Vedic Society

Norms

Unwritten rules that people in a community know they are required to follow

How was the term caste created?

When Portuguese traders arrived in India in the 1400's, they used the term castes to refer to jatis. The term caste is still widely used today.

Vedas

A collection of poems, hymns, description of rituals, myths, rituals and philosophical and spiritual ideas about God and the soul that were passed down orally and later written down The Vedas are the main source about the time when a new society was forming in India (after the Harrappan civilization) so the historians call it the Vedic Period.

Raja

A leader who ruled a village and the land around it They governed Aryan villages

Vaisyas

farmers, craftspeople, and traders

Brahmins

priests, teachers and scholars

Kshatriyas

rulers and warriors

Varnas

social divisions

Sanskrit

the most important language of ancient India

Atman

the soul or self of an individual

Sudras

workers, servants, and non- Aryans

What was the language of the Aryans?

Early Aryans are not known to have a written language.

What resulted from the language of the Aryans?

Early Aryans are not known to have a written language. Because of this, they had to memorize the poems and hymns that were important in their culture, such as the Vedas. If people had forgotten these poems and hymns, the works could have been lost forever. The fact that they were passed down for generations shows their importance to the culture and shared identity.

What did elaborate religious ceremonies do?

Elaborate religious ceremonies provided more power and status to the chiefs or kings.

What were the groups like as Aryan society became more complex?

For the most part, these groups were organized by people's occupations. Rules developed about how people of different groups could interact. As time passed, these rules became stricter and became central to Indian society.

What is the evolution of Sanskrit?

At first, Sanskrit was only a spoken language. Eventually, however, people figured out how to write it down so they could keep records and write down scriptures, which are the basis for Hinduism.

What group emerged that lived outside the caste system?

By about AD 500, a group emerged who lived outside the caste system. They were called "untouchables" or, later, Dalits. They could hold only certain jobs, which were often unpleasant, such as the removal of dead animals and other sanitation tasks. Even though caste discrimination is banned in India today, Dalits still often face obstacles.

What is an example of a collection of Vedic texts?

One collection of Vedic texts describes religious rituals. These rituals were conducted for many reasons and often revolved around offerings of fruits, nuts and flowers to various deities.

Jatis

Over hundreds of years, the four varnas were further divided into hundreds of subdivisions called jatis. Ancient texts do not explain how the membership in the earliest jatis was determined. In time, however, some communities developed rules under which people were born into particular jatis.

What was the role of women in Vedic India?

According to ancient writings, women in Vedic India were honored members of society. Those who had given birth were especially honored, because motherhood was considered sacred. In addition, many of the Vedas had been written by holy women.

What are the four main Varnas?

According to the Vedas, there were four main Varnas. These were based on temperaments that vary from person to person. In ancient Indian society, these varnas were Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaisyas, and Sudras

How were relations between rajas?

Although many rajas were related, they didn't always get along. Sometimes rajas joined forces before fighting a common enemy. Other times, however, rajas, went to war against each other. In fact, Aryan groups fought each other nearly as much as they fought outsiders. In many cases, these wars were fought over resources such as rivers and farmland. As Aryans moved from nomadic lifestyle to an agricultural society, competition for land and water grew, causing conflict.

What kind of issue did caste become?

Although the varnas had grown out of an interpretation of the Rigveda, caste became a social issue rather than a religious one. The caste system spread to incorporate members of other religions besides Hinduism. Many Christians and Muslims in India today, for example, belong to castes. The system eventually became an official legal entity in the late 1800's under the British who ruled India at that time.

What was happening as the Harrappan civilization was fading? How do we know about this period?

Around 2000 BC, as the Harrappan civilization was fading, a new society was forming in India. Much of what we know about this period comes from religious writings known as the Vedas.

What were Aryan poems and hymns composed of?

Aryan poems and hymns were composed in a language called Sanskrit.

What was the structure of society for the Aryans at this time?

Aryan society at this time was highly structured. Families lived in communities called grama. Several of these communities made up a clan. In early Aryan society, clans assembled often for religious rituals and other activities.

What were Aryan villages governed by?

Aryan villages were governed by rajas. Villagers farmed some of this land for the raja. They used other sections as pastures for their cows, horses, sheep and goats.

What happened as Aryan society became more complex?

As Aryan society became more complex, it became divided into groups.

How were the Aryans different from the Harappans in their structures?

As nomads, the Aryans took along their herds of animals as they moved. But over time, they settled in villages and began to farm. Unlike the Harappans, they did not build big cities.

What happened to the Indian social order as time passed?

As time passed, Indian social order became more complex.

What happened as time passed in India communities involving castes?

As time passed, many communities within India developed rules that governed which jobs members of each caste could hold. These rules also established how members of different castes could interact. In addition, each caste developed its own norms.

How were caste norms kept?

Caste norms were passed down from generation to generation through social and cultural practices. Caste norms could be exclusive.

What would happen during rituals?

During rituals, sacrifices of wealth would be made from the chief to the priest (Vedic society had a hierarchy of priests). In some cases, these ceremonies allowed the priest to receive wealth from the chief and the chief to receive status and closeness to gods. During this time, the priests and the upper class grew in importance and wealth, leading to increasing divisions in Aryan society.

Were caste roles permanent?

