About the Vedic Period
The Vedic Period (roughly 1500 BC to 600 BC) is the age in which the Vedas, the oldest religious texts of India, were composed. It is divided into the Early Vedic or Rigvedic Period (c. 1500–1000 BC) and the Later Vedic Period (c. 1000–600 BC). The people of this age are called the Vedic Aryans, and the core region of the Early Vedic age was the Sapta Sindhu (the land of seven rivers, in present-day Punjab). In the Later Vedic age, the centre of activity shifted eastwards to the Ganga-Yamuna doab and the region of the Kuru and Panchala tribes.
The Vedic literature consists of the four Vedas: the Rigveda (the oldest, with 1028 hymns arranged in 10 mandalas), the Samaveda (hymns set to music), the Yajurveda (sacrificial formulas) and the Atharvaveda (spells and charms). Each Veda has four parts: the Samhita (hymns), the Brahmana (ritual explanation), the Aranyaka (forest texts) and the Upanishad (philosophy). The Upanishads are also called Vedanta. There were six Vedangas (auxiliary disciplines): Siksha, Kalpa, Vyakarana, Nirukta, Chandas and Jyotisha.
In the Early Vedic period, society was tribal and the main occupation was cattle-rearing; cattle were the main form of wealth, and a wealthy person was called gomat. Wars were often fought for cattle (gavishthi). The king, called raja, was a tribal chief and was not hereditary; important assemblies were the Sabha, the Samiti, the Vidatha and the Gana. There were no regular taxes and no standing army. The people worshipped nature gods, and there were no idols or temples. Indra was the most important god (god of rain and war); Agni (fire), Varuna (cosmic order), Surya, Usha and Soma were also worshipped. The Gayatri Mantra is found in the Rigveda.
The Later Vedic period saw major changes. The use of iron (called krishna ayas) helped clear forests, and agriculture became the main occupation; the Painted Grey Ware (PGW) pottery belongs to this phase. Society became divided into the four varnas — Brahmana, Kshatriya, Vaishya and Shudra — and the famous Purusha Sukta of the Rigveda (10th mandala) explains this division. The ashrama system (Brahmacharya, Grihastha, Vanaprastha and Sannyasa) developed. Kingship became hereditary, and large janapadas emerged. Great sacrifices such as Rajasuya (coronation), Ashvamedha (horse sacrifice) and Vajapeya gave the king more power. The Sabha and Samiti declined, and new gods such as Prajapati, Vishnu and Rudra rose in importance. The position of women declined in the Later Vedic period compared with the Early Vedic period. The Vedic age came to an end around 600 BC, when the Mahajanapadas and new religious movements like Buddhism and Jainism appeared.
Timeline of the Vedic Period
- c. 1500 BC: Beginning of the Early Vedic (Rigvedic) period; composition of the Rigveda.
- c. 1000 BC: Beginning of the Later Vedic period and the eastward expansion.
- c. 1000–600 BC: Use of iron, growth of agriculture and the varna system.
- c. 600 BC: End of the Vedic age and the rise of the Mahajanapadas.
Main Facts about the Vedic Period (Quick Revision Bullets)
- Vedic period dates: roughly 1500 BC to 600 BC.
- Oldest Veda: Rigveda.
- Number of hymns in the Rigveda: 1028, in 10 mandalas.
- Vedas: Rigveda, Samaveda, Yajurveda and Atharvaveda.
- Four parts of each Veda: Samhita, Brahmana, Aranyaka and Upanishad.
- Upanishads are also called: Vedanta.
- Number of Vedangas: six.
- Region of the Early Vedic period: Sapta Sindhu (Punjab).
- Main wealth of the Early Vedic people: cattle.
- Most important Early Vedic god: Indra.
- Assemblies: Sabha, Samiti, Vidatha and Gana.
- Metal used in the Later Vedic period: iron (krishna ayas).
