Early Vedic Period

Vedic Civilization

Ø There are four Vedas and 1500 B.C. to 1000 B.C. is called Early Vedic period and 1000 B. C. to 600 B.C. is called Later Vedic Era. The people of this era are called Aryans. Aryan and Harappa people were different. Aryans used no script, while Harappan people did.Sapta-Sindhu was the region inhabited by early Aryans in which core area was Punjab and Haryana. Ganga was the eastern boundary. After some time near 10000 BC ,due to enhanced knowledge of tools ,they started moving eastward by clearing forests and main area was UP and near 600 BC they reached Bihar where tribal and Semi-Nomadic life was practiced. In Bihar where they got Iron which leads towards future development, more tension, more conflicts due to black metal. The story of ‘Agni’ and Videhamadhav depict eastward movement as narrated in Sathpath Brahman.

Rigvedic Age

It is called “Vedic’ because information about life of people mainly comes from the Vedas.

Sindhu and Saraswati – Most revered rivers.

Four Rivers out from famous Sapt-Sindhav

1.      Kubha- Kabul

2.      Suvastu-Swat

3.      Kramu- Kurram

4.      Gomati- Gomal

Rigvedic Sapt-Sindhav
1.	Sindhu	Sindhu
2.	Vitasta	Jhelum
3.	Parushani	Ravi
4.	Vipasa	Beas
5.	Sarsuti	Saraswati
6.	Askini	Chenab
7.	Shutudari	Satluj

Sr. No	Place	Said By
1	Central Asia	Maxmuller
2	Tibbet	B.G. Tilak in Geeta Rahasya
3	Germany	Panka
4	Europe	S.Williams Jones
5	Russia	Chiles
6	Hungary	Giles
7	Brahma Rishi Desh	Ganga Nath Jha
8	Mesopotamia	G. Childe

About Rig-Veda:

1. Only One reference of Ganga is there in Rig-Veda.

2. Drishadavati-River mentioned in Rig-Veda

3. Rig-Veda contains 1028 mantras and 10 mandals.

4. Jan word- 275 times in Rig-Veda.

5. Kshatriya- Nine time in Rig-Veda.

6. Sabha- Eight time in Rig-Veda.

7. Janapada - 3 times mentioned in Rigveda.

8. Shudra- Once mentioned in Rig-Veda.

9. Vaishya- Once mentioned in Rig-Veda.

Word In Vedic Civilization	Meaning
Nivi	Loin cloth
Vas	All over body cover like chadar
Bali	Voluntary contribution by people
Yava	‘Barley’ only known crop (grain)
Kulala and Sira	Potters were called.
Ayas	Copper or Bronze .only a few refers it to iron which is Shyam Ayas
Urder, Dhanya & Vapanti – Three words mentioned in Rig-Veda	For agriculture
Langala	Wooden plough
Anas	Ox-cart
Bhishaj	Medico-man
Aghanya
Tvashtri	Non Aryan God
‘Urihi’	Transplantation of paddy surplus production
‘Kushidi’	Money
‘Kushidin’	usurer
‘Urna’	wool
‘Bhaga’	taxation
Gomat	richman
Godhuli	Measure of Time
Gavishti	Search of Cow
Duhitric	Daughter;milcher of cow
Gareshna	Battle

Ø Ganga was perhaps the eastern bounds & not included ; Swat valley- Inhabited by Rigvedic Aryan; Region was Afghan, Punjab (IND and Pak), Haryana and Rajasthan

About Society:

Ø Family- Patriarchal, combined family ,Eldest male head of family

Ø ‘Vidath’- meeting also attended by woman

Ø Gramani- Head of Gram

Ø Vidath, Sabha and Samiti- Three people assembly

Ø Hierarchy: Kula->Gram->Vish->Jan

Ø Women can choose their husband and no parda system

About Political system:

Ø Five famous’ Jana’- Yadu, Anu,Drahyu, Puru, Turvasu

Ø Rajan was the head in war if he fails he get thrown out and some other takes his place

Ø Battle of Ten kings mentioned in Rig-Veda; King of Bharat (purohit-Vishwamitra)defeated Ten Kings

Ø Sudas and Divodas- Famous rulers of ‘Bharat Jan’ separate from above five

Ø Gayatri Mantra is devoted to ‘Savitri’

Vedic Life Comparison
	Early Vedic period	Later Vedic Period	6th Century BC
Place	Sapt-Sindhav	UP	Bihar and eastern area
polity	Tribes(Jana)	Janapada(Merger of Jana like Puru+Bharat=Kuru)	Mahajanapada
Economy	Pastoral	Settled Agricultural	Surplus production, trade with barter system
Society	Simple Society	Varna system only high and lower caste(four) was added at fag end of Rig-Veda	Clashes of Varnas
Religion	Nature No temple no priest ,Indra and Agni were imp God	Priest dominated ,ritual oriented, New Gods Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh came into the picture	Jainism and Buddhism
Pottery	Ochre colored pottery	Painted grey ware	North Black Polished ware
Coins	No	Word used ‘Nishaka’ which mistook as gold coin but it is a ref to weight	Earliest evidence of coin
Women	They were educated and knew about mantras and rituals	Education declined, marriage age declined from 16 to 10-12