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Vedic Age Flashcards

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1
Q

Aryans

A

Came to India from Central Asia around 2000-1500 BC.
Aryan meant best or eminent.
According to Rig Veda the name Arya repeated 36 times indicating a cultural community.
Spoke Indo-European languages. Specimen found in Iranian inscription dating 2200 BC, Hittite inscriptions in Anatolia, Turkey from the 19th-17th century BC, Kassite inscription of 1600BC from Iraq and in Mitanni inscription of the 14th century BC from Syria.
Has many similarities with Avesta (oldest Iranian text).

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2
Q

Vedic Literature

A

4 Vedas: Rig, Sama, Yajur, Atharva
Their Vedangas
The Brahmanas
Aranyakas
Upanishads
Verbal transmission (Shruti): Vedas

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3
Q

Rig Veda

A

Oldest (1500-1000BC)
1028 hymns, 10 mandalas (books)
Upaveda of Rig Veda is the Ayurveda

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4
Q

Sama Veda

A

Veda of chants
Musical notations+ sacred songs
1000-600BC
Upaveda: Gandharva Veda
Branches of Sama Veda: Kauthuma, Ranayaniya, Jaiminiya

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5
Q

Yajurveda

A

Ritual knowledge
1000-600BC
Lays down procedures for sacrifices
Divided into Shukla Yajurveda/White yajurveda or Krishna yajurveda/black yajurveda
Upaveda: Dhanur veda

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6
Q

Atharva veda

A

1000-600BC
Magic spells to ward off evil spirits/dangers
20 khandas or books with 711 hymns
Shaunaka and Paippalada recensions
Upaveda: Shilpa veda

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7
Q

Brahmanas

A

Explain Vedic hymns
Each Veda had its own Brahmana:
Aitreya/kaushitaki: Rig Veda
Tandaya/Jaiminiya: Sama Veda
Taittiriya/Shatpatha: Yajur Veda
Gopath: Atharva veda

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8
Q

Aranyakas

A

Philosophies for forest-dwelling hermits and their disciples.

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9
Q

Upanishads

A

108 in total.
Philosophical ideas about sacrifice, body and universe.
Concepts of Atman and brahman explained in them.

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10
Q

Vedangas

A

Limbs of Vedas; procedures to chant Vedas.
6 in total:
Shiksha: phonetics
Nirukta: etymology
Chandas: metrics
Vyakarana: grammar
Jyotisha: astrology
Kalpa: rituals

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11
Q

Upavedas

A

4 in number
(Arthashastra – 5th Upaveda)

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12
Q

Sutra Sahitya

A

600-300BC
Appear in Brahmanas and Aranyakas
6 in number: Kalpa, Status, Sulva, Gruha, Dharma.

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13
Q

Vedic (1500-1000BC)

A

Eastern Afghanistan, NE Frontier province, Punjab, Western UP.

Rivers Kubha, Indus and its five branches are mentioned in the Rig Veda

Indian subcontinent was thus called the land of the seven rivers.

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14
Q

Rivers and their ancient names

A

Vitasta-Jhelum
Askini-Chenab
Parushim-Ravi
Vipasa-Beas
Sutudri-Sutlej
Gomati-Gomal
Kubha-Kabul
Sadanira-Gandak
Saraswati-Ghaggar

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15
Q

Vedic Polity

A

Nomadic system + militant
Tribal chief at the centre (Rajan). Hereditary.
Tribal and clan based assemblies held: sabha, samiti, vidhata, gana, etc.
Important priests: Vashishtha and Vishwamitra (composed Gayatri mantra)
Administrative officer: Senani

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16
Q

Vedic Society

A

Kinship - basis for social structure
Clan-based identity
Varna meant colour and distinctions were made between dasas (slaves) and aryas
Patriarchy was prevalent
Polygamy was practiced.
Women could attain spiritual and intellectual development, attend assemblies and perform sacrifices.
Levirate and widow remarriage took place.
Child marriage did not exist.
Social divisions were made on the basis of groups such as warriors, priests, and the people. And later slaves.
Tribal + egalitarian society as tax collection and accumulation of landed property was absent.
Painted grey ware was found.

17
Q

Vedic Economy

A

Pastoral
Cows were an important form of wealth.
Most wars wedged for the sake of cows (gavishthi).
Knowledge of agriculture, artisanship existed.
Rural in nature. Aryans did not live in cities.

