Vedic Period

Geographical Location
• Sapta Sindhu or Brahmavarta- Land of
the Seven Rivers, refers only to the Sarasvati
and its own tributaries.
Geographical Location
 Original Home of Aryans- Asia!
Region Theorist
Central Asia Max Mullar
Tibet Dayanand Saraswati
Pamirs Mayor
Turkistan Hurz Feld
Bactria J.C Rod
Steppes Brandstein
Central Asia- Max Mullar
Tibet- Dayanand Saraswat
Pamirs- Mayor
Turkistan-Hurz Feld
Bactria- J.C. Rod
Steppes - Brandstein
 Original Home of Aryans- Europe!
Germany Penka and Hert
Hungary Giles
Southern Russia Nehring
West Baltic Mach
Arctic Region B.G. Tilak
Russian Steppies Prof. Belfy
Germany Penka and Hert
Hungary- Giles
Southern Russia- Nehring
West Baltic- Mach
Artc region - B.G. Tilak
Russia Steppies - Prof. Belfy
 Original Home of Aryans- India!
Central India Rajbali Pandey

Kashmir L.D. Kala

Sapta Sindhu A.C Das

Himalayan Foothills Pt. Laxmindhar Shastri

 ARYANS
• The Group of Indo-Europeans who moved to
Persia and India are known to Aryans
• Original inhabitants of the Central Asia!
• Arrived in India around 1500 BC., though there is
an on going debate
• Established themselves in India by defeating the
natives whom they called Dasa or Dasyus
• The period when the Aryans first settled in India, is
known as Early Vedic period(1500BC to 1000 BC)
• Aryavarta – Aryans spread to Indi-Gangetic
plains in the later Vedic period – 1000BC to
600 BC
• First people in India to know the use of Iron
 Dasas or Dasyus
• India was inhabited by a group of people
known as Dravidian
• Perhaps, in India, they were first to use rivers
for navigation and irrigation
 Rig Vedic Polity
• Tribal Chief- Rajan- Ganapati or Jyestha
• Samiti- elections by the tribal assembly
• Saba, Vdatha, Gana- exercised deliberative, military
and religious functions
• Sabha and Vidatha – women also plays important
role
• Vidatha was the oldest
• Purohita
• The two priests – Vasishtha and Visvamitra
• Kulapati- head of the family
• Vrajapati- in charge of the pasture ground
• Gamanis- heads of the fighting hordes
• Vrata, Gana, Grama, Sarbha (Tribal groups)-
performs Military duty
 Society
• Jana
• Vis
• Gram
• Widow remarriage
• Status of women was equal to men
• Upanayana etc...
• Monogamy, Polygamy and Polyandry
• Occupation- Primiry Pastoral
• Agriculture was secondary
Did not lead the settled life
 Gavisthi- Search of cows
 Gavyati, Gaveshna, Gavyatu, Gomat
 Carpentors
 Chariot –Maker
 Weaver
 Leather worker
 Potter
• Gold- Hiranya
• Iron- Shyama
• Copper- Ayus
 Religion
• Believed in one Supreme God
• Did not believed in Idol worship
• worshipped the forces of nature
• Gods classified into 3 categories
Terrestrial- 11
Atmospheric-11
Celestial-11
Did not worship for spiritual reasons- for the welfare
of the Praja (Children ) and Pashu (Cattel)
 Later Vedic Period
• Vidatha was completely disappeared
• The Sabha and Samathi continued to hold the
ground, but their character changed
• King become more powerful
• Rajasuya Sacrifice- Supreme Power
• Asvamedha- Unquestioned control
• Vajapeya- Chariot race
 Regions and Kings
• Eastern King- Samrat
• Western King- Suvrat
• Northern King- Virat
• Southern King- Bhoja
• King of Middle country Raja
 Important Ratnins/ officials in the Later
Vedic Period
• Purohita- Chief Priest
• Senani
• Vajrapati- officer in charge of pasture land
• Jivagribha- police officer
• Spasas/ Dutas
• Gramini- head of the Village
• Kulapati
• Madhyamasi
• Bhagdugha- Revenue collector
• Sangrahitri – Treasurer
• Mahishi- Chief queen
• Suta- Chariteer and court minister
• Palagala- Messenger
• Kshatri- Chamberlain
• Akshavapa- Accountant
• Sthapati- Chief Judge
• Takshan- Carpenter
 SOCIAL LIFE
• Brahmins
• Kshatriyas
• Vaisyas
• Sudras
• Pariah
• Gotra appeared – ‘Cowpen’- decent from a
common ancestor
 Economy
• PGW & Iron Phase Culture
• Largely rural
• Agriculture emerged as a the chief means
• Mixed forming
• Land- Vish or clan
• Grahpati- household who owned the land
• Glass manufacturing
• Shresthins- Guilds
• Sangrihitri
 Religion

• Killing of animals on a larger scale

• Dana &Dakshina- Yajnas
• Indra and Agni lost their importence
• Prajapati emerged
• Vishnu- protector of the people
• Rudra- the god of animals
• Pushan- god of sudras
 Mahajanapadas

Kasi Kosala
Anga Magadha
Vajji or Vriji Malla
Chedi or Cheti Vatsa
Kuru Panchala
Matsya Surasena
Asmaka Avanti
Gandhara Kamboja
 Prashasta- Form of Hindu Marriages

• Brahma Marriage-Brahma marriage is the

purest form of Hindu marriage. In this form of
marriage the father offers his daughter to a
man of good character and learning.
• Daiva Marriage-In the Daiva form of marriage
the father gives away his daughter as a
dakshina
•
• Arsha Marriage-In this form of Hindu
marriage, the father gives his daughter in
marriage to the bridegroom after
receiving a cow and a bull or two pairs of
these from the bridegroom in
accordance with the requirements of
dharma.
• Prajapatya Marriage-the father makes a
gift of the daughter by addressing the
couple with the MANTRAM “may both of
you perform together your dharma.”
 Aprashasta- Form of Marriages

• Asura Marriage-marriage is one in which the

bridegroom has to give money to the father or
kinsman of the bride. The main consideration
of this form of marriage is money.
• Gandharva Marriage-The Gandharva type of
marriage is the one in which a girl selects her
husband by herself.
• Rakshasa Marriage- girls were the
forcible were forcible abducted.
• Paisacha Marriage-in which the man
seduces by force a girl who is
sleeping or intoxicated or disordered
in intellect.
 Ashrama

Stages of life Age ASHRAMA Purushartha

(aims of life)

Saisava 0–2

Balya 3–12 Brahmacharya Dharma

Kaumara Kaishora 13–15 Brahmacharya Dharma and Moksha

Tarunya 16–19 Brahmacharya Dharma and Moksha

Yauvana Yauvana-I 20–29 Brahmacharya Dharma,

(Tarunayauvana) or Grihastha Artha and Moksha

Yauvana-II 30–59 Grihastha Dharma, Artha

(Praudhayauvana and Kama and Moksha

Vardhakya Vardhakya 60–79 Vanaprastha Dharma and Moksha

(Period-I)
Vardhakya 80+ Sanyasa Dharma and Moksha
(Period-II)