Question

What were the main features of society, polity, economy and religion in the Early Vedic Period ?

Answer 1

Rig Vedic people were organized into tribes rather than Kingdoms. The Kula (family) was the basis of both social and political life of that period. It was the smallest unit of the political system. Above the Kula, there were Village or Grama, Clan or Vis, Jana, and the Country or Rashtra. The Grama was made by a group of Kulas, the Vis was made by a group of Grama and so on.

Answer 2

Political System:

Rig Vedic people were organized into tribes rather than Kingdoms. The Kula (family) was the basis of both social and political life of that period. It was the smallest unit of the political system. Above the Kula, there were Village or Grama, Clan or Vis, Jana, and the Country or Rashtra. The Grama was made by a group of Kulas, the Vis was made by a group of Grama and so on.

Gramini & Vispati were the heads of Village and Vis respectively.The Rashtra was ruled by a King or Rajan. The purohits or domestic priests were Rajan’s friend, philosopher, and guide. They were the first ranking officials of the ministry of the King. Other important royal officials were ‘Senani‘ (army chief) and ‘Gramani‘ (head of a village).The autonomy of Rajan was restricted by the tribal councils called ”Sabha” & ”Samiti”.In the Rig Veda, two popular assemblies ‘Sabha’ and ‘Samiti’ were given great importance. The Samiti, mainly dealt with policy decisions and political business included common people. Where the Sabha was less political in character mostly included elders and nobles.The Rajan had a primary courtwhich was attended by courtiers (sabhasad) and the Gramanis (the chief of Grama). The main responsibility of Rajan was to protect the tribe.During this period cow was not to be killed. According to the Rig Veda, those people who kill or injure cow got the death penalty or driven out from the kingdom.The King didn’t possess a standing army.

Rig Vedic Society:

Based on the relationship, the Rig Vedic society was essentially tribal and liberal. People owed their primary loyalty to their tribe. The unit of the society was family and the birth of a son was desired.

There was no evidence of caste system. The words ‘Brahmana’ and ‘Kshatriya’ occurred in various books but they were not associated with the term ‘Varna’. The words ‘Vaishya’ and ‘Shudra’ were absent.Rig Vedic people were primarily agricultural and pastoral, who quantify their wealth in terms of cows.Marriage was an important ritual and there were different types of marriages mentioned in the Rig Veda. Women could choose their husbands and could remarry if their husbands died or disappeared.Child marriage was not in vogue.Right to property existed in respect of movable things like cattle, horses, goats etc. and also in respect of immovable properties like house and lands.Early Vedic people consumed milk and its products (butter, ghee, curd), vegetables, fruits, and grains.Meat eating was mentioned but the cow was labeled as ‘Aghanya‘ i.e. not to be killed.Soma and sura were popular drinks.People loved entertainments included music, dance, chariot racing, and gambling or dicing.

Religion:

The Gods worshipped during this period were generally the personified powers of Nature. There were nearly 33 Gods mentioned in Rig Veda.

Indra (destroyer of the fort), Agni(fire God) & Varuna (God of water) were the most popular Gods. Rudra (the God of animals), Dyaus(the oldest God and the father of the world), Yama (the God of death) were some other Gods during that period.Rig Vedic people believed that fire was sacred as it was the intermediary between man and God.Rig Vedic religion primarily consisted of the worship of Gods with a simple ceremony called ‘Yajna‘ or ‘Sacrifice‘.

Economy:

The economic life of the Rig Vedic people was sustained by a combination of agriculture, cattle rearing, trade, and commerce. The Rig Veda attached great importance to agriculture.

In the early Vedic period the Aryans were depending mainly on a pastoral economy, their main occupation was cattle-breeding. The domesticated cow, horse, sheep, goat, dog etc. Wild animals like lion, elephant were known to them. They were not familiar with the tiger.Among the other occupations, carpentry, pottery making, metal working, leather working were famous.The cow was the most important part of the wealth. Most wars were fought for cows.Money and markets were known to the Rig Vedic people but they were not used extensively. Cows or gold ornaments of fixed value were the media of exchange.Coins were not known.