ANCIENT HISTORY OF

INDIA
THE VEDIC CULTURE
 EARLY VEDIC GEOGRAPHY
 NORTH-WESTERN INDIA
 They migrated to Indian Subcontinent in several waves
 SAPTASAINDHAVA REGION
 THE INDUS AND ITS TRIBUTRIES
 Saraswati was a sacred river known as Naditama
 THE YAMUNA (MENTIONED ONLY ONCE IN RIG VEDA) BUT DIDN’T CROSS IT. GANGA AND SARAYU ARE MENTIONED.
 HIMALAYAS ARE DIRECTLY MENTIONED WITH ONE PEAK MUJAVAT, THE SOURCE OF SOMA, WHICH WAS PROBABLY IN
KASHMIR.
 THE WORD SAMUDRA IS USED IN RIG VEDA BUT IT DENOTES A LARGE COLLECTION OF WATER AND NOT SEA
 ORIGIN DEBATE ABOUT THE ARYAN COMMUNITIES
 WHO WERE ARYANS?
 INDIGENOUS ORIGIN
 BRAHMARSHI DESHA
 TIBET (DAYANAND SARASWATI)
 MIGRATION THEORY/EXTERNAL ORIGIN
 ARCTIC REGION (BALGANGADHAR TILAK)
 CENTRAL ASIA (J.G. RODES AND MAXMULER)
THE VEDIC CULTURE
 EARLY VEDIC GEOGRAPHY
• The seven rivers included:
• Sindhu,
• Vitasta (Jhelum),
• Asikni (Chenab),
• Parushni (Ravi),
• Vipash (Beas),
• Shutudri (Sutlej),
• Sarasvati.
• During the Later Vedic period, they gradually moved eastward and came to occupy eastern U.P. (Kosala) and north Bihar (Videha)
THE VEDIC CULTURE
 1500 BCE-600 CE
 IT COULD BE DIVIDED IN EARLY VEDIC AND LATER VEDIC PERIOD
 EARLY VEDIC PERIOD (1500-1000BCE)/RIGVEDIC PERIOD
 LATER VEDIC PERIOD (1000-600 BCE)
 VEDIC ARYAN WERE BELIEVED TO BE FOUNDERS OF THIS CULTURE
 THEY BELONGED TO THE INDO-EUROPEAN LANGUAGE COMMUNITY
 THE INDO-ARYAN COMMUNITY MIGRATED TOWARDS INDIAN SUBCONTINENT
 THE TERM ARYA OCCURS 36 TIMES IN RIGVEDA
 OTHER INDO-EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES- HITTITE (TURKEY), KASSITE (IRAQ), MITTANI (SYRIA) : ALL
HAD INSCRIPTIONS
 VEDA’ IS DERIVED FROM THE ROOT ‘VID’ WHICH MEANS TO KNOW
 SOURCES
 LITERARY SOURCES
 KNOWN AS VEDIC LITERATURE /VEDIC CORPUS
 VEDA
 BRAHMANA
 ARANYAKA
 UPANISHAD
 EARLIEST INSCRIPTIONAL EVIDENCE FROM BOGAZKOI , SYRIA 1400 BCE
THE VEDIC CULTURE
 EARLY VEDIC LTERTURE
 RIGVEDA
 CONTEMPORARY TO THE ZIND-AVESTA OF IRANIAN CULTURE
 SANSKRIT LANGUAGE AND BRAHMI SCRIPT
 10 BOOKS (MANDALA OF RIGVEDA)
 I AND X MANDALA ARE LATER EDITIONS AND LATEST PART
 MANDALA II TO VII ARE THE OLDEST PARTS KNOWN AS THE VAMSA MANDALA/RISHIMANDALA/FAMILY BOOKS
 FAMILY OF SEERS: ATRI, ANGIRAS, BHARDWAJ, GRITSAMAD, KANVA, VISWAMITRA, VAMDEVA, AND VASISTHA
 TOTAL 1028 HYMNS IN RIGVEDA SAMHITA
 THE PREIST RELATED TO RIGVEDA IS HOTRA/HOTA
THE VEDIC CULTURE
 The Painted Grey Ware has been repeatedly connected with Aryan craftsmanship.
• The archaeological evidence of migrations comes from the Andronovo Culture, which is located in southern Siberia. In the second millennium BC,
this Culture flourished.
• From here, people moved north of Hindukush, and from here, they entered India.
• Development of Aryan Language: The new people came in several batches, and one of the important results of this process of interaction was that
the Vedic form of the Aryan language became predominant throughout Northwestern India.
• The texts written in this language are popularly known as the Vedic Texts.
 EARLY VEDIC LITERATURE
 SAMA VEDA
 THE SAMA VEDA OR THE “VEDA OF CHANTS” IS THE COLLECTION OF VERSES DRAWN ALMOST
WHOLLY FROM THE RIG VEDA, THAT ARE PROVIDED WITH MUSICAL NOTATIONS AND ARE
INTENDED AS AN AID TO THE PERFORMANCE OF SACRED SONGS.
 RECENSIONS (SHAKHAS) OF THE SAMA VEDA ARE KAUTHUMA, RANAYANIYA AND JAIMINIYA
(TALAVAKARA).
 SAMA VEDA’S UPAVEDA IS THE GANDHARVA VEDA.
The Four Vedas

