THE LATER
VEDIC PERIOD
THE LATER VEDIC AGE
Time period : from 1,000 BCE to 600 BCE
time when later Vedas, Upanishads were
composed
Place of settlement: Gangetic valley – renamed as ‘Aryavarta’ –
‘Land of the Aryans’
Another name: Epic Age
Ramayana, Mahabharata were written during
this period.
THE LATER VEDIC AGE SOURCES
three later Vedas – Atharva Veda, Sama Veda,
Yajur Veda
the epics – Ramayana, Mahabharata
archaeological evidences – Hastinapur, upper
Gangetic plains – use of iron indicated
POLITICAL ORGANIZATION
Small tribal organisations
Kingdoms established:
Kuru (near modern Delhi)
Kosala (Awadh)
Magadha (Patna, Gaya)
Kashi (Varanasi)
Large kingdoms
POLITICAL ORGANIZATION
THE KING
kings – all powerful
kingship – hereditary
sabha and samiti lost importance
size of the kingdom increased – more officials in charge –
more departments
KING’S BELIEFS
Rajasuya yagna
Ashwamedha yagna
Confer supreme power on the
King
horse sacrifice
God’s representative on Earth
Establish undisputed
authority over which the
horse moved unchallenged.
Social life
Classification of society
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Four varnas
More rigid – hereditary
Caste decided by birth
Inter – caste marriages not allowed
Caste system became deep rooted
Ruling class – brahmanas, kshatriyas
Social life
Family
Joint family system – importance increased
Birth of sons
Women inferior to men – stopped from going to
assemblies – only serve husbands, take care of
family – allowed in religious ceremonies
The Four Ashramas
4 stages of an Aryans life …….
Brahmacharya – gurukul with guru – education
Grihastha – married – family life as a householder
Vanaprastha – give up worldly life – to forest to meditate
Sanyasa – renounce all worldly ties – ascetic – spreading
the message of his religion and truth.
Gurukul system of education
entrance in gurukul at the age of 7
receive education till 25 years
gurukuls – deep in the forest
students like guru’s children
guru – spiritual father
simple, disciplined lives
students cleaned house, drew water, gathered wood,
worked in the fields
oral method of teaching, learning
guru dakshina according to means
women not allowed to receive education
Religion
New Gods – Brahma (creator), Vishnu (preserver), Shiva
(destroyer)
Complex mode of worship
Elaborate rituals, sacrifices
Rise in the brahmana’s status – only capable person to
perform religious rituals
Hinduism – way of life
Indus
Sindhu (Sanskrit)
Hindu
roots – Indus valley culture
not founded by a spiritual leader – philosophy, a way of
life
social, religious beliefs of Indus valley, Aryans
Shakti – omnipresent – single force/energy – created
world = God – different forms
Hindu philosophy
Dharma – moral duty –do the right – pious life
Karma – as you sow, so shall you reap, present and future
ruled by actions or karma
Transmigration of soul – immortal soul – only body dies –
souls live on and migrate into new bodies and are
reborn
Original source of Hindu philosophy - Upanishads
Economic life
settled life – main occupation – agriculture
revolution in farming – iron – better farming implements
– more prosperity
painted grey vessels – made used – found in sites of
Northern India
growth of towns, cities – trade – barter system
Impact of Aryan culture
cradle of Indian culture
Hinduism of today – roots – Vedas, Upanishads
Sanskrit language + Vedic literature = unity of most
Indians