In ancient Indian society, caste roles were not permanent. But, social mobility among castes became more limited over the centuries. At one time, some 3,000 castes existed in India.

Gramas

In the Aryan society, families lived in communities called gramas. Several of these communities made up a clan.

Aryans

It means "noble ones" A new group of tribes that arrived in the Indus River Valley around the time of Harappan decline. The Aryans were from Central Asia and spoke Indo-European language related to many of the modern languages of South Asia, Southwest Asia and Europe. Over many centuries, the Aryans spread from northern India and the Ganges River Valley. There they established new societies.

What were the rights of women like?

Legally, women had most of the same rights as men. They could own property and receive an education. They could also perform in religious ceremonies. Over time, however, laws were passed to limit these rights.

What do scholars call the early Hinduism of this period?

Many scholars call the early Hinduism of this period Vedic religion or Brahmanism because of the religions emphasis on the Vedas and the belief in a divine reality known as Brahman.

What happened to the varnas with time?

Over hundreds of years, the four varnas were further divided into hundreds of subdivisions called jatis. Ancient texts do not explain how the membership in the earliest jatis was determined. In time, however, some communities developed rules under which people were born into particular jatis.

Caste system

Over many centuries, It divided Indian society into groups based on a person's birth, wealth, or occupation. In general, the caste to which a person belonged determined his or her place in society.

How have caste rules shifted?

Over many centuries, caste rules have shifted repeatedly. At times they have been very restrictive, while at other times there have been looser caste divisions. Throughout history, reformers- including prominent Hindu scholars and teachers- have challenged what they viewed as social injustices in the caste system.

Vedic Texts

Over the centuries, the Aryans wrote down poems and hymns in Sanskrit. In time these works were compiled into collections called Vedic texts.

What happened over the course of the later Vedic period?

Over the course of the later Vedic period between 800 BC and 500 BC, clan identity, or identification by family ties, changed to territorial identity, identification by area in which one lives. In some cases, chiefdoms that had been governed by rajas became kingdoms, which gave those chiefs more power. Powerful chiefs surrounded themselves with advisors and began to collect taxes.

What are a major source of information about the Vedic Society?

People figured out how to write it down so they could keep records and write down scriptures, which are the basis for Hinduism. These Sanskrit records and scriptures are a major source of information about the Vedic society.

What is an example of a caste norm?

People in some communities would not marry someone from a different caste. Others might not take meals with people from another caste.

What was religion like during the Vedic period?

Religion was important during the Vedic period. Originally people's practice of religion was limited to rituals. Over time, religion took on more meaning and became a part of daily life in ancient India.

What did rituals frequently use?

Rituals also frequently used the sacred fire, which represented the energy and light of the universe and the Divine. For example, the Vedas contain rituals for universal peace and the general well-being of the world.

How is Sanskrit still used today?

Sanskrit is not widely spoken today, but it is still used in Hindu rituals. Sanskrit is also the root of many modern South Asian languages. Hindi, is the most widely spoken Indian language, is based on Sanskrit.

What was the Aryan political system like?

The Aryan political system was also different from the Harappan system. The Aryans lived in small communities, based mostly on family ties. No single ruling authority existed. Instead, each group had its own leaders, often a skilled warrior.

What do the Upanishads teach?

The Upanishads teach that Brahman is found in the atman. Understanding this connection is still a goal in modern Hinduism.

Vedic Period

The Vedas are the main source of information about this time (new civilization after the Harrappans)

How did the Vedas view as the roles change over time?

The Vedas saw the four roles as equals, but social divisions and rankings grew over time. As Indian society developed, Brahmins came to be regarded as the highest group. Although Brahmins had a special religious role, many important Hindu writers and teachers did not belong to this varna.

What eventually happened to the Vedas?

The Vedas were passed down orally for hundreds and in some cases thousands of years. Eventually they were written down in Sanskrit.

What are the final group of Vedic texts?

The final group of Vedic texts are the Upanishads most of which were written by about 600 BC. These writings are religious students' and teachers' reflections on the Vedas. The Upanishads had a great impact on later religious expression. Religious texts modeled after the Upanishads were written until about AD 1400.

Brahman

The force behind everything

What is the second theory about the roots of Vedic Culture?

The roots of Vedic culture are a subject of continued debate among scholars. Some historians disagree with the migration theory. They strongly argue that there is no firm evidence to support the arrival of a new ethnic group in India during that time. Instead, they believe that Vedic Society developed in northern India-either in Harappan cities or further east- and spread over time. These historians also argue that the term Aryan in the Vedas was a linguistic designation, not an ethnic one. It referred to all people who spoke one language, regardless of where they were born.

What is the first theory about the roots of Vedic Culture?

The roots of Vedic culture are a subject of continued debate among scholars. Some historians believe that a new group of tribes arrived in the Indus River Valley around the time of the Harappan decline. They call these new arrivals the Aryans.

How many Vedas are there? What is an example of one of them?

There are four Vedas, each containing sacred hymns and poems. The oldest of Vedas, the Rigveda, was probably written around 1500 BC. It includes hymns of praise to many gods and guidance on seeking truth.

What is an example of reformers challenging the injustices in the caste system?

They argued against the medieval belief that only members of certain castes could reach salvation.