The Vedic literature

• The civilization that is based on Vedic literature is known as Vedic civilization.
• The Vedas are our earliest literature.
• The Vedas were composed by many Sages or rishis. Vedic hymns were composed by women.
• The most remarkable feature of the Vedic civilization is its rich and diverse literature composed in Sanskrit.

The Vedic literature consisted of the following :

• The Four Vedas — the Rigveda, the Yajurveda, the Samaveda and the Atharvcweda.
• Brahmanas, Aranyakas and Upanishads.
• Great epics Ramayana and Mahabharata.

Family system, day-to-day life :

Family : Joint family system was prevalent in the Vedic period. The Grihapati was the head of the family. The family was patriarchal. Lopamudra, Gargi and Maitreyi were great scholars. The position of women became secondary in the later period due to stringent social restrictions.

Day-to-day life :

• Most of the people lived in earthen or wattle-and-daub houses. Houses were called Gruha or Shala.
• Their diet mainly consisted of cereals like Wheat, barley and rice.
• They used cotton and woollen garments. They also used Valkals, clothes made from bark of trees.
• They wore strings of flowers and beads and bead-strings, and golden ornaments Nishka, a golden pendant was popular. It was also used as currency.
• Singing, playing musical instruments, dance and board games were their means of recreation. Their musical instruments were the veena, the shat-tantu, cymbals, conches, the damru and the mridanga.

Agriculture, animal husbandry, economic and social life

Occupations :

• Agriculture and animal husbandry were the main occupations of the Vedic people.
• The agricultural techniques improved later.
• The oxen were used to plough the field, cows were used as means of exchange.
• The horses were harnessed to the chariots.
• The increase in agricultural production led to the emergence of other occupations such as pottery, carpentry and chariot-making
• The artisans and the professionals had their shrenis - guilds.
• The head of the guild was known as shreshthi. However, slowly, the status of skilled artisans became secondary.

The Varna System :

• During this period, there were four varnas - Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya and Shudra.
• The varnas were based on peoples occupations. Later they were determined by birth. This gave rise to the caste system and led to inequality in society.

The Ashrama System :

The ashramas were a systematic arrangement of an individual’s life from birth to death.

There were four ashramas or stages in life.

• In the first stage i.e., brahmacharyashrama the individual devoted himself to studies and learning.
• In the second stage i.e., grihasthashrama, he looked after his family and shouldered religious and social responsibilities.
• In the third stage i.e., vanaprasthashrama, he handed over his responsibilities to his children and led a retired life.
• In the fourth and the last stage i.e., sanyasashrama, he spent his time in meditation.

Religious ideas :

• The Vedic people offered prayers to the forces in nature such as the Sun, the rain, the rivers, lightning and storms to secure their blessings.
• They made ritual offerings to the fire to secure favour from the forces in nature.
• This ritual offering of havi into the fire was called yajna.
• The Vedic people believed that all things in nature follow ‘Rita’, i.e. a definite pattern.
• They believed that religion means to follow the rules of nature as any violation thereof leads to natural calamities.

Political system in the Vedic period :

• In the Vedic period, each village had a head known as gramani.
• A group of villages formed a vish, whose head was called vishpati
• A number of vish constituted Janapad.
• Nripa (king) was the head of the Janapad.
• The king appointed a number of officials to assist him in state administration, Senapati and Purohit were the most important officials of the king.
• Bhagdugh has appointed to collect revenue.
• Sabha, Samiti, Vidath and Jana deliberated on state affairs and provided guidance to the king.