Rig Vedic | Early Vedic Period

RigVedic / Early Vedic Period (1500 BC - 1000 BC)

Geographical Area 

• Location - Himvant (Himalayas), Munjavant (Hindu Kush)
• Rigvedic is the only source of knowledge for this period
• In Rigveda mentioned 40 rivers
• Nadisukta hymn of the Rigveda mention 21 rivers (Ganga in the East & Kumbha/Kabul in the West)
• Rigvedic people called themselves "Aryan" (Area which came first to be known as Sapta Sindhu - Land of Seven rivers)
• Sindhu was five tributaries - Vitasta/Jhelum , Asikani/Chenab , Vipas/Beas , Parushni/Ravi , Sutuadri/Sutlej & Saraswati/Sarsuti
• Other Rig Vedic names - Drishadvati/Ghaggar , Kumbha/Kabul , Suvastu/Swati , Krumu/Kurram , Gomati/Gomal

• In Rig Vedic - Sindhu/Indus (most mentioned river) , Saraswati (most pious river)
• Mention of Ganga - 1 time , mention of Yamuna - 3 times
• The Dasrajan War (The Battle of ten kings) - Internecine war of the Aryans & Sudas (Bharata king of Tritsus family) ; Battle was fought on the bank of Parushni/Ravi river , In which Sudas(Bharata) emerged victorious

Polity

• The Kula (the family) was the basis of both social & political organization
• Kula were the Grama , the Vis , the Jana , and the Rashtra
• A group of Kula (family) formed a Grama (the Village) 
• Monarchy and Non - Monarchical polities were also there
• Government - Patriarchal Nature
• Purohita/Domestic Prist - First ranking official
• Rashtra was ruled by a king/Rajan
• Senani - Royal official (army chief)
• Gramani - Head of Village
• Rig Veda speaks of assemblies such as Sabha , Samiti , Vidath , Gana
• Sabha & Samiti acted as check on the arbitrary rule of Kings
• Later Vedas records that the Sabha functioned as a court of justice

Society

• The Rigvedic society comprised four Varnas - Brahmana , Kshatriya , Vaisya and Shudra (classification of society was based on the professions or occupation of the individuals)
• Brahamanas - Teacher & Priest
• Kshatriyas - Rulers and Administrators
• Vaishyas - Farmers , Merchants and Bankers
• Shudras - Artisans and Labourers
• Child marriage was not in vogue
• Niyoga - A widow could marry the younger brother of her deceased husband
• Kshira-pakamodanam - mention of grain cooked with milk
• Aghanya - Cow was not to be killed
• Alcoholic drink , Sura and Soma were also consumed
• Aryan were primarily agriculture and pastoral people who reckoned their wealth in term of cows

Religion

• Nature of Rigvedic religion was Henotheism (belief in many god)
• God worshipped were personified power of Nature
• Believed that divine powers were capable of conferring both boons and punishment on man
• Fire was sacred as it was regarded to be the intermediate between man and God
• There were nearly 33 gods 

Later day tradition classified them into 3 categories

1. Terrestrial (Prithvisthana) - Prithivi , Agni , Soma , Brihaspati and river
2. Aerial / Intermediate (Antarikshasthaniya) - Indra , Rudra , Vayu-Vata , Parjanya
3. Celestial (Dyusthaniya) - Daus , Surya (In 5 forms : Surya , Savitri , Mitra , Pushan , Vishnu) , Varuna , Aditi , Usha and Asvin

Indra , Agni and Varuna were the most popular deities of Rigvedic Aryans

• Indra / Purandara (destroyer of the fort , War lord or Rain god) - The most important god (250 Rigvedic hymns are devoted to him)
• Agni (Fire) - Second most important god (200 Rigvedic hymns are devoted to him)
• Varuna (Water) - Rita or the natural order (Ritasyagopa)

Surya (Sun) - Worshipped in five form (Surya , Savitri , Mitra , Pushan , Vishnu) , drive daily across the sky in his chariot driven by Seven Horse

• Savitri (god of light) - The famous Gayatri Mantra is addressed to her
• Mitra - A Solar god
• Pushan - The god of marriage, main function - guardian of roads , herdsmen and straying cattle
• Vishnu - A god which covered earth in three steps (Upakraman)

Soma - 

• Originally a plant producing a potent drink during course of Agnishtoma sacrifice, could be hemp/bhang called king of plants
• Identified later with the Moon
• The 9th mandala of Rig Veda , which contains 114 hymns is attributed to the Soma
• That's way it's called Soma Mandala

Other Gods / Goddesses 

• Rudra - God of Animals
• Dyaus (God of Sky) - Oldest god & father of the world
• Yama - The god of death
• Ashwin / Nastya - God of health , youth & immortality
• Aditi - Great Mother of Good
• Sindhu - River Goddess

Economy

• Not familiar with Cat , Camel & Tiger
• Familiar with Lion , Elephant & Boar
• Money & Market were known
• Cow & Gold - Medium of Exchange (Monarchial form)
• Coin were not known
• Family was Patriarchal in Nature
• Aryans are propounder of Vedic Civilization
• Language - Arya , Sanskrit
• OCP (Ochre Coloured Pottery) Culture : 1500 BC - 1000 BC

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