What is Vedic period ? [short notes for UPSC]

Vedic period– divided into two periods – 1. Rigvedic period- 1500-1000 bc. 

                                                                          2. Post vedic period- 1000-600 bc

Rigvedic period-

Time period– 1500-1000 bc.

Aryans were came from

 central asia (according to bogajkoi inscription)

Settled in

Punjab and afganistan

Aryans civilization was

Vedic civilisation

Rural civilisation

Patriarchal civilization

About aryans

Language – sanskrit.

Important beverage – somrasa

Sacred animal – cow (adhanya)

Gods-

Most favourate god – indra

Mediator between human’s and god’s – agni

Rivers-

Most sacred river – saraswati

Most important river – indus

Main occupations – herding and agriculture

Metals used

Copper – also known as ‘lohit ayas’

Iron – also known as ‘syam ayas’

Women’s condition – very good

‘gayatri mantra’ found in – 3rd mandal of rigveda

Varna system found in – purush sukta of rigveda

Rigveda contains – 10 mandals and 1028 sukta

9th mandal of rigveda –  also known as som mandal

Dasragya war-

Fought between ‘sudas’ and non aryans

‘sudas’ defeated non aryans

‘dasragya’ war fought near – porushni (ravi) river

Administrative units was

Kul

Gram

Vish

Jan

Rastra

Not found

Child marrige system

Sati pratha

Parda system

Four vedas are

Rigveda

Yajurveda

Samveda

Atharva veda.

Post vedic period-

  • Time period-1000-600 bc.
  • Mahabharat war fought in 950 bc.
  • Three ashram system of post vedic period

Bramacharya,

Grahastha

Vanprastha

Sanyasa (the fourth asram was added during buddhist period)

About post vedic period

Most favorate god – prajapati instead of indra

Rajsuya yajna – important during throne accession

Women’s condition – declining. Polygamy was popular Varna system – now based on birth instead of occupation.