Question

What was the nature of social classification in the Early Vedic age? How did it differ from that of the Later vedic age?​

Answer 1

Answer:

The period that followed Rig Vedic Age is known as Later Vedic Age. This age witnessed the composition of three later Veda Samhitas namely, the Samveda Samhita, the Yajurveda Samhita, the Atharvaveda Samhita as well as Brahmanas and the Upanishads of all the four Vedas and later on the two great epics—the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. This period saw significant changes in social life as compared to Rig Vedic period.

Social life of later Vedic people

1. Caste Society: Most important change was the evolution of caste system. Various sub castes evolved in addition to the traditional four-castes. The Brahmanas and Kshatriyas emerged as the two leading castes out of the general mass of population, known as vaishyas. The vaishyas were superior to the shudras.
2. Education: A vast mass of Vedic literature as well as a highly developed intellectual life speaks abundantly about a well planned system of education in the later Vedic Period. After the Upanayana or sacred thread ceremony and initiation to studies the students were sent to the Gurukula for their education. They had to live in the house of the teacher (guru) and lead the chaste life whose principal duties were study and service to the teacher.
3. Position of women: The women lost their high position which they had in the Rig Vedic Age. They were deprived of their right to the Upanayana ceremony and all their sacraments, excluding marriage, were performed without recitation of Vedic mantras. Polygamy prevailed in the society. Many of the religious ceremonies, formerly practiced by the wife, were now performed by the priests. She was not allowed to attend the political assemblies. Birth of a daughter became undesirable as she was regarded as a source of misery. The custom of child marriage and dowry crept in.
4. Food and Dress: In the later Vedic age rice became staple food of the people. Gradually the practice of eating meat was declined. Killing of cow was looked with disfavour. Wool was used in addition to cotton.
5. Economic Condition: Like political and social conditions, the economic condition of the later Vedic period also underwent significant changes. Due to the emergence of caste system various occupations also appeared.
6. Agriculture: The later Vedic period people lived in the villages. In the villages small peasant owners of land were replaced by big landlords who secured possession of entire villages. Agriculture was the principal occupation of the people. Improved method of tilling the land by deep ploughing, manuring and sowing with better seeds were known to the Aryans. More lands were brought under cultivation.
7. Trade and Commerce: With the growth of civilisation, the volume of trade and commerce had increased by leaps and bounds. Both inland and overseas trades were developed. Inland trade was carried on with the Kiratas inhabiting the mountains. They exchanged the herbs for clothes, mattresses and skins. The people became familiar with the navigation of the seas. Regular coinage was not started. The coins which were in circulation were “Nishka”, “Satamana” and “Krishnala”. The unit value of goods was a gold bar called “nishka”.
8. Occupation: The emergence of caste system brought varieties of means of livelihood. There are references about money lenders, chariot makers, dyers, weavers, barbers, goldsmiths, iron smiths, washer men, bow makers, carpenters, musicians etc. The art of writing probably developed in this period. The use of silver was increased and ornaments were made out of it.
9. Religious Condition: During the later Vedic period the religious spirit underwent a great change. Religion was overshadowed with rites and rituals. New gods and goddesses emerged during this period. The Rig Vedic gods, Varun, Indra, Agni, Surya, Usha etc. lost their charm. The people worshipped them with less zeal. New gods like Siva, Rupa, Vishnu, Brahma etc. appeared in the religious firmament of the Later Vedic Period.

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Answer 2

the early Vedic society was divided on the basic of skill or the type of work the people did the diffusion of society on the basic of occupation in the early Vedic period was flexible however this system become rigid in the letter Vedic period and the cast of a person begin to be determine by birth the Hindu Aryans gradually moved for the east world and settled in the gangster valley the entire region under their control came to be called Aryabhatta what which mean the land of the Aryans does they Stilton place in what is known as the letter vedic age which lasted from 1000 BCE 600 BCE let us read on to find out about life in the letter vedic age