EARLY VEDIC CIVILIZATION

CLASS:-IX(ICSE) BY:-ISHA JAMUDA

SHORT QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS:-

[Link] any two early Aryan settlements.

Answer: The early Aryans settled in the Sapta-Sindhu region which comprised the five rivers of
Punjab namely—Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas and Sutlej and the river Indus (Sindhuj and the
river Sarasvati.

[Link] the first of the Vedas. Or Which is the oldest Vedic literature.
Answer: The Rig Veda is the oldest Vedic literature.

[Link] does the Rig Veda contain ?

Answer: It contains hymns in praise of different Gods and Goddesses like – Indra, varuna and
Agni.

4. Mention any of the Vedic hymns that enables us reconstruct the Early Vedic Civilization.
Answer: Agni was the personification of the ‘sacrificial fire.’ Sacrifices or yajnas occupied a
prominent place in the early Vedic religion. Agni was thought of a messenger or a bearer of
offerings (of milk, grain, ghee, etc.) from men to Gods.

5. How can you say that the Rig Vedic Age was the Non Iron using phase of Vedic history ?
Answer: The copper and the bronze were available in abundance, while the use of iron was not
known to the Rig Vedic Age.

[Link] any two of the four Varnas.

Answer: The Brahmins and the Kshtriyas.

[Link] was the position of women in the Rig Vedic age ?

Answer: Women were treated as being equal with men. They took part in all religious rites.
Women were given education. Girls had freedom in the choice of husbands. Monogamy any
polygamy both were popular. Child-marriage the sati system and purdah did not exist among
the Aryans. The women attended all the social functions and gatherings. People prayed for the
birth of sons in particular, but there are no clues of prayers for the birth of a daughter.

[Link] were the two main occupations of the Rig Vedic Aryans?
Answer: Domestication of the animals and agriculture.

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9. What form of worship did the Aryans follow during the early Vedic period?
Answer: The early Vedic period comprised worshiping of several gods. The Aryans used to
worship Gods of the Sky or Heaven, Gods of the Atmosphere Gods of the Earth, Sacrifices or the
Yajnas.

[Link] the two political institutions which exercised check on the powers of the King in the
Rig Vedic period.
Answer: The Samiti and the Sabha.

11. Mention the important features of the religion of the early Vedic period.
Answer: The religion of the early Vedic period was very simple. The people worshiped various
forces of nature as manifestations of the Supreme God. Thus, they worshiped a number of
Nature Gods. The Aryans did not build any temples of worshiped idols. They used to chant
hymns in the open air. Sacrifices or the Yajnas occupied a prominent place in the early Vedic
period.

12. State the importance of Sacrifices in the early Vedic ritual.

Answer: The Aryans propitiated their Gods by performing sacrifices. The common items of
offerings for the sacrifice included ghee, milk, grain, flesh and soma juice. Every householder
performed the sacrifice by kindling the sacred fire and reciting hymns. All the members of the
family participated in these ceremonies.

[Link] the important changes that took place in their religion of the later Vedic period.
Answer: In the later Vedic period, Vajpeya sacrifice was performed by a new king at the time of
his coronation. The Rajasuya sacrifice was performed to appease Gods in order to ensure the
material well-being of the kingdom. The Ashvamedha sacrifice was performed for a powerful
king to proclaim that he was the ‘King of Kings’.

Long Questions and Answers:-

[Link] the sources to reconstruct the Early Vedic (Rig Vedic) Past with reference to the
following:
(a) Indra, the most favorite God of the Aryans
(b) Agni, the personification of Sacrificial fire.
(c) References to the Cow in the Rig Vedic hymns
Answer:

(a) In the Rig Veda, Indra is the king of the gods and ruler of the heavens. Indra is the God of
thunder and rain and a great warrior, a symbol of courage and strength. He leads the
Deva (the gods who form and maintain Heaven) and the elements, such as Agni (Fire),
Varuna (Water) and Surya (Sun). He thus fights in a timeless battle between good and
evil. As the God of war, he is also regarded as one of the guardians of the directions,