- Rigveda is the oldest Veda.

- It is divided into ten books (known as mandalas).
Rigveda - It also includes Vishvamitra's famous Gayatri mantra and the Purusha Shukta prayer (the
story of Primal Man).
- The Rigvedic Priest was known as Hotri.

- It is essentially a manual for the Adhvaryu priest, who was responsible for almost all ritualistic tasks in a
sacrifice.
Yajurveda
- It is principally in prose form.
- It has been divided into two sections: the earlier "black" and the more recent "white".

- The Samaveda is the shortest of all the four Vedas.

Samaveda - The Samaveda is a collection of Rigvedic verses organised in the form of poetry to facilitate singing.
- The Samaveda is specially intended for the Udagatar priest.

- The Atharvaveda is a compilation of magical spells and charms that are used to ward off evil spirits and
Atharvaveda diseases.
- The Atharva Veda is the latest and contains hymns (some from the Rig Veda).
 - The Samhitas are the most ancient part of the Vedas.
Samhitas
- It contains mantras, prayers, litanies and hymns to God.

- The Brahmanas are prose interpretations of the Samhita chapters.

Brahmanas
- It gives details and explanations of sacrificial rituals and their outcome.

- The Aranyakas are texts on forest life.

Aranyakas
- It interprets sacrificial rituals in a symbolic and philosophical way.

- There are 108 Upanishads, 13 of which are considered the most significant.
Upanishads - They contain a great variety of philosophical ideas about sacrifice, the body, and the universe.
- They are most closely associated with the concepts of Atman and Brahman.
eatures Political Life of the Early Vedic Period Political Life of Later Vedic Period

Social - The concept of janapada emerged.

- The Aryans' chief social unit was known as Jana.
Unit - In the Later Vedic texts, the word Rashtra was also used for the first time.

Chief/ - Jana was headed by Rajan, whose main function was to protect - The Rajan, or chief, now assumed the role of protector of the territory where his
King the Jana and cattle from the enemies. tribesmen had settled.

Post of - Not Hereditary and tribal assemblies were involved in the - Hereditary and elaborate coronation rituals, such as vajapeya and
Chief selection of the raja from amongst the clansmen. rajasuya, established the chief authority.

- Rajan was helped in his task by the tribal assemblies called

- During this time, the sabha overtook the samiti in relevance.
sabha, samiti, vidatha, gana and parishad, which are mentioned
Administ
in the Rigveda.
ration  Sabha: council of select clan members
 Samiti comprised the whole clan.

- The people gave the chief what is known as Bali.

Taxes - It was simply a voluntary contribution made on special - Bali, Bhaga and Shulka gradually assumed the form of regular tributes and taxes.
occasions by ordinary tribesmen.

- The Sena, or army, was a temporary fighting force made up of

Army - A rudimentary army emerged, and all these lived on the taxes offered by the people.
able-bodied tribesmen who were mobilised during wartime.

- The clans held large yajnas or sacrifices, which were performed

- As Rajanya's importance grew, so did the Brahmanas.
by Purohita.
Status of - The status of the officiating priests became at par with the gods in
- They received a large portion of the rajas' gifts and assumed a
Brahmins the later period.
superior position in comparison to the other members of the
- The officiating brahmana had to be satisfied with Dana.
clan.
THE VEDIC CULTURE
 EARLY VEDIC LITERATURE
 YAJUR VEDA
 WORSHIP OR RITUAL KNOWLEDGE
 THIS VEDA DEALS WITH THE PROCEDURE FOR THE PERFORMANCE OF SACRIFICES. IT IS
FURTHER DIVIDED INTO-
 SHUKLA YAJUR VEDA/ VAJASANEYA / WHITE YAJUR VEDA – IT CONTAINS ONLY THE
MANTRAS. IT CONTAINS THE MADHYANDINA AND KANVA RECENSIONS.
 KRISHNA YAJUR VEDA / BLACK YAJUR VEDA – IT INCLUDES MANTRAS AS WELL AS
PROSE EXPLANATIONS/COMMENTARY. IT CONTAINS KATHAKA, MAITRAYANI, TAITTIRIYA AND
KAPISHTHALA RECENSIONS.
 THE UPAVEDA OF THE YAJUR VEDA IS THE DHANUR VEDA.
THE VEDIC CULTURE
 EARLY VEDIC LTERTURE

