Vedic Period-Early Vedic Age and Later Vedic Age

1. Introduction

The period between 1500 BCE and 600 BCE is known as the Vedic Period or Vedic Age.

It is divided into- the Early Vedic Period or Rig Vedic Period (1500 BCE–1000 BCE) and the Later Vedic Period (1000 BCE–600 BCE).

After the decline of Harappan culture, Aryans migrated to India. They settled in the northwestern region of India.

1.1 Geographical Horizon of Vedic Age

The early Vedic Aryans lived in the area known as sapta-sindhu which means area of seven rivers.

They gradually moved eastward and occupied eastern U.P. (Kosala) and north Bihar (Videha) during the Later Vedic period.

2. Early Vedic period (1500 B.C – 1000 B.C)

Rigveda is the main source of the Early Vedic period. It gives an idea about the social-political structure of the Early Vedic period. It was the period of transition from nomadic pastoralism to settled village communities intermixing pastoral and agrarian economies.

2.1 Early Vedic Polity

• The King was responsible for the protection of the tribe. The kingship was hereditary in nature.
• The land of Vedic Aryan was divided into several small tribal states. Each tribe has its own monarch.
• Sabha and Samiti were the most important assemblies. The Sabha was the body of the elders and was constituted mainly of the Brahmanas.
• The Samiti was the ‘House of common people’ and its members were called ‘vishah’.
• The common people were called Jana and the administrator of Jana was called ‘Rajan’ and the commander of Jana was called ‘Gopa’.
• Purohit, Senani, Gramini, Doot, etc. were some important officials.
• The Supreme Commander of the armed forces was called Senani. All the royal officials were responsible to the King.
• The king administers justice based on the Dharma with the help of Purohita.

2.2 Early Vedic Economy

• The economy was based on pastoral activities. The early Vedic people’s wealth was measured in the form of cattle.
• A wealthy person was known as gomat and many battles were fought for cattle. Cows were the most favored medium of exchange.
• Vedic Aryan people were aware of the basic agricultural techniques. They produce barley or modern jau.
• The trade was done through the barter system. The people involved in trade was called ‘Pani’.

2.3 Early Vedic Society

• Family was the basic unit of the Rigvedic society. The unit of family was called ‘Gotra’
• The group of kula formed a gram, which was headed by ‘Gramin’ or ‘Gramini’.
• The clan was called Visha and its head was called ‘Vishpati’.
• Society was patriarchal in nature and Monogamy was the usual norm of marriage.

2.4 Early Vedic Religion

• People did not construct temples, nor did they worship any statue.
• Indra, Agni, Varuna, Mitra, and Dyaus were important male gods while Ushas, Sarasvati, Prithvi etc. were female goddesses.
• All these gods were invoked and propitiated at yajnas or sacrifices. These sacrifices were organized by the chiefs of the tribes and performed by priests.

3. Later Vedic period (1000 B.C – 600 B.C)

The main factor in the expansion of the Aryan culture during the later Vedic period was the beginning of the use of iron around 1000 BC. The Rigvedic people knew of a metal called ayas which was either copper or bronze. In the later Vedic literature, ayas was qualified with shyama or krishna meaning black to denote iron. 

3.1 Later Vedic Polity

• The chiefship became hereditary and the popular assemblies lost their importance.
• The small tribal states of the Rig Vedic period were replaced by powerful states.
• Rigvedic Jana transformed into the janapada. King was assisted by a group of officers who were known as Ratnins.
• The sabha became more powerful than the samiti and women were not allowed to attend the meeting of sabha.

3.2 Later Vedic Economy

• The later Vedic economy was based on settled agriculture. Rice, barley, sesame and wheat were cultivated.
• The farmers started plowing land with the help of bulls.
• The coins which were in circulation were “Nishka”, “Satamana” and “Krishnala”.
• People started using Iron and new art and craft emerged.
• The economic significance of war booty had declined during this period.

3.3 Later Vedic Society

• The later Vedic family became large enough to be called a joint-family with three or four generations living together.
• The tribal character of society has diminished to some extent.
• The society was still egalitarian and liberal. The four varnas got firmly established. The four varnas in which society came to be divided were the brahmanas, kshatriyas, vaishyas and shudras.
• Gotra system emerged during the Later Vedic age and the first reference of Gotra was found in Atharvaveda.
• The Ashram system emerged during the later Vedic period and the first reference was found in Chandogaya Upanishad.  Brahmacharya (student life), grihastha (householder), and vanaprastha (hermitage) stages are mentioned in the texts.  Later, sanyasa, the fourth stage also came to be added. Together with varna, it came to be known as varna-ashrama dharma.

