A brief history about ancient vedic civilization.The Vedic period (or Vedic age) ( c. 1500 – c. 500 BCE) was the period in Indian history during which the Vedas, the oldest scriptures of Hinduism, were composed. During the early part of the Vedic period, the Indo-Aryans settled into northern India, bringing with them their specific religious traditions.

1. THE VEDIC
CULTURE

2. The Vedas
• Are the most celebrated possessions of
the Indian civilization.
• Reflect the growth and development of
human thought
•Picture of the transformation of a prakrit
man into a sanskrit man.

3. The meaning of the word “Veda”
The word ‘Veda’
originates from the
Sanskrit root Vid.
The Sanskrit verb
‘Vid’ means ‘to
know’. The word
‘Veda’ literally
means knowledge.

4. Aryans
•Around 1,500 BC, speakers of Indo- European
languages gradually infiltrated the Indian
subcontinent. These people referred to themselves
as Arya(Aryan). As historians do not have much
archaeological evidence for this era, they rely on
the sacred book of hymns(religious song or poem)
composed by these people. These sacred books are
known as Vedas: hence this period will refer to the
Vedic Civilization.

5. Aryans
♦Indians, English, Germans,
Spanish, French & Persians pride
themselves to be the true
descendents of the Aryans.
♦They came to India during the
second millennium B.C. This age is
called the Vedic Age

6. Original home of the
Aryans
♦Some of them think they are
original inhabitants of India
♦Some regard them as invaders
who destroyed the superior
civilization of the original
inhabitant’s whom they drove
beyond the Vindhyas.

7. Original home of the
Aryans
♦Historians agree that the original
home of the Aryans was in central
Asia in regions around the Caspian
sea.

8. Original home of the
Aryans♦They might have been forced
to migrate due to shortage of
food and fodder to seek
settlement in other lands.
♦Aryans who came to India are
called ‘Indo-Aryans’.

9. Spread of Aryans in India
♦Aryans first settled in Punjab
♦Founded their first settlements
on the banks of the rivers Indus
[Sindu] & Saraswathi [which has
since dried up]

10. Spread of Aryans in India
♦While driving the ‘Dasyus’ beyond
the Vindhyas and thus gained the
occupation of more and more land
in the eastern & northern parts of
the country –they renamed it as
‘Aryavarta’ [abode of the Aryans]

11. Life of the Aryans
♦Evidence of the Aryans are
found in the ‘Vedas’
♦‘Vedas’-means knowledge

12. Origin of Vedas (contd.)
•However it is
believed that Shri
Ved Vyasa compiled
all the works of rishis
into four parts
known to us as the
Four Vedas.

13. ♦Different vedas are:
Rigveda – most ancient
Yajurveda
Samaveda
Atharvaveda

14. The Rig Veda
•The Rig Veda is the oldest of all
the Vedas.
•composed of 10552 mantras.
• knower is known as Ritwik
• contains knowledge of science,
matter of the universe like sun,
moon, air etc.

15. The Yajur Veda
• smallest of all the four Vedas.
•The knower of this Veda is known
as Adhvaryu.
• gives knowledge of all the deeds
and duties to be performed by
men or women, students,
leaders, king, agriculturist etc.

16. The Sama Veda
•has 1875 mantras.
•The knower of this Veda is
known as Udgata.
•gives knowledge how to
worship God;
• details of Yoga philosophy is
included in this veda.

17. The Atharva Veda
• special place in the field of
philosophy and spiritualism.
• knower of this Veda is known as
Brahma.
•has 760 hymns, and about 160 of
the hymns are in common with the
Rig-Veda.
• details of medical science and of
medicine etc. it also contains
Mantras used in marriage and death
rituals, as well as those for kingship,

18. Social life
•Family life
•Food
•Games & Amusements
•Dress
•The Varnas /Castes

19. Family life
♦Lived in joint families
♦They followed the patriarchal
family
♦Grihapati- eldest male
member in the family who
exercised full authority over all
the members.

