Vedic Civilization The Early Aryans Political Organization

Unfortunately, the origin of the Vedic civilization and its relation to the Indus Valley civilization remains highly controversial. See the Aryan Invasion Theory. The texts describe a geography that some believe to be north India. The greatest river of the Rigveda was Sarasvati, often identified with the defunct Hakra river in Pakistan, but which ceased to reach the sea by about 1900 BC20th century BC 19th century BC 18th century BC other centuries) ( 3rd millennium BC 2nd millennium BC 1st millennium BC) Events Hittite empire in Anatolia 1829 1818 BC Egyptian-Nubian war 1818 BC Egyptian Campaign in Palestine 1813 BC Amorite Conquest of. Now, a dry river bed that has been seen to fit the description of the old Saraswati River has been found in modern-day North-West IndiaThe Republic of India is a large multicultural country in South Asia, with a population of over one billion. The Indian economy is the fourth largest in the world, in terms of purchasing power parity, and is the world's second-fastest growing economy.. Our knowledge of the early Aryans comes mainly from the Rigveda, the earliest of the Vedas.

1.1 Political organization

The grama (village), vis and jana were political units of the early AryansThe Aryan race is a concept which reached its height of popularity during the 19th century and first half of the 20th century. Inspired by the discovery of the Indo-European language family, 19th century ethnologists speculated that all " white" European. A vis was probably a subdivision of a jana and a grama was probably a smaller unit than the other two. The leader of a grama was called gramani and that of a vis was called vispati. Another unit was the gana whose head was a jyeshta (elder).

The rashtra (state) was governed by a rajan (king). The king is often referred to as gopa (protector) and samrat (supreme ruler). He governed the people with their consent and approval. It is possible that he was sometimes elected. The sabha and samiti were popular councils.

The main duty of the king was to protect the tribe. He was aided by two functionaries, the purohita (chaplain) and the senani (army chief; sena: army). The former not only gave advice to the ruler but also practiced spells and charms for success in war. Soldiers on foot (patti) and on chariotFor the torpedo-shaped underwater vehicle ridden by two frogmen sometimes referred to as 'chariot', see Human torpedo''. Hittite chariot (drawing of an egyptian relief) A chariot is a two-wheeled, horse-drawn vehicle. In Latin biga is a two-horse chariot,s (rathins), armed with bow and arrow were common. The king employed spasa (spies) and dutas (messengers). He often got a ceremonial gift, bali, from the people.

1.2 Society and economy

Rig Vedic society was characterized by a nomadic lifestyle with cattleCattle are domesticated ungulates, a member of the subfamily Bovinae of the family Bovidae. They are raised as livestock for meat (called beef and veal), dairy products ( milk), leather and as draught animals (pulling carts, plows and the like). In some c rearing being the chief occupation. The Aryans kept herds of cattle and cows were held in high esteem. MilkMilk most often means the nutrient fluid produced by the mammary glands of female mammals (including monotremes such as the Australian platypus). It provides the primary source of nutrition for newborns, before they are able to digest more diverse foods. was an important part of the diet. AgricultureFarming, ploughing rice paddy, in Indonesia Agriculture is the process of producing food, feed, fiber and other desired products by cultivation of certain plants and the raising of domesticated animals (livestock). Agriculture is also known as farming . was of equal importance and went hand in hand with cattle rearing. It grew more prominent with time as the community settled down. The cow was also the standard unit of barterBarter is a simple form of trade where goods or services are exchanged for a certain amount of other goods or services, i. there is no money involved in the transaction. Barter trade was common in societies where no monetary system existed or in economies; coins were not used in this period.

Families were patrilineal, and people prayed for abundance of sons. Education of women was not neglected, and some even composed Rig Vedic hymns. Marriage for love as well as for money was known. The concept of caste and hereditary nature of profession was unknown to the early Aryans. Society is divided into four major varna i.e. Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya and Shudra. Those who are outside these caste structure are known as untouchable.

The food of the early Aryans consisted of parched grain and cakes, milk and milk products, and various fruits and vegetables. Consumption of meat was common. A passage in the Rig Veda describes how to apportion the meat of a sacrificed horse. Beef was also eaten, although this practice gradually declined since the cow was a valuable resource: it is often described as aghnya (that which should not be killed). It must be borne in mind that vegetarianism took firm root in India only after the rise of Buddhism and Jainism in the sixth century BC.

1.3 Literature and Religion

Vedic or Hindu literature consists primarily of the Vedas; but also includes Shruti and various Smriti texts. The Vedic rites were meant to help the participant transform; this was primarily accomplished via sacrifices (such as the agnihotra).Hindu society is divided into caste and sub-castes. These are decided by birth.Those people who are out side caste structure are untouchable.

