UNIT Eight VEDIC PERIOD-One
UNIT Eight VEDIC PERIOD-One
Eight point zero OBJECTIVES
After studying this unit, you will be able to learn about:
the various sources through which we can attempt to know about the Early Vedic period;
the theory of a large-scale migration by the Indo-Aryan through these sources and critically evaluate it; and the nature of economy, society, polity and religion of the Early Vedic people.
Eight point one INTRODUCTION
Eight point one INTRODUCTION
During the period two thousand to one thousand BCE, communities at different stages of cultural development were present in different regions of India. Their cultures were essentially agro-pastoral and our understanding of these cultures is based entirely on archaeological remains because with the exception of Harappan culture, none of these cultures have left behind any written records. In this Unit and the following Unit, however, we shall be focussing on the evidence provided by a voluminous body of religious texts which are considered to be the earliest literary records of India. We shall also try to supplement this evidence with, wherever relevant, archaeological evidence. The Rigveda is considered to be the earliest collection of hymns available, and so, we shall start by examining the Rigveda for an understanding of the Early Vedic period and then go on to other Vedas and allied texts which are placed later. This exercise is relevant for two reasons. First, The Vedas are thought to have been composed by the Aryans and it was long believed that the Aryans played a major role in civilizing the Indian subcontinent. The contents of the Rigveda, if analysed carefully, do not give the