 ATHARVA VEDA
 IT CONCERNS ITSELF WITH MAGIC SPELLS TO WARD OFF EVIL SPIRITS OR DANGERS.
 IT IS CONSIDERED TO BE A NON-ARYAN WORK AND IS CLASSIFIED INTO 20 KANDAS OR BOOKS,
WITH 711 HYMNS.
 IT CONTAINS SHAUNAKA AND PAIPPALADA RECENSIONS.
 SHILPA VEDA IS THE UPAVEDA OF ATHARVAVEDA.
THE VEDIC CULTURE
 CHARACTERISTICS OF ARYAN CULTURE
 PASTORAL AND NOMADIC TRIBAL COMMUNITY
 HORSES
 USE OF HORSE DRAWN CHARIOTS
 SOILDIERS USED COAT
 USE OF SPOKED WHEEL
 FIRE CULT
 CREMATION OF DEAD BODIES
 THE VEDIC CULTURE
 POLITICAL CONDITION
 KINSHIP WAS THE BASIS OF SOCIAL STRUCTURE DURING THE RIG VEDIC AGE
 PRIMARY LOYALTY TO THE TRIBE WHICH WAS CALLED JANA. THE FAMILY WAS A VERY LARGE JOINT UNIT.
 SINCE IT WAS A PATRIARCHAL SOCIETY, THE BIRTH OF MALE CHILD WAS DESIRED AGAIN AND AGAIN.
 THE BASIC UNIT OF POLITICAL ORGANIZATION WAS KULA OR FAMILY. SEVERAL FAMILIES JOINED TOGETHER
ON THE BASIS OF THEIR KINSHIP TO FORM A VILLAGE OR GRAMA. THE LEADER OF GRAMA WAS KNOWN AS
GRAMANI
 THE HIGHEST POLITICAL UNIT WAS CALLED JANA OR TRIBE
 THERE WERE SEVERAL TRIBAL KINGDOMS DURING THE RIG VEDIC PERIOD SUCH AS BHARATAS, MATSYAS,
YADUS AND PURUS (EX. THE DASARAJNA BATTLE FOUGHT BETWEEN BHARAT CLAN AND GROUP OF TEN KINGS)
 LATER BHARATAS AND JOINED HANDS AND BECAME KURU
 THE HEAD OF THE KINGDOM WAS CALLED AS RAJA/RAJAN
 THE KING WAS ASSISTED BY PUROHITA (E.G VASISHTHA AND VISHWAMITRA) OR PRIEST AND SENANI OR
COMMANDER OF THE ARMY IN HIS ADMINISTRATION
 THE POST OF THE CHIEF WAS NOT ALWAYS HEREDITARY
 THE DASA AND DASYUS WERE REFERED IN RIGVEDA MANY TIMES
 DASA BELIEVED TO BE THE EARLY ARYANS WHILE THE DASYUS WERE OF THE PEOPLE OF LOCAL ORIGIN
HAVING DIFFERENT BELIEFS
 THE HOSTILITY OF ARYAS TOWARDS DASYUS WAS HIGHER THAN DASAS
THE VEDIC CULTURE
POLITICAL CONDITION
 ADMINISTRATION
 PUROHIT (PRIEST) – IN RETURN FOR THE RITUALISTIC SERVICES, THE PRIESTS RECEIVED
DANA (GIFTS) AND DAKSHINA (SACRIFICIAL OFFERINGS)
 SENANI – CHIEF OF THE FORCES
 VRAJPATI – OFFICER WHO CONTROLLED THE TERRITORY
 GRAMINI – LEADER OF THE VILLAGE AND FIGHTING UNIT
 NO TAXATION SYSTEM AND THERE IS NO EVIDENCE OF ANY OFFICER CONCERNED WITH THE
COLLECTION OF TAXES PROBABLY, THE CHIEF RECEIVED VOLUNTARY OFFERINGS CALLED
“BALI” FROM THE PEOPLE
 THERE IS ALSO NO MENTION OF ANY OFFICER FOR ADMINISTERING JUSTICE
THE VEDIC CULTURE
POLITICAL CONDITION
 ASSEMBLIES
 SABHA – SMALLER BODY MEANT FOR ELITES
 SAMITI – BROAD-BASED FOLK ASSEMBLY, PRESIDED OVER BY THE RAJAN
 VIDATHA – TRIBAL ASSEMBLY WITH DIVERSE FUNCTIONS MENTIONED 122 TIMES
 WOMEN ALSO ATTENDED THE SABHA AND VIDATHA IN RIG VEDIC TIMES
 THE SABHA AND SAMITI WERE IMPORTANT ASSEMBLIES FROM A POLITICAL POINT OF VIEW
AND THE KING SHOWED EAGERNESS TO WIN THEIR SUPPORT
