UPSC History The vedic period - Early vedic period, Later vedic period and sangam period Short Notes - The Vedic Period

The Vedic Period

• The Vedic Period or the Vedic Age refers to the period when the Vedic Sanskrit texts were composed in India.
• Literally 'Aryans' means - the 'best' or 'eminent'.
• The Aryans are supposed to have migrated from Central Asia into the Indian Subcontinent in Several stages during 2000 to 1500 B.C.
• In order to prove their supremacy the Aryans called themselves 'The Aryas' and they called their opponents 'Anarya', 'Dasyu' or 'Das'.
• The Rigveda [1500-1000 BC) consists of 1028 hymns. These hymns were sung in honour of various gods and were recited by Hotri.
• The Gaytri Mantra had been discovered from the Rig Veda.
• The Sindhu and its tributaries are called Sapta Sindhu.
• The Yajur Veda is a book of sacrificial prayers. It is written in both verse and prose.
• The Sama Veda consists of 1549 hymns. It is a book of chants for singing during sacrifices.

• The Atharva Veda is a book of magical formulae which reflects the popular conventions and rituals of that period.
• The Brahmans were composed after the Vedas to explain the hymns of th Vedas. They are written in prose and ritualistic in nature.

Veda and their Brahmans

Rigveda             - Aitareya and Kaushitiki orShankhyan.

Samveda           - Panchvisa (Tandya Mahabrahman), Shadvinsh Brahman, Jaiminiya Brahman.

Yajurveda          - Shatapath [the oldest and the largest Brahman) and Taittariya.

Atharva Veda    - Gopath (A treatise on medical science, charms and magic).

• The Aranyakas were written mainly for the hermits and the jungle living students.
• The Upanishadas are anti-ritualistic discussing about the relations between Brahma (God) and Jiva (Creature).
• Upanishadas are philosophical texts and are called Vedanta as they came towards the end of the Veda.
• Vrihadaranyaka is the oldest Upani- shadas among all the 108 Upanishadas.
• According to Rigveda, the famous Dasrajan Yuddha or the battle of ten kings was fought between Sudas, a Bharat King of the Tritsu family, and the confederacy of ten well-known tribes - Puru, Yadu, Turvasa, Anu, Druhyu, Alina, Paktha, Bhalnas, Siva and Vishanin.
• In the bloody and decisive battle on the banks of river Parushni, the Bharatas emerged victorious.
• Sabha and Samiti (Popular Assemblies) controlled the affairs of Vedic states. These two assemblies were called the two daughters of Prajapati.

Important Terminologies

The Kula -the family

The Gram -the village

The Visha- the clan

The Jana- the people

            The Rashtra -the nation

• The Vedic Aryans worshipped the forces of nature such as Earth, Fire, Wind, Rain and Thunder; their main occupation was cattle rearing.
• The King was responsible for the protection of the tribe.
• Vedang were composed during post- vedic period. Shiksha, Kalpa, Vyakaran, Nirukta, Chhanda and jyotish are the six vedangas.

Vedang Dealt in

Shiksha –Phonetics

Kalpa- Rituals

Vyakarana –Grammar

Nirukta –Etymology

Chanda- Metrics

Jyotish

• Upvedaswere composed after Vedangas.

Four Upvedas are : Ayurveda (med-

icine); Gandharvaveda (Music); Dh-

anurveda (Archery) and Shilpaveda

(Craft and Wealth).

• Puranas means 'the old' and they are

18 in number.

• Ashtadhyayi is the first grammar of the world written by Panini.
• The Ramayana and the Mahabharata are the two Indian epics.
• Darshans are the auxiliary treatise of the Vedas. The six schools of Indian philosophy are called Shad Darshan.

Nyaya Darshana         -Akshpad Gautam

Vaisheshik Darshana   -Maharshi Kanad

Shankhay Darshana    -Kapil Muni

Yoga Darshana           -Patanjali

purva Mimamsa           -lamini

Uttar Mimansha           -Badrayan Rishi

• Literally 'Smriti' means 'remembrance'.

All the Smritis were composed during

Gupta's period