Vedic text, the use of metals like Copper and Gold is testified.
- Copper was named as Ayas and Gold as Nishka
- Bhaga and Bali⇾, which was basically voluntary support to the chief of the Aryan community.
- Agriculture⇾ Barli i.e. Yava and Goduma i.e. Wheat were regarded as the second important crops out of which Yava is the most important
- Polity during Early Vedic (10:06 AM)
- The head of the Aryan community was known as Rajan.
- His most important work was to protect his people and organised battle to secure a large number of cattle.
- Rajan was assisted by many political assemblies at this time, which are as follows:
- a) Sabha⇾ It was an exclusive assembly, mainly consisted of elders from the society.
- It included both males and females.
- It was the most decisive assembly which gave aid and advise to Rajan.
- b) Samiti⇾ Samiti was an inclusive assembly which was constituted to choose the Rajan. Otherwise, it didn't have much role in decision-making. It only included the men from society.
- Vidhata⇾ It was a limited assembly and its functions were mainly associated with religious rituals. It included both Men and Women.
- Bharat clan of Aryans was the most powerful Aryan tribe in India.
- After the death of its ruler Divodasa, his son Sudas was appointed as Rajan.
- Sudas⇾ has to take very important decision i.e. appointment of Chief priest.
- He appointed Vashisht Rishi as the chief priest and rejected the claim of vishwamitra.
- Humiliated Vishwamitra persuaded 10 kings or Dasrajan to fight with Sudas.
- The Historic battle happened on the banks of river Parushani in which Sudas defeated Dasrajan.
- He annexed the areas of Dasrajan and named it BharathVarsha
- Society during Early Vedic (10:28 AM)
- Society was organized on the lines of Kula, Vansha (Jana) and Gram.
- The most important unit of the society was Family or Kula.
- The eldest male member of the family was given the position of Head of Family, and he was referred to as Kulapa.
- Society was Patriarchal in nature, but Women were accorded very high respect in the society.
- They enjoyed political rights, and they were members of political assemblies like Sabha and Vidhata.
- They were also allowed to participate in educational discourses.
- For example, one of the intellectual women of this time was Lopamudra (Wife of Agastya Rishi)
- No instance of Child marriage is reported from the Early Vedic period.
- Widow Remarriage was also allowed in the society under Niyoga Vivah.
- Love Marriage was allowed under Gandharva Vivah Vyavastha.
- Instances of Polygamy were quite visible in society, but rarely polyandry was also found.
- Slavery also existed in the society and there were two types of the slaves: Dasa and Dasyu
- Dasa: They were defeated Aryans. Sometimes they were given favourable positions in society.
- Dasyu: They were defeated non-Aryans.
- They were highly discriminated and sometimes their mass killing was also performed.
- For example, the mention of the word Dasyu Hatya in Rig Veda.
- Religious Practices During EVP (11:11 AM)
- Early Vedic Aryans started to personify the element of nature into God.
- Accordingly, the majority of the natural elements were ascribed to a God.
- Indra - God of Rain and thunder. He was the most important Early Vedic God, whose name is mentioned in Rig Veda more than 250 times.
- He was also referred to as Purandhar which means breaker of the forts.
- Agni-God of fire is regarded as the second important Early Vedic God.
- He is considered as Intermediary God and worship of other Gods happened through Agni.
- Third Important God was Varun (God of Water) followed by Soma (God of Plants) and Mitra (God of Air)
- Pushan was regarded as the God of Animals.
- Female deity's like Ila; Usha; Nisha; Aditi; Savitri and Swah were also worshipped at this time.
- Gayatri Mantra, composed by Vishvamitra and was dedicated to the Sun and Savitri.
- The Mode of Worship at this time was through Chanting and recitation of Mantra and performance of Vedic rituals and sacrifices.
- The objective of Worship at this time was material gain, but not spiritual growth.
- Later Vedic Era (11:35 AM)
- Around 1000 BCE, iron was discovered for the first time in any part of the world.
- The Early Aryans found huge deposits of Iron at Atranjkhera and Jakhera.
- With Iron, they created very sharp weapons and tools.
- With the sharp tools, they started to clear the dense forest of Gangetic Valley.
- They further penetrated into the Eastern Part, Central India and finally to Southern India.
- In the Later Vedic text-
- Eastern India is referred as Purvakhand;
- Central India as Madhyadesh
- Southern India as Dakshinapantha
- Later Vedic text also mentions rivers like Ganga, Yamuna, and Gandak which was referred as Sadanira.
- Economy During Later Vedic Period (11:47 AM)
- At this point of time, agricultural land became the most important economic wealth.
- Though the cattle was important, but not in comparison to land.
- The Term "Rashtra" was mentioned in the Later Vedic text. It signifies the importance of Agricultural land.
- The most important function of Rajan was to organise battle to secure a large tract of land.
- Apart from Barley and Wheat, Rice also emerged as the most important agricultural commodity. It was referred to as Vrihi.
- The taxation system was still similar to early Vedic period, i.e. Bagha and Balli.
- TOPIC FOR THE NEXT CLASS: WILL CONTINUE WITH THE POLITY DURING LATER VEDIC PERIO