THE VEDIC CULTURE
POLITICAL CONDITION
MILITARY ADMINISTRATION
 THE KING DID NOT MAINTAIN ANY REGULAR OR STANDING ARMY, BUT IN TIMES OF WAR, HE MUSTERED A
MILITIA WHOSE MILITARY FUNCTIONS WERE PERFORMED BY DIFFERENT TRIBAL GROUPS CALLED VRATA,
SARDHA OR GANA. THE RIG VEDIC CHARIOTEERS USED VARMA (COATS OF MAIL) AND SIPRA/ SIRONASTRA
(HELMETS) AND WENT TO COMBAT EQUIPPED WITH ASI (SWORDS), HANAS (ARROWS) AND ILHIANUS (BOWS)
 THE ARYANS HAVE ENGAGED IN TWO TYPES OF BATTLES WITH OTHER ARYAN TRIBES AND PRE-ARYANS
CALLED DASA
 AMONGST THEMSELVES – TWO SUCH BATTLES HAVE BEEN MENTIONED
 A BATTLE OCCURRED BETWEEN A BHARATA KING DIVODASA (WINNER) AND DASA RULER SHAMBARA
 THE BATTLE OF TEN KINGS (DASARAJNA) – THIS WAS FOUGHT BETWEEN THE BHARATA CHIEF SUDAS,
GRANDSON OF DIVODASA ON ONE SIDE, AND OTHER TRIBES ON THE OTHER SIDE INCLUDING THE
FAMOUS FIVE TRIBES (PANCH-JANA), NAMELY, THE YADU, TURVASHA, PURU, ANU AND DRUHYU ON THE
BANKS OF THE RIVER PAURUSHNI (RAVI)
 THE BHARATA JOINED HANDS WITH THE PURUS TO FORM THE KURU TRIBE, WHO FURTHER ALLIED WITH
PANCHALAS AND ESTABLISHED THEIR CONTROL OVER THE UPPER GANGA VALLEY
THE VEDIC CULTURE
ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL CONDITION
 Economic
 THEY WERE PASTORAL AND CATTLE-REARING PEOPLE
 THEY PRACTISED AGRICULTURE BUT IT WAS INFERIOR TO PASTORAL ACTIVITIES
 THEY HAD HORSE CHARIOTS
 CRAFTSMEN LIKE CARPENTERS, WEAVER, LEATHER WORKER, POTTERS, METAL WORKER
 THE TERM’ AYAS’ WAS USED FOR COPPER OR BRONZE METAL NOT IRON
 RIVERS WERE USED FOR TRANSPORT
 THEY LIVED IN MUD FORT SETTLEMENTS NOT CITIES
 Social
 KINSHIP WAS THE BASIS OF SOCIETY, AND CLAN WAS THE IDENTITY, BUT PRIMARY LOYALTY WAS TO THE
JANA
 JANA-VIS-GRAMA-KULA WERE THE SOCIAL UNITS
 PRIMITIVE FORM OF MARRIAGE WITH POLYANDRY (e.g. MARUTS AND RODASI, ASVINS AND SURYA ) AND
WIDOW REMARRIAGE WAS ALLOWED
 WOMEN ENJOYED A RESPECTABLE POSITION
 THEY WERE ALLOWED TO TAKE PART IN SABHAS AND SAMITIS. THERE WERE WOMEN POETS TOO (APALA,
LOPAMUDRA, VISWAVARA AND GHOSA)
 CATTLE, ESPECIALLY COWS, BECAME VERY IMPORTANT
 MONOGAMY WAS PRACTISED, BUT POLYGAMY WAS OBSERVED AMONG ROYALTY AND NOBLE FAMILIES.
 THERE WAS NO CHILD MARRIAGE
 SOCIAL DISTINCTIONS EXISTED BUT WERE NOT RIGID AND HEREDITARY
 COTTON AND WOOLLEN FABRICS WERE SPUN AND USED
 INITIALLY, TRADE WAS CONDUCTED THROUGH THE BARTER SYSTEM, BUT LATER ON, COINS CALLED
‘NISHKA’ WERE IN USE
LATER VEDIC CULTURE
 POLITICAL CONDITION
 ARYANS MOVED EASTWARDS AND OCCUPIED WESTERN AND EASTERN UP
 CHIEF’S POWER INCREASED, AND VARIOUS SACRIFICES WERE PERFORMED HIM TO ENHANCE HIS POSITION
 SACRIFICES WERE RAJASUYA (CONSECRATION CEREMONY), VAJAPEYA (CHARIOT RACE) AND ASHWAMEDHA (HORSE
