Unit 3: Vedic Civilisation & New Religious Systems

1. Introduction to Vedic Civilisation

This period (c. 1500 BCE – 600 BCE) is named after the Vedas, the sacred texts of the Indo-Aryans. It marks a shift from the urban IVC to a rural, pastoralist society that gradually becomes an agricultural, territorial kingdom. It is divided into two distinct phases.

2. Rig Vedic Period (Early Vedic Period)

(Approx. 1500 BCE – 1000 BCE)

Our knowledge of this era comes from the Rig Veda, the oldest of the Vedas. The society was centered in the Sapta-Sindhu (Punjab) region.

i) Rig Vedic Polity

• Tribal System: The main political unit was the tribe, or Jana. The king (*Rajan*) was a tribal chieftain, not an absolute ruler.
• King's Role: His main duty was to protect the tribe and its cattle (*Gopati* - Lord of Cattle). His position was often not hereditary.
• Assemblies: The king's power was checked by two important tribal assemblies:
  • Sabha: A council of elders.
  • Samiti: A general assembly of the entire tribe. Women were allowed to attend.

ii) Rig Vedic Economy

• Pastoralist: The economy was primarily pastoral (herding) and semi-nomadic. Cattle were the main source of wealth. Wars (*Gavishti*) were fought for cattle.
• Agriculture: It was a secondary occupation. They grew barley (Yava).

iii) Rig Vedic Society

• Kinship-Based: The family (*Kula*) was the basic unit.
• Status of Women: Women were highly respected. They could attend assemblies, participate in rituals, and even compose hymns (e.g., Lopamudra, Ghosha). Child marriage was not practiced.
• Varna System: The Varna (class) system was flexible and based on occupation (Karma), not birth. The Rig Veda (in a late hymn) mentions the four Varnas, but the hierarchy was not rigid.

iv) Rig Vedic Religion

• Nature Worship: They worshipped natural forces, personifying them as gods.
• Key Gods: Indra (war/storm), Agni (fire, the intermediary), and Varuna (cosmic order).
• Rituals: Worship was simple, involving sacrifices (Yajnas) to gain Praja (children) and Pashu (cattle). There were no temples and no idol worship.

3. Later Vedic Period

(Approx. 1000 BCE – 600 BCE)

This period saw profound changes as the Aryans moved eastward into the Ganga-Yamuna doab and began using iron, which led to an agricultural surplus.

i) Later Vedic Polity

• Rise of Kingdoms: The tribal *Janas* consolidated into territorial kingdoms called Janapadas (e.g., Kuru, Panchala).
• King's Power Increases: The king's position became hereditary and much more powerful. He performed complex sacrifices (Rajasuya, Ashvamedha) to prove his authority.
• Decline of Assemblies: The Sabha and Samiti lost their importance, and women were no longer allowed to attend.

ii) Later Vedic Economy

• Agricultural: With the use of iron ploughs, agriculture became the main occupation. Rice (Vrihi) and wheat became major crops.
• Crafts: New crafts like iron-smithing and pottery (Painted Grey Ware - PGW) emerged.

iii) Later Vedic Society

• Rigid Varna System: The Varna system became rigid, hierarchical, and based on birth (Janma). The Brahmins (priests) and Kshatriyas (warriors) dominated.
• Decline in Status of Women: The status of women declined significantly. They were barred from assemblies and lost their educational and property rights.
• Concept of Gotra: The system of *Gotra* (lineage) emerged.

iv) Later Vedic Religion

• Complex Rituals: Religion became dominated by complex, expensive, and lengthy rituals and sacrifices, which could only be performed by the Brahmin priests.
• New Gods: The old gods (Indra, Agni) lost their importance. Prajapati (The Creator), Vishnu (The Preserver), and Rudra (an early form of Shiva) became the supreme gods.
• Reaction (Upanishads): Towards the end of this period, a philosophical reaction against these empty rituals began. This is seen in the Upanishads, which emphasized knowledge (Jnana) and the self (Atman), not sacrifice.

4. Exam Corner: Rig Vedic vs. Later Vedic

5. Religious Systems in the 6th Century BCE

The 6th Century BCE was a time of great intellectual and religious ferment, largely as a reaction against the problems of the Later Vedic period (ritualism, caste system, Brahmin dominance).

i) Jainism: Life & Teachings of Mahavira

• Life: Vardhamana Mahavira was the 24th and last Tirthankara (ford-maker). He was a Kshatriya prince who renounced the world at age 30.
• Core Teachings:
  • Ahimsa (Non-Violence): This is the central, most extreme principle. Jains believe everything, including rocks and water, has a soul (Jiva) and must not be harmed.
  • Rejection of Vedas & Rituals: Rejected the authority of the Vedas and the dominance of Brahmins.
  • Karma and Rebirth: Believed in Karma, but the goal is to *completely* shed all Karma to achieve Kaivalya (liberation).
• Five Vows: 1. Ahimsa (Non-violence), 2. Satya (Truth), 3. Asteya (Non-stealing), 4. Aparigraha (Non-possession), and 5. Brahmacharya (Celibacy) (this was the vow added by Mahavira).

ii) Buddhism: Life & Teachings of Gautama Buddha

• Life: Siddhartha Gautama, a Kshatriya prince. Key events: Birth (Lumbini), Great Renunciation, Enlightenment (Bodh Gaya), First Sermon (Sarnath), Death (Kushinagar).
• Core Teachings:
  • The Four Noble Truths: 1. The world is full of suffering (Dukkha). 2. The cause of suffering is desire (Tanha). 3. Suffering can be ended. 4. The way to end suffering is the Eightfold Path (Ashtangika Marga).
  • The Middle Path (Madhyama Marga): The Buddha's core philosophy. It rejects both extremes: a life of luxury and a life of extreme self-torture. This moderation made it very popular.
  • Rejection of Vedas & Caste: He rejected the authority of the Vedas and the caste system.
  • Language: Taught in Pali, the language of the common people, not Sanskrit.