In what way was the egalitarian character of early vedic society changed suring the later vedic society
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The Vedic period of India history can be divided into the early and later vedic periods. The changes from early to later vedic period touched social, economic , political and religious spheres of life.
The early vedic society was more egalitarian due to higher status of women and flexibility of the varna system . During the early vedic period a person could change his varna by changing his occupation . Marriages between different varnas was permitted and inter dining was common. The hymn from Rig Veda in which members of same family as shown practicing different occupations testifies to this flexibility of social structure and it’s mobility.
However, during the later vedic period varna was determined during the time to birth and person born in a particular varna could not change it as in the earlier period . Hence the system became rigid and gradually vertically stratified society developed with Brahamanas at the top and Shudras which were formed as forth varna during this period. Several categories of people were classified as untouchable also from the later vedic period onwards. Brahmans who were once on the classes of priests emerged at the top of the social pyramid.
Further during this period women lost their freedom to participate in political organizations like sabha and samiti. These egalitarian nature of political organizations also diminished during this period as the territorial expanse increased and the concept of kinghsip who till now just first among equals got exalted to the position of supremacy.
Hence , we can see that the egalitarian nature of the society gradually diminished from early to later vedic periods as the changes took place in socio-economic and political spheres
The early vedic society was more egalitarian due to higher status of women and flexibility of the varna system . During the early vedic period a person could change his varna by changing his occupation . Marriages between different varnas was permitted and inter dining was common. The hymn from Rig Veda in which members of same family as shown practicing different occupations testifies to this flexibility of social structure and it’s mobility.
However, during the later vedic period varna was determined during the time to birth and person born in a particular varna could not change it as in the earlier period . Hence the system became rigid and gradually vertically stratified society developed with Brahamanas at the top and Shudras which were formed as forth varna during this period. Several categories of people were classified as untouchable also from the later vedic period onwards. Brahmans who were once on the classes of priests emerged at the top of the social pyramid.
Further during this period women lost their freedom to participate in political organizations like sabha and samiti. These egalitarian nature of political organizations also diminished during this period as the territorial expanse increased and the concept of kinghsip who till now just first among equals got exalted to the position of supremacy.
Hence , we can see that the egalitarian nature of the society gradually diminished from early to later vedic periods as the changes took place in socio-economic and political spheres
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