20. Family life
♦It was his duty to perform sacrifices
or Yajnas
♦Women also occupied a position of
honour – their presence was
essential at all religious ceremonies.
They were given right education &
some even composed the Rigvedic
hymns

21. Food
♦Simple but nourishing
♦Wheat and barley cakes, milk
& milk products like butter,
ghee, curd, Cheese.

22. Games &
Amusements
♦Found leisure for enjoyment
♦Fond of merry-making & pastimes
♦Favourite amusement –
horseracing, chariot racing, hunting

23. Games &
Amusements
♦Fascination for gambling with dice
[this game has been referred to in
the Rigveda as leading to ruins and
slavery].
♦Loved music & played on a flute
which resembled the ‘Vina’

24. Dress
♦Simple & generally consisted of 3
parts –
♦Undergarment nivi/dhoti
♦Garment vasa/shirt
♦Over-garment adhivasa
/mantle/cloak
of cotton,wool

25. Dress
♦Turbans were also commonly used
by them
♦Adorned their persons with gold &
silver ornaments garlands & wreaths
of flowers jewels etc.
♦Ornaments were worn by men &
women

26. The Varnas /Castes
♦Divided into 4 Varnas
♦Brahmanas : priests were learned
people who performed sacrifices
♦Kshatriyas: ruling class or warriors

27. The Varnas /Castes
♦Vaishyas trading class- farmers,
goldsmiths, weavers, potters etc
♦Shudras descendants of Dasyus –
serve the 3 higher varnas

28. Economic life: their
occupations
•Agriculture
•Domestication of animals
•Trade
•Discovery of Iron
•Other occupations and Industries

29. Agriculture
♦Primary occupation was
cultivation of land
♦Agricultural products – barley,
wheat, rice, cotton, oilseeds

30. AGRICULTURE
Source of irrigation water –
wells, canals, sometimes from
lakes
♦People depended upon rains
♦Fields cultivated by a pair of
oxen.

31. Domestication of
animals
♦Domestication of animals was
another important occupation
♦Wealth and prosperity depended
on the possession of a large number
of animals [especially cows – which
was held in great esteem]

32. Domestication of
animals
♦Other animals domesticated
bulls, oxen, horses,
sheep, goats, asses, &
dogs.

33. Trade
♦They were not indifferent to trade &
commerce.
♦Barter system – exchange of articles
was in vogue(trend)
♦Cow was regarded as the standard of
value. [value of things was measured in
terms of cows]

34. Trade
♦Coinage known as “Nishka” was
also prevalent
♦Trade was mainly carried on by
road.
♦Trade by sea was not quite
unknown

35. Discovery of Iron
♦Greatest contribution of the civilization
is discovery of iron
♦Iron was – a hard & tough metal hence
better suited for making tools &
weapons compared to copper or bronze
♦Iron was used in making axe-heads –
used for clearing jungles and making
land fit for cultivation

36. Discovery of Iron
♦Iron tools helped sculptor in
creating exquisite specimens of
sculptures and rock-cut temples.
♦Different rulers equipped their
armies with different weapons such
as swords, shields, arrow-heads,
spear-heads etc.- laid the foundation
of vast empires.

37. Other occupations and
Industries
♦Indulged in many other professions &
occupations
♦Chief industries referred to in the
Rigveda – carpenters, goldsmiths,
blacksmiths, weavers, leather’s,
potters & physicians.

38. Other occupations and
Industries
♦All work for the benefit of the
people as a whole
♦No profession was inferior &
below dignity

39. Government or political
life
♦Status of the King
♦Ministers and the King
♦The Sabha & Samiti
♦Mode of warfare

40. Status of the King
♦Rigvedic Aryans lived in tribes
called ‘Janas’
♦Each Jana had its own ruler
called ‘Rajan”
♦Kingship was generally
hereditary.

41. Status of the King
♦People could select a worthy
monarch of their own choice from
among the members of the royal
family or the nobility when situation
demanded

42. Ministers and the
King
♦King was assisted by a number of
ministers like
♦Purohita religious adviser
♦Senani leader of the army
& helped king against his enemies.

43. Ministers and the King
♦All ministers & officials were all men of
high character & exercised a sort of
great check on the autocracy of the
king
♦King was helpless without ministers as
a bird without its wings.