Rig Veda/ Early vedic period
Original Home and identify of Aryans
1)Migration
- Originally from south Russia to central Asia. From there to India.
- Aryan appeared in india 1500BC.
- They migrated in several waves.
3)The whole region in which Aryan first settled in indian subcontinent is called the land of the seven Rivers ( sapta sindhu)
4)Indus (sindhu), Ravi (parushni), beas
(vipas) , Jhelum (vitasta), Chenab(Asikani), Sutlej (sutudri), saraswati.
5)Lived here for many years but gradually moved towards Ganga and Yamuna.
6)Earlier they lef pastoral life.
7)Agriculture is secondary occupation.
8)Male dominated society.
9)Horse plaged significant role.
10)60000 horse bones found in 3000BC.
11)Not much knowledge of weapons.
12)Possibly docked axes, bronzedirks and swards (discovered in Northwest India).
Geographical Extent
- Rig Veda only source of knowledge from the name of some river and mountains.
- Earliest Aryans lived in eastern Afghanistan, North West frontier province, Punjab and fringes of Western Uttar Pradesh.
- Mountains , (Himvant that is Himalaya, Munjavant that is Hindu Kush).
- 40 rivers mentioned, madisukha hymm, 21 river
- The whole region in which Aryan first settled in Indian subcontinent is called the land of the seven rivers (sapta Sindhu).
- Indus (sindhu), Ravi (parushni), beas (vipas), Jhelum (vitasta), Chenab (Asikani), Sutlej (sutudri), saraswati.
Rig Veda
- Reveals details of Aryan in India.
- The term Arya occurs 36 times.
- It is the earliest text of Indo European languages.
- It is the collections of prayers offered to Agni, Indra, Mitra, varuna and other gods.
- It consists of 10 mondalas or books.
- Book II VII earliest portions. I and X latest additions.
- It has many things common with Avesta (oldest text of Iranian language)
- Some name for several gods and social classes.
Tribal conflicts
- In rig Veda Indra it called purandar: (breaker of forts).
- They succeeded everywhere because they passessed chariot driven by horse ( first introduced by them).
- The engaged in two types of conflicts:
1) Fought with pre-Aryans
2) Fought themselves
- Aryans were divided into five Tribes called panchajanya.
- Bharatas and Tritsu ruling clan.
- Supported by priest Vashishtha.
- The country Bharatvarsha was eventually named after the tribal Bharat.
- Bharat award opposed by 10 chiefs (5 Aryan and 5 non Aryan).
- The battle of ten kings ( Dasrajan war).bon river parushni, were Bharata won of defeated most famous puru.
- Leter they jointed with puru, formed new clan called Kurus, Kurus combined with panchalas and Established rule in upper gangetic basin.
Material life
- Success in wars possibly due to horses, charitots and bronze arms.
- Probably the introduced spoked wheel.
- Copper used from khetri mines, Rajasthan.
- Better knowledge of agriculture.
- Ploughshare is mentioned in rig Veda wood.
- Acquainted with sowing, harvesting and threshing.
- Knew about different seasons. Also well known to pre Aryans.
- Predominantly a pastoral life.
- Most of the war for the sake of cows ( most important wealth)
- Gavishthi (search for cows) in rig Vedas.
- Gifts to priest- cows and women slaves and never a land.
- Didn't lived in cities, also familiar with coves in the mountains.
- 13 rooms mud house discovered (might be house of a large extended family or tribal chief).
- Cattle bones found in all sites, hours bones in bhagwanpur, No iron objects were found.
Tribal polity
- Tribal chief called Rajan. ( Hereditary).
- Did not have unlimited power, was also elected by samiti ( tribal assembly).
- Protector of the tribe, also protect cattle,
- Offered prayers on behalf of tribe.
- There are several assemblies : sabha, samiti, vidatha , gana.
- They exercised several military and religious functions.
- Women also participated in sabha and vidatha. Most important assembly is sabha and samiti.
Day-to-day administration
- King was assisted by by a few functionaries.
- Most important purohita:
1) vasishtha; conservative
2) vishvamitra; liberal (composed Gayatri Mantra to widen Aryan world)
3) Senani ( used soear, axes, swards).
- No officer for collections of taxes, probably the chiefs received voluntary gift (bali). No officer for administrating justice.
- Cases of thief of cows and burglary were there spies were employed to keep an eye on unsocial activities.
Vrajapti
- He enjoyed outhority over large land.
- He led heads of familiar ( kulapas).
- Head of fighting horder (Gramini).
Gramini
- In the beginning just head of tribal fighting unit
- When unit settled head of village.
- King did not maintain regular standing army.
- Military functions done by different tribal groups. Military was strong.
- No territorial administration.
- They were migrating from one place to other.
- Kinship was the basis of social structure.
- People gave primary loyalty to tribe - (jana)
- The number in tribe did not exceed 100.
- Jana occure 275 time in Rigveda, but janapada or territory not used, territory not estabilized.
- Vis is the another important term for tribe, mentioned 170 times.
- Vis was divided into grama or smaller tribal units. Meant for fighting.
- Grama clashed: samgrama (war)
- Family (kula) mentioned very rarely in Rigveda.
- The turn griha was used for family. It was very large joint unit, a patriarchal family, headed by father, prayer for brave sons to fight in the war, no desire for doughter.
Women
- Could attend assemblies.
- Could offer sacrifices along with husband.
- Institution of marriage was estimated.
- Polyandry existed.
- Practice of levirate and widow remarriage (niyoga).
- No child marriage, marriage time period is 17-18 age.
Society
- 4 varnas basis of occupation (Brahmana, Kshatriya, vaishya, shudra)
- Brahmana: Teacher and priests.
- Kshatriya: Administrator.
- Vaishya: Farmers, merchants, bankers.
- Shudra: Artisans and labourers
- Kshira pakmodanam (grain cooked with milk).
- Meat of fish,birds, and animals was eaten.
- Aghanya (cow not be killed).
- Alcoholic drinks sura and soma were consumed.
- Amusements: music, dancing, chariot racing and dicing.
Religion
- Personified powers of nature.
- Conferred both boon and punishment
- Most important divinity indra (purandar or breaker of forts), worlord(leading them to victory), and rain god.
- Agni (fire god) intermediary between God and human.
- Varuna(water): personified natural order and whetever happens in the world .
- Soma: god of plants.
- Surya (sun): Drives daily across the skyin chariot with 7 horses.
- Savitri(god of light): Gayatri Mantra.
- Pashan (god of marriage): guard of roads, herdsman and cattles.
- Rudra: god of animals.
- Aditi: mother of Gods.
- Sindhu: river goddess.
- Yama: god of death.
- Sometimes god's were visualised as animals but no animal worship.
- Yajna or sacrifice (offering of milk,ghee,flesh, grain and soma).
Economy
- Herds of cattle, domestication of animals
- Crossed Nomadic stage.
- Little Trade. Carpenters, Smith's, weavers,potters,Tanner's, and grinder of corns .
- Probably not familiar with cat of camel or tiger.
- Art of healing wounds and curing disease were known, export in surgery.
- Ochre coloured pottery culture.
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