Astronomical references in the Vedas help provide some broad approximations that help date the beginning of the tradition. Due to the precession of the equinoxes, the seasons shift with relation to the fixed zodiac at a rate of about a month every two thousand years. Some Vedic notices mark the beginning of the year at the vernal equinox in Orion; this was the case around 4500 BC.

The rishis saw the universe as going through unceasing change in a cycle of birth and death, potentially free yet, paradoxically, governed by order. This order was reflected in the bandhu (connections) between the planets, the elements of the body, and the mind. At the deepest level, the whole universe was bound to, and reflected in, the individual consciousness.

The place of sacrifice represents the cosmos. The three fires used stand for the three divisions of space. The course of the sacrifice represents the year, and all such ritual forms part of continuing annual performances. The rite culminates in the ritual rebirth of the yajamana (sacrificer), which signifies the regeneration of his universe. It is sacred theatre, built upon paradoxes of reality, where symbolic deaths of animals and humans, including the yajamana himself, may be enacted.

The Vedic gods represent the cognitive centers of the self. Vedic science is the science of consciousness. These have evolved into the Hindu paths of Yoga and Vedanta, which is a religious path that is the 'essence' of the Vedas.

The Vedic pantheon is considered to consist of thirty-three different gods, which are placed, in groups of eleven, into one of the three different categories: atmospheric, terrestrial, or celestial, each of which has its own area of responsibility. But just because a god is in one category does not mean that it is completely different from a god from another category; for sometimes a god from one category will have some of the same qualities of a god from another category. This is because the Vedic system is recursive. It has developed into a broader group but it is also seen in Vedic philosophy that they are manifestations of one divine ground known as Brahman. This thought of unity is expressed severally in Vedic texts.

The categories of the gods are: 1) Agni, terrestrial; 2) Indra, atmospheric; and 3) Surya or Vishnu, celestial that mirrors the body, prana, and atman division of the individual. Since one aspires to reach the inner being through the prana (atmosphere), many Vedic hymns extol Indra.

2 The later Vedic period

The transition from the early to the later Vedic period was marked by the emergence of agriculture as the dominant economic activity and a corresponding decline in the significance of cattle rearing. Several changes went hand in hand with this. For instance, several large kingdoms arose because of the increasing importance of land and its protection. We now discuss several aspects of later Vedic/Hindu life in detail.

2.1 Kingdoms

Several small kingdoms and tribes merged to form a few large ones which were often at war with each other. 16 mahajanapadas (great kingdoms) are referred to in some of the literature. By this time the Aryan tribes had spread from their original home in the west to much of the east and the south. The power of the king greatly increased. Rulers gave themselves titles like ekarat (the one ruler), sarvabhumi (ruler of all the earth) and chakravartin (protector of land). Note that in early Vedic times he was called gopa, protector of cows. The kings performed sacrifices like rajasuya, (royal consecration) vajapeya (drink of strength) and ashvamedha (horse sacrifice). The coronation ceremony was a major social occasion. Several functionaries came into being in addition to the purohita and the senani of earlier times. The participation of the people in the activities of the government decreased.

2.2 Society

The concept of varna and the rules of marriage became more rigid, but not yet watertight. The status of the Brahmanas and Kshatriyas increased greatly. To legitimize their position and the increase their power, the Brahmanas proliferated a large number of sacrifices and developed specialization of an extreme order, and also restricted social mobility. The proper enunciation of verses was considered essential for prosperity and success in war. Kshatriyas amassed wealth, and commissioned the performance of sacrifices. Many rituals emerged to strengthen the alliance between these two groups. But the varna system in India has remained fluid.

3 References

R.C. Majumdar and others. An Advanced History of India, MacMillan, 1967.

Topics in Hinduism
Primary Scriptures:	Vedas \| Upanishads \| Bhagavad Gita Itihasa ( Ramayana & Mahabharata) \| Hindu Agamas
Other texts:	Tantras \| Sutras \| Puranas \| Brahma Sutras Hatha Yoga Pradipika \| Yoga Sutra \| Tirukural
Concepts:	Brahman \| Dharma \| Karma \| Moksha \| Maya Punarjanma \| Samsara
Schools & Systems:	Early Hinduism \| Samkhya \| Nyaya \| Vaisheshika Yoga \| Mimamsa \| Vedanta \| Tantra \| Bhakti \| Nandinatha Sampradaya
Traditional Practices:	Jyotish \| Ayurveda
Rituals:	Aarti \| Darshan \| Puja \| Satsang \| Thaal \| Yagnya
Gurus and Saints:	Shankara \| Ramanuja \| Madhwa \| Ramakrishna \| Vivekananda \| Aurobindo Ramana Maharshi \| Sivananda \| Yogaswami \| Sivaya Subramuniyaswami
Denominations:	Vaishnavism \| Saivism \| Shaktism Smartism \| Agama Hindu Dharma \| Contemporary movements

Hinduism Indian history

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1 The early Aryans