SACRIFICE)
 THE SABHAS AND SAMITIS DIMINISHED IN IMPORTANCE
 THE VIDATHA DISAPPEARED THE SABHA WAS NOW DOMINATED BY NOBLES AND BRAHMANAS
 THE FORMATION OF EARLY KINGDOMS AND TRIBAL AUTHORITY TENDED TO BECOME TERRITORIAL
 HEREDITARY SUCCESSION OF THE CHIEFS NOT ALWAYS SMOOTH FOR EXAMPLE, MAHABHARAT
 THE KING AND THE RATNINS
 SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC CONDITION
 THE VARNA SYSTEM OF SOCIAL DISTINCTION BECAME MORE DISTINCT, WHICH BECAME LESS BASED ON OCCUPATION AND MORE ON HEREDITARY
 THE FOUR DIVISIONS OF SOCIETY IN DECREASING SOCIAL RANKING WERE:
 BRAHMANAS (PRIESTS)
 KSHATRIYAS (RULERS)
 VAISHYAS (AGRICULTURISTS, TRADERS AND ARTISANS)
 SHUDRAS (SERVERS OF THE UPPER THREE CLASSES)
LATER VEDIC CULTURE
 SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC CONDITION
 PGW POTTERY CULTURE AND IRON TOOLS IN UPPER GANGETIC BASIN
 MORE THAN 700 SITES HAVE BEEN FOUND e.g KURUKSHETRA, HASTINAPUR, PANCHALA, ATARAJIKHERA, BHAGWANPURA
 USE OF SHYAMAAYAS/KRISHNA AYAS IN LATER VEDIC TEXTS
 SATAPATHA BRAHMAN MENTIONS MANY PLOUGHING RITUALS, JANAKA AND BALARAM LEGENDS
 WITH BARLEY, RICE, AND WHEAT BECAME IMPORTANT CROPS
 DEVELOPMENT OF CRAFTS LIKE CARPENTER, WEAVER, LEATHER WORK, METAL SMITHS, POTTERY (B & RW, RED WARE, PGW, BLACK SLIPPED
WARE), JEWELLERS
 LIVED IN MUD HOUSES, WATTLE AND DAUB HOUSES, WOODEN PLOUGHSHARE
 PRIMARILY RURAL, BUT SOME TRACES OF PRIMITIVE TOWNS FROM HASTINAPUR AND KAUSHAMBI
 AGRICULTURE BECAME THE PRIMARY SOURCE OF LIVELIHOOD. PEOPLE STARTED SETTLED LIFE AND COULD PRODUCE MARGINAL SPAR E CROPS
TO SUPPORT CHIEFS AND PRIESTS
 Social
 Brahman became powerful (earlier only one of the 16 priests)
 WOMEN WERE NOT PERMITTED TO ATTEND PUBLIC ASSEMBLIES LIKE SABHAS AND SAMITIS. THEIR POSITION IN SOCIETY DETERIORATED
 SUB-CASTES BASED ON OCCUPATION ALSO EMERGED. THE GOTRA WERE INSTITUTIONALISED.
 PASTORALISM AND AGRICULTURE WERE THE CHIEF OCCUPATION
 INDUSTRIAL WORK LIKE METALWORK, POTTERY AND CARPENTRY WORK ALSO WAS THERE.
LATER VEDIC CULTURE
 SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC CONDITION
 Social
 PRAJAPATI (CREATOR) AND VISHNU (PRESERVER) BECAME IMPORTANT GODS.
 INDRA AND AGNI LOST THEIR SIGNIFICANCE.
 THE IMPORTANCE OF PRAYERS DIMINISHED, AND RITUALS AND SACRIFICES BECAME MORE ELABORATE.
 THE PRIESTLY CLASS BECAME VERY POWERFUL, AND THEY DICTATED THE RULES OF THE RITES AND RITUALS. BECAUSE OF THIS ORTHODOXY,
BUDDHISM AND JAINISM EMERGED TOWARDS THE END OF THIS PERIOD
RECOMMENDATIONS TO WATCH
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_v_-Lk2k0VQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slgzvgfzCeU

https://vedicheritage.gov.in/introduction/