18
Q

Religious life

A

Worship of nature
Prayers and sacrifices
Offerings of vegetables, barley, etc. to God’s
They asked for praja, pashu, food, wealth, health, etc.
Gods: Indra/Purandara, Agni, Varuna, Soma, Maruts, Aditi, Usha.

19
Q

Aryan-Dasyu Conflicts

A

Dasyus were original inhabitants of the country and the Aryans who overpowered them were Tasadasyu. They were also called Dasyuhartas (slaughterer of dasyus). They however also fought amongst themselves, for example:

The battle of 10 Kings (Dasrajan Yudha) fought between the Bharata tribe and the confederacy of 10 other tribes, 5 of which were Aryan and others non-Aryan, on the nsnld of river Parushni.

20
Q

Important Officials (Ratnis)

A

Purohita: chief priest
Senani: supreme commander of army
Vrajapati: officer incharge of pastures
Jivagribha: police officer
Spasas/dutas: spies
Gramani: village head
Kulapati: head of the family
Mahishi: chief queen
Bhagadugha: revenue collector
Sangrihitri: treasurer
Sthapati: chief judge

21
Q

Later Vedic Age (1000-600BC)

A

Use of iron (shyama/Krishna ayas) around 600BC.
Arrowheads, spearheads common from 800BC onwards.
Greater expansion + agriculture and craftsmanship.
Emergence ofNagaras (towns) settlements.
Pastoral to agricultural Society. Tribal to peasantry.
Varna-based divisions.

22
Q

Geographical expansion during later Vedic Age:

A

Territorial expansion Punjab (Saraswati -Drishadvati rivers) to Western UP (Ganga-Yamuna doab).
Kurus: Delhi (Kurukshetra
Panchalas: Hastinapur (Meerut, UP)
Mahabharata: 950BC.

23
Q

Later Vedic Polity

A

Bigger kingdoms + more power to chiefs
Sabhas and samitis dominated by chiefs & rich nobles, erasure of female presence.
Rashtra: Territory
King’s influence exalted by rituals, like Rajasuya, ashwamedha, etc. Chatriot race (Vajapeya) held.
No standing army, tribal units were assembled during war.

24
Q

Later Vedic Economy

A

Chief activity: agriculture
Shatpatha brahmana: ploughing rituals.
Barley, rice (vrihi) and wheat produced abundantly.
Commerce and trade through sea voyages.
Copper usage. Besides black and red waes, black lipped ware, painted grey ware and red ware.

25
Q

Later Vedic Society

A

4 Varna system
All three higher castes entitled to upanayanas, the Shudras were excluded.
Aitareya Brahmana stated that Shudras were servants of the upper castes and could be made to work and beaten at will.
Special privileges given to artisanal castes like that of the charioteers (Rathakaras).
Women’s status deteriorated as well.
The gotra system (cow pen) was introduced and thus gotra exogamy prevailed.
4 stages of life: brahmachari, grihastha, vanaprastha and sanyasa were established.

26
Q

Religious life of the later Vedic age

A

Aryan culture flourished under Brahmanical influence, which had only began to soar thanks to their important role in performing sacrifices for the kings.
The Gods Indra and Agni lost importance in the later Vedic stages and Prajapati was hailed mainly, besides Vishnu, Rudra, and other idolatry.
Shudra God: Pushan, cattle God.
Cows, gold, cloth and horses given as artisinal gifts. Sometimes land too was granted as dakshina to the priests.

27
Q

Important sanskaras or traditions

A

Namakarana: Naming ceremony
Annaprasana: first feeding of rice at 6 months
Karnavedha: ear piercing
Vidyarambha: learning the alphabet
Upanayana: holy thread ceremony
Samavartana: Graduation ceremony
Vivaha: marriage
Antyeshti: Funeral

28
Q

Kingdoms of the later Vedic period

A

Panchal: UP
Kushinagar: UP
Kashi: UP, Varanasi
Koshal: UP, Ayodhya
Uttara Madra: Near Amritsar
Southern Madra: Kashmir
Eastern Madra: Near Kangra
Kekaya: Gandhar
Gandhara: Afghanistan

ancient history (11 decks)

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