History
The Vedic Age
The Vedic Age — Quick Revision
One-page CGPSC quick revision for the Vedic Age: rivers, assemblies, sacrifices, ratnins, Vedas, Upanishads and Vedangas in tables for Prelims and Mains.
The Rig Vedic and later Vedic periods and the whole body of Vedic literature on one page. For explanations, go back to the chapter.
How to use this sheet
Scan it top to bottom in the week before Prelims. Bold entries are the facts examiners return to most often.
Timeline
| Period / date | Event or feature |
|---|---|
| c. 1500–1000 BCE | Early (Rig) Vedic period in the Sapta Sindhu (approximate dating) |
| 14th century BCE (c. 1380 BCE) | Boghazkoi (Turkey) Hittite–Mitanni treaty names Indra, Mitra, Varuna, Nasatyas |
| c. 1200–600 BCE | Painted Grey Ware culture in the western Ganga plain (conventional dating) |
| c. 1000–600 BCE | Later Vedic period; eastward shift to the Ganga plain |
| c. 800 BCE onwards | Iron weapons common in western Uttar Pradesh |
| 6th century BCE | Mahajanapadas; rise of Jainism and Buddhism |
Rig Vedic Rivers
| Rig Vedic | Modern |
|---|---|
| Sindhu | Indus (most mentioned) |
| Sarasvati | Ghaggar–Hakra (usual identification); “naditama” |
| Vitasta | Jhelum |
| Asikni | Chenab |
| Parushni | Ravi (Battle of Ten Kings) |
| Vipas | Beas |
| Shutudri | Sutlej |
| Kubha / Krumu / Gomati / Suvastu | Kabul / Kurram / Gomal / Swat |
Rig Vedic Polity, Society, Economy, Religion
| Item | Fact |
|---|---|
| Units | kula (kulapa) → grama (gramani) → vish (vishpati) → jana (rajan) |
| Officials | Purohita, senani, gramani, vrajapati (pasture), spash (spies), duta |
| Assemblies | Sabha (elders), samiti (people), vidatha (oldest, most mentioned), gana |
| “Two daughters of Prajapati” | Sabha and samiti — Atharvaveda 7.12 |
| Revenue | Bali, voluntary |
| Battle of Ten Kings | Sudas (Bharata) wins on the Parushni; Vasishtha; Mandala 7 |
| Five tribes | Anu, Druhyu, Yadu, Turvasha, Puru |
| War | Gavishti (“search for cows”) |
| Women | Attended sabha and vidatha; composers Lopamudra, Ghosha, Apala, Vishvavara |