3.4 Later Vedic Religion

• Vishnu, Rudra, and Shiva emerged as new Gods of this period. Prajapati and Vishnu become the most important gods of this period.
• Rituals and sacrifices have become more complex and costly. There was an increase in the frequency and number of the yajna which generally ended with the sacrifices of a large number of animals.
• Some of the important yajnas were - ashvamedha, vajapeya, rajasuya etc.
• Brahmanas emerged as an important priestly class. The philosophical dimension of religion has emerged.
• Attainment of salvation becomes the main objective of all religious activities of this period.

4. Difference between Early Vedic Age and Later Vedic Age

5. Vedic literature

The term 'Vedic literature' simply means literature based on or derived from the Vedas.

There are four Vedas in the 'Vedic literature'-  Rig Veda, Samveda, Atharvaveda and Yajurveda.

5.1 Rig Veda

It is the earliest among the four Vedas. It consists of ten mandalas and 1028 hyms.

The 10^th mandala contains the Purushsukta which explains the 4 Varnas.

Gayatri Mantra is part of third mandala of Rig Veda. It is dedicated to Savitr and written in Sanskrit.

5.2 Samveda

The Samaveda is a collection of melodies. It consists of verses to be sung at the time of sacrifices.

5.3 Atharva Veda

It is the second oldest Indian text. It is known as the ‘Veda of the Magical formulas’. It is a collection of magic spells and charms to ward off evil spirits and diseases.

Mundaka Upanishad, Mandukya Upanishad, and the Prashna Upanishad are part of Atharva Veda.

5.4 Yajurveda

It consists of rituals to be performed publicly or individually.

5.5 Brahmanas

The four Vedas together with their Brahmanas are also known as Shruti.

The Brahmanas explain the hymns of the Vedas. The major contents of the Aranyakas are theosophy (Brahmavidya), meditation (Upasana) and knowledge of breath (Pranavidya).

The word Aranyaka means 'the forest' and these are called 'forest books' written mainly for the hermits and students living in the jungles.

The Aranyakas and the Upanishads are mainly appendices to the Brahmanas. These are also known as the Vedanta (end of the Veda) and contain philosophical discussions.

5.6 Vedangas

Vedangas or limbs of the Vedas were evolved for the proper understanding of the Vedas: 

• Siksha (phonetics)
• Kalpa (rituals)
• Vyakarna (grammar)
• Nirukta (etymology)
• Chhanda (metrics)
• Jyotisha (astronomy)

Summary

• The period between 1500 BCE and 600 BCE is known as the Vedic Period.
• It is divided into- Early Vedic Period or Rig Vedic Period (1500 BCE–1000 BCE) and Later Vedic Period (1000 BCE–600 BCE).
• The early Vedic Aryans lived in the area known as sapta-sindhu meaning an area of seven rivers.
• Early Vedic Period:
  • The King was responsible for the protection of the tribe. The kingship was hereditary in nature.
  • Sabha and Samiti were the most important assemblies. Purohit, Senani, Gramini, Doot, etc. were some important officials.
  • The economy was based on pastoral activities. The early Vedic people’s wealth was measured in the form of cattle.
  • Family was the basic unit of the Rigvedic society. The unit of family was called ‘Gotra’.
  • Indra, Agni, Varuna, Mitra, and Dyaus were important male gods while Ushas, Sarasvati, Prithvi etc. were female goddesses.
• Later Vedic period:
  • The small tribal states of the Rig Vedic period were replaced by powerful states.
  • The sabha became more powerful than the samite and women were not allowed to attend the meeting of sabha.
  • The later Vedic economy was based on settled agriculture. Rice, barley, sesame and wheat were cultivated.
  • Gotra system emerged during the Later Vedic age and first reference of Gotra was found in Atharvaveda.
  • The Ashram system emerged during the later Vedic period and the first reference was found in Chandogaya Upnishad.
  • Vishnu, Rudra, Shiva emerged as new gods of this period. Prajapati and Vishnu became the most important gods of this period.
• There are four Vedas in the 'Vedic literature'-  Rig Veda, Samveda Atharva Veda and Yajurveda.
• Rig Veda is the earliest among the four Vedas. It consists of ten mandalas and 1028 hymns.
• Atharva Veda is the second oldest Indian text. It is a collection of magic spells and charms to ward off evil spirits and diseases.
• Yajurveda consists of rituals to be performed publicly or individually.
• The Samaveda is a collection of melodies. It consists of verses to be sung at the time of sacrifices.

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