- Main occupation of the Later Vedic period: agriculture.
- Four varnas: Brahmana, Kshatriya, Vaishya and Shudra.
- Hymn explaining the varna system: Purusha Sukta.
Important Persons and Terms
- Rigveda: the oldest Veda, containing 1028 hymns in 10 mandalas.
- Indra: the most important god of the Early Vedic period, associated with rain and war.
- Agni: the fire god and the mediator between gods and humans.
- Sabha and Samiti: the important assemblies of the Early Vedic period.
- Gavishthi: a war fought for the capture of cattle.
- Krishna ayas: iron, the metal that transformed Later Vedic agriculture.
- Painted Grey Ware (PGW): the pottery associated with the Later Vedic period.
- Purusha Sukta: the hymn of the Rigveda that describes the origin of the four varnas.
Why the Vedic Period Matters for Exams
The Vedic Period is a core topic, and its facts are asked again and again. Common questions include: Which is the oldest Veda? (Rigveda.) How many hymns does the Rigveda contain? (1028.) Which Veda deals with music? (Samaveda.) Which Veda deals with spells and charms? (Atharvaveda.) What are the four parts of a Veda? (Samhita, Brahmana, Aranyaka and Upanishad.) What was the main wealth in the Early Vedic period? (cattle.) Who was the most important god? (Indra.) Which metal changed Later Vedic agriculture? (iron.) Which hymn explains the varna system? (Purusha Sukta.) A frequent trap is to say that the Rigveda is the Veda of music; in fact that is the Samaveda. Another trap is to think that the four varnas were rigid from the beginning; they became rigid in the Later Vedic period. Students should also remember that the Early Vedic people had no temples and no idols and that the position of women was better in the Early Vedic than in the Later Vedic period.
How to Prepare the Vedic Period
- Fix the two phases. Early Vedic (Rigvedic) 1500–1000 BC and Later Vedic 1000–600 BC.
- Learn the four Vedas and their subjects. Rigveda (hymns), Samaveda (music), Yajurveda (rituals), Atharvaveda (spells).
- Learn the four parts. Samhita, Brahmana, Aranyaka and Upanishad.
- Compare the two phases. Cattle and tribal polity in the Early Vedic; iron, agriculture, varnas and hereditary kingship in the Later Vedic.
- Learn the key terms. Sapta Sindhu, gavishthi, gomat, krishna ayas, Purusha Sukta.
Common Exam Traps
- The Rigveda is the oldest Veda and the Veda of hymns; the Samaveda is the Veda of music.
- The varna system became rigid in the Later Vedic period, not in the Early Vedic period.
- Indra, not Varuna, is usually named the most important Early Vedic god.
- The Early Vedic people had no temples and no idols.
- Iron was used in the Later Vedic period, not in the Early Vedic period.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the time span of the Vedic Period?
The Vedic Period lasted roughly from 1500 BC to 600 BC, and is divided into the Early Vedic (Rigvedic) period, c. 1500–1000 BC, and the Later Vedic period, c. 1000–600 BC.
Which is the oldest of the four Vedas?
The Rigveda is the oldest Veda. It contains 1028 hymns arranged in 10 mandalas.
What are the four parts of each Veda?
Each Veda has four parts: the Samhita (hymns), the Brahmana (ritual explanation), the Aranyaka (forest texts) and the Upanishad (philosophy). The Upanishads are also called Vedanta.
What was the main form of wealth in the Early Vedic period?
Cattle were the main form of wealth in the Early Vedic period; a wealthy person was called gomat, and wars for cattle were called gavishthi.
When did the four varnas become rigid?
The four varnas — Brahmana, Kshatriya, Vaishya and Shudra — became rigid in the Later Vedic period; the Purusha Sukta of the Rigveda explains their origin.
Which metal was important in the Later Vedic period?
Iron, called krishna ayas, was important in the Later Vedic period; it helped clear forests and expand agriculture.