The Vedic Period of Indian History

After the end of the Harappan civilization, the Vedic civilization, also known as the Aryans, marked a new beginning in Indian culture. Harappan civilization was mostly ignored by the Aryans. They did not build cities, states, or granaries, and they did not use writing. They were known as the "noble ones" or "superior ones," and their name was derived from the Indo-European root word "ar," which meant "noble." In Sanskrit, they were known as the "Aryas" ("Aryans"), but the same root, "ar," would also be used to call the conquered Persian territories, "Iran".

In fact, the concept of nobility appears in another country's name, "Ireland," or "Eire," indicating that it seems to lie at the heart of the Indo-European mind. To separate themselves from the people they conquered, they would adopt the title of "superior" or "noble." The early Vedic period and later Vedic period are discussed here. Let’s look into it.

Early and Later Vedic Period

Let us look at the early and later Vedic periods here. The early Vedic period is also known as the pre-Vedic period.

Early Vedic Period

This is also referred to as the pre-Vedic period. In addition to the archaeological legacy outlined above, the Vedas, India's earliest literary record, date from this period. The Vedas are composed of the 4 major texts: the Rig-, the Sama-, the Yajur-, and the Atharvaveda—all written in archaic, or Vedic, Sanskrit and transmitted orally between 1500 and 800 BCE. The Rigveda is thought to be the oldest of these. Hymns, charms, spells, and ritual observations are among the texts, which were popular among Indo-European-speaking peoples known as Aryans (from Sanskrit Arya, "noble") who moved to India from Iran.

The Indo-European homeland is linked to theories regarding the origins of the Aryans, whose language is also called Aryan. European scholars who first studied Sanskrit in the 17th and 18th centuries CE were struck by how similar its syntax and vocabulary were to Greek and Latin. This led to the notion that these and other related languages shared a common origin, which became known as the Indo-European group of languages.

As a result, the idea that Indo-European-speaking peoples began in a common homeland from which they spread across Asia and Europe developed. The theory triggered widespread speculation about the original homeland and the period or periods of dispersal from it, which continues to this day. The "Aryan problem" continues to beset Vedic India research, clouding the true search for historical insight into this period.

The Later Vedic Period (c. 800–c. 500 BCE)

The later Vedic period details are given here in detail.

The Sama-, Yajur-, and Atharvaveda (primarily ritual books), the Brahmanas (texts on ritual), and the Upanishads (Upanisads) and Aranyakas are the most important literary sources from this period (collections of philosophical and metaphysical discourses). The sutra texts, which are essentially explanatory aids to the other works and include instructions on sacrifices and rites, home observances, and social and legal ties, are associated with the corpus. The texts cannot be accurately dated to the early period because they were continuously revised.

The Dharma-sutra texts of this period served as a foundation for succeeding centuries' socio-legal Dharma-shastras.

Historians previously assigned the Mahabharata and the Ramayana, two great Indian epics, to this time period, but recent scholarship has cast doubt on these dates. Both works combine historical and legendary elements, were rewritten and edited multiple times, suffered from frequent interpolation as late as the early centuries CE, and were later converted into sacred literature with the deification of their heroes.

As a result, despite their importance in the literary and religious tradition, they are difficult to associate with a historical period. The Mahabharata's core event is a war between two sets of cousins, the Kauravas and the Pandavas, which takes place in the upper Ganges–Yamuna Doab and surrounding areas. Although the war is traditionally dated to around 3102 BCE, most historians prefer a later date. The Ramayana takes place in central India and the middle Ganges valley, with later interpolations expanding the location farther south.

Beginning of the Historical Period, c. 500–150 BCE

A variety of historical sources are available for this period of Indian history. The Buddhist canon, which covers the Buddha's time (c. 6th–5th century BCE) and beyond, is essential as a cross-reference for Brahmanic sources. This is also true of Jain sources, though to a lesser extent. There are secular works on political economy and reports of foreign travels from the 4th century BCE. The most important sources, however, are 3rd century BCE inscriptions.

(on the Left) India c. 500 BCE, Ashoka's empire at its greatest extent, c. 250 BCE (on the right).

Pre-Mauryan states

From the beginning of this time, Buddhist writings and other sources mention 16 large states (Mahajanapada) dominating the northern part of the subcontinent. Gandhara, Kamboja, Kuru-Pancala, Matsya, Kashi, and Koshala are among those mentioned in Vedic literature as having existed since the Vedic period.

Avanti, Ashvaka, Shurasena, Vatsa, Cedi, Malla, Vrijji, Magadha, and Anga were among the new states, either newly founded from declining older ones or new areas gaining importance. The fact that so many new states are mentioned in the eastern Ganges valley is partially due to the eastern focus of the sources and partly due to the eastern areas' increasing preeminence.

Location

The districts of Peshawar, as well as the lower Swat and Kabul valleys, were part of Gandhara, which sat astride the Indus. For a while, its freedom was terminated by its inclusion as one of the Achaemenian Empire of Persia's 22 satrapies (c. 519 BCE). Its major role as a channel for communication with Iran and Central Asia, as well as its trade in woolen items, remained unchanged.

In the northwest, Kamboja adjoined Gandhara. Originally thought to be a land of Aryan speakers, Kamboja soon lost its importance, ostensibly because its people did not observe the sacred Brahmanic rites—a condition that would be repeated throughout the north as a result of peoples and cultures mixing through migration and trade. Kamboja developed into a major trading center for horses brought in from Central Asia.

Did You Know?

Let us know some information on the rise of small kingdoms in the north.

Diodotus I, the Greek governor of Bactria, rose up against the Seleucid king Antiochus II Theos and declared his independence, which Antiochus accepted around 250 BCE. Parthia declared its independence as well.

Conclusion

Thus, in this article we have covered information about the Early and later Vedic Period. Both periods show the change in society. It shows how our society went through different changes during these periods in terms of social, cultural and political factors.