Pre-Vedic and Vedic History

Question 1

How did they find evidence of pre-vedic civilization?

Answer 1

series of sites excavated in modern day pakistan in the 1920s. They discovered the Indus Valley Civilization (IVC)

Question 2

What were the two main cities of the Indus Valley Civilization? When was its peak?

Answer 2

Mohenjo-daro and Harappa
2200-1900 BCE

Question 3

What were characteristics of the IVC?

Answer 3

uniform material culture like streets and buildings, domesticated animals, many metals, grain storage, wheeled transport

Question 4

What examples of archeological evidence of the IVC are there?

Answer 4

drainage systems
baths
boats
metal sculptures
3D scupltures of women
IVC seals (most famously one with a figure sitting on a platform, maybe a yogi!)

Question 5

What is Vedic tradition?

Answer 5

an early group of people who used the sanskirt language
called themselves aryan (meaning noble)
Follow the Vedas (veda=”sacred knowledge”)

Question 6

What are the 4 Vedas?

Answer 6

Rgveda: early hymns
Yajurveda: mostly ritual texts
Samaveda: sung hymns
Atharveda: mixed content (most recent addition)

Vedas compiled in 1200-1000 BCE

Question 7

What are the four layers of each Veda?

Answer 7

Samphitas: early collections of hymns and mantras
Brahmanas: theological/ritual commentaries
Aranyakas: wilderness texts
Upanisads: secret philosophical texts learned sitting at the feet of the teacher

Question 8

What are the Dharmasutras or Dharmasastras?

Answer 8

Secondary Vedic texts giving instructions on dharma. Ex. The Law Book of Yajnavalkya

Question 9

What is notable about Vedic ritual?

Answer 9

There are no temples or permanent structures, only portable temporary sacred spaces.
Also based on principle of reciprocal exchange

Question 10

Yajna/homa

Answer 10

fire sacrifice; offerings made into a sacred fire by priests (ritual specialists)

Question 11

Agni

Answer 11

ritual fire that conveys offerings to the gods, refers to the diety of fire

Question 12

Soma

Answer 12

sacred drink

Question 13

What is Vedic dharma?

Answer 13

ritual propriety that “upholds” cosmic order (rta)

Question 14

Indra

Answer 14

Leader of the Vedic gods; associated with rain, battle, the sky

Question 15

Agni

Answer 15

deified ritual fire (recieves and transports offerings to gods)

Question 16

Soma

Answer 16

the deified drink derived from pressing the soma plamt

Question 17

Vac

Answer 17

speech embodied goddess, precursor to Sarasvati

Question 18

Vishnu

Answer 18

minor deity associated with the sky and space; famously took three steps that covered the while universe

Question 19

Rudra

Answer 19

minor, fierce deity who later became identified with the post-Vedic deity Siva.

Question 20

What are the goals of early Vedic ritual?

Answer 20

prosperity and thriving in the world
political, social and cosmic order
safeguarding ancestors
heaven (svarga)