04. Later Rig Vedic Period Flashcards
Learn the social political economic and cultural scenarios in the later rig Vedic civilization
What is the political authority of a king?
Monarchy - Unlimited power
Reasons for rise in monarchy
Samithi declined
Sabha - easily controlled by king and later abolished
What are the four types of yagas the kings performed
Rajasuya
Vajapeya
Aswamedha
Naramedha
What is the sequence the king performing yagas
Common king - 1) Rajasuya
Common king becomes rajanya
Rajanya performs 2) Vajapeya
Then performs 3) Aswamedha
Rajanya become Samrat - emperor
Emperor is the Lord and becomes powerful
Which was the only yaga not performed in the Vedic Culture
Naramedha
Which king of which dynasty performed the naramedha yaga?
Madhava Varma of the Vishnukundali Dynasty in Andhra History
Who collected the mandatory taxes in the later rig Vedic period
Bhagadugha
Who collected the voluntary tax in the later rig Vedic period
Balisadhaka
Accounts officer who looked after gambling
Akshavapa
a poet, traditionally one reciting epics and associated with a particular oral tradition.
A poet and a singer of epics
In Sanskrit and English
Suth
Bard
What is the actual name and other names of Mahabharata
जयसंहिता Jayasamhita (collection of Victories)
Shata (100)
Sahasra (1000)
Samhitam (collection)
Because of the 100,000 shlokas (couplets)
Aka Panchama Vedam
What is the exact tax portion for bagha in the later rig vedic period
1/6 or 16.66% of the total crop production
What social system was introduced to initiate and maintain the chaturvanrna system in the later rig vedic period?
Varnashrama Dharma
What are the different dharmas under the varnashrama dharma?
- Brahmacharya
- Gruhasthya
- Vanaprastha
- Sanyasa
Where is varnashrama dharma mentioned in?
Jabala Upanishads
What is the schooling dharma in varnashrama dharma
Brahmacharya
What is the marriage dharma called
Gruhasthya
What is the forest living dharma called
Vanaprastha
What is the enlightenment dharma known as
Sanyasa
What were the dharmas eligible for the following varnas to follow
- Brahmins
- Kshatriya
- Vyshyas
- Sudras
- All 4 (but nobody really followed the 4 dharma)
- All the 3 except sanyasa
3 2 except sanyasa and vanaprastha
- None. They didn’t qualify
What is untouchability
A social stigma (social atrocities) shown by so called human beings to another human being in the form of physical distance and staying away from their close proximity
What are the two types of rig vedic marriage systems
And name the children born to them
- Aniloma
Male upper class + Female lower class
= Vrathya
- Prathiloma
Male lower class + female upper
= Chandola
What are the meanings of gotra
- Cow shed
2. Moola purush of a vansha
Main objective of Gotra system
- Protect holiness of blood
2. Regulate varnanthara marriages
What did Gotra system give rise to?
Gave the opportunity for the upper class people to act as lords
What are the three upper class called with regards to rebirth
Dvija
Ja = birth
Dvija = 2 births
the sacred thread worn (over the left shoulder and hanging under the right) by boys and men of the three द्विज (dvija, “twice-born”) castes.
यज्ञोपवीत• (yajñopavītá) n.
Yagnopavitham
Situation of women in the later rig vedic period
Freedom taken away
Polygamy
Polyandry
Dowri (Sthri Dhan)
Sati (Mostly only among Bhramins)
Restriction on widows
Girl child abortion
What was the major economic change in the later rig vedic period and when
Usage of iron since 1000 BC
What was the other name for iron
Syama Ayas’ in the Yajurveda and ‘Krishna Ayas’ in the Brahmanas
Flow of the dependence on Sudras (economic, iron)
Iron available for low prices
Drastic increase in agriculture
Sudras became agriculturalists and producers
The other three varnas started depending on sudhras to get work done.
What is known as the 2nd age of urbanization
Later rig vedic period is know as the 2nd town planning system
Why was LRVC called the second town planning system?
High agriculture
Surplus production
Increased investments
Trade and commerce developed
Town and cities developed which lead to urbanization
What where the traders and handloom weavers association collectively referred to as
Sreni system or the guild system
Other name for traders association and it’s head
Merchant Guild
Head: Sresti
Head of handloom weavers association
Jestaka
The dharma limitations is the guild system
Sreni Dharma
They decided
What to produce
The quality
Prices
Like the local head of the local market
Later rig Vedic pottery is known as
PGW - Painted Grey Ware
IVC pottery is known as
BPW - Black Polished Ware
PGWs were also known as in vedic literature
Neela - lohita
What was the major change in the religious structure in the later vedic phase?
Increased yagas and yagnas
increased the importance of purohiths
brahmins started controlling the religion
rig vedic religion turns to brahminical religions
what were the early rig vedic gods replaced by
Brahma
Vishnu
Maheshwara
Another name for Maheshwara and why
siva - were commonly used by non brahmins
who is the god of agriculture, birds, animals, marriages, etc.
Pusan
who is the god of wealth
Kubera
what is other name for kubera
nara-vahanadattha
two people who fought for power in the later rig vedic period
Brahmins and Kshatriyas
what was the result of the atrocities and corruption in the brahminical religion
revolution reformation giving rise to Buddhism and Jainism
What were the major categories of Vedic Literature
Sruthi
Smruthi
what were part of sruthi
Rig
Saman
Yajur
Atharva
what was part of sruthi
Rig
Saman
Yajur
Atharva
What was part of smruthi
Brahmanas Aranyakas upanishads vedangas 4 upa vedas sutras
What was the literary style of rig veda
poetic
how many shlokas in rig veda
1025
how many mandals
8 (2-9)
1 & 10 belong to the later rig vedic period
main theme of rig veda
praying to the various energy forms found in nature
brahmin who specializes in Rig Veda is called
Hotri
What is the content of Samavedam
ragam arohanam avrohanam meter ragas origin of indian music traditions
Brahmin who specializes in Samaveda
Udgatar
content of Yajurveda
how to perform yagas and yagnas
brahmin who specializes in yajurveda
adhvaryu
what is the theme of atharva veda
black magic
what were the main reason atharva veda was included as part of the vedas?
ganithasastra - indian mathematics
rekhaganitham - geometry
ayurveda
there were no brahmin specialization for atharva veda because
it was initially part of the non aryan communities
theme of kathopanishad
death
upanishad composed by yagnavalkya
brihadaranyaka
upanishad that deals with creation
ishopanishad
upanishad about krishna’s childhood
chandogya upanishad
upanishad about siva
swetha swatharopanishad
upanishad about parvati
kenopanishad
indian slogan in which upanishad
Satyameva Jayathe in mundaka upanishad
what are the 6 links/organs of vedas known as
ved-angas
what are the 6 vedangas
- Etimology - Niryuktha
- Phonetics - siksha
- Chants - arohanams and avarohanam
- Vyakaranam
- Ritual - Kalpa
- Astronomy - Jyotish
most important among vedangas
Kalpa
3 parts of kalpa vedanga
- gruha sutra: dharma sutra
2. srutha sutra: yagas of society - ashwamedha vajapeya etc.
importance of gruha sutra
origination of nyaya sastram - judiciary system
4 sub vedas knows as
upa vedas
what are the 4 upa vedas
- ayurveda (Body)
- silpa (sculpture and art)
- dhanurveda (archery)
- gandharva (music)