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 representing the East. As the favorite national god of the Vedic Indians, Indra has about
250 hymns dedicated to him in the Rigveda, more than those devoted to any other god
and almost one fourth of the total number of hymns of the Rigveda.
(b)Agni, the Vedic god of fire who presides over the earth, has made transition into the
Hindu pantheon of gods, without losing his importance. With Vayu and Indra, who
presided over the air and sky, he is one of the supreme gods in Rig Veda. The link
between heaven and earth, he is associated with Vedic sacrifice, taking offerings to the
other world in the fire. Agni is a deva, second only to Indra in the power and importance
attributed to him in Vedic mythology. Agni stands for knowledge for it is seen by the
learned people, covering all things that move and do not move and because it is
summers the Devatas endowed with knowledge. The light Agni units is the light of
knowledge, therefore it is known as illuminator of knowledge who lights up the path
leading to truth.
(c) Cow has been a symbol of wealth since ancient Vedic times. In the Rig Veda, the cows
figure frequently as symbols to wealth, and also in comparison with river goddesses.
The Vedic god Indra is often compared to a bull. River are often linked to cows in the
Rigveda.

[Link] the social life of the Rig Vedic Aryans with reference to the following:
(a) The Family Structure
(b) Position of Women
(c) Varna System
Answer: With reference to the given heads the social life of the Rig Vedic Aryans is described
below:
(a) The Family Structure: The basic unit of the social structure was the ‘family’. The joint family
system was prevalent. Houses in this age, were built of wood or reed. The Rig Vedic society was
patriarchal in which Grihyapati(master of the house) dominated in family and social life.
(b) Position of Women: Women were given equal status to that of men in society. They were
permitted to participate in all the religious rites. Gaining of education had not been restricted to
them. There w’ere women scholars who composed hymns and were well-versed in the sacred
scriptures. Girls could seek husbands of their own choice. Monogamy was in custom, but
polygamy w’as also practiced by many. Child-marriage, the Sati system and Purdah did not exist
among the Aryans, The w’omen attended all social functions and gatherings. The general
tendency of people w’as to have male births rather than the females. They used to perform
prayers seeking the birth of the male-child. But, in case of females, people had a repulsive
attitude they did not like to have female-baby.
(c) Varna System: One hymn in the last book of the Rig Veda refers to four orders of society —
the Brahmins, the Kshatriyas, the Vaisyas and the The people w’ho explained the Vedic texts

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and performed the religious ceremonies were called the Brahmins. Those w’ho belonged to the
ruling class, were the Kshatriyas. The common people, w’ho were engaged in agriculture, trade
and industry were the Vaisyas. The Shudras were the menial workers who did not have much to
own. Scholars are of the opinion that the term ‘Varna’ in the Rig Veda, refers to the racial
difference between the Aryans and non-Aryans. It is in this context that ther ferms Ary a Varna
and Dasa Varna came into use. There was no ban on the taking of food cooked by Shudras and
no restrictions on intermarriages or change of occupation.

[Link] reference to the following explain the main features of the Rig Vedic Economy:
(a) Agriculture
(b) Domestication of Animals
(c) Trade Transactions, Crafts and Transportation
Answer: With reference to the given headings, the economic life of the Rig Vedic Aryans is
explained as follows:
(a) Agriculture: The Rig Vedic Aryans were mainly scattered in villages. They frequently prayed
for plentiful rain and bountiful harvest, large herds of cattle and good health. It shows that
agriculture was an important occupation of the village folk. However, the only grain referred to
in the Rig Veda is Yava which could mean grain in general or barley in particular.

(b) Domestication of Animals: The Rig Vedic Aryans had mainly a pastoral economy. Cattle
formed an important item of dona (gifts) made to the priests. The word Gomat was used to
signify a wealthy person. It meant the one who possessed many cattle, especially the cows and
bulls. Other domesticated animals were the ox, the horse, the dog, the goat and the sheep.

(c) Trade Transactions, Crafts and Transportation:

The people were engaged in trade, cloth and leather goods being the main items. The barter
system practiced for trade transactions. The cow was the standard unit of value. Men and
women were engaged in weaving cloth. The metal-workers or the smiths were skilled in making
weapons, implements and ornaments. The metal ayas mentioned in the Rig Veda is generally
taken to mean copper or bronze, although it has been understood as iron also. They used
horses and bullocks for carrying goods from place to place. They also transported goods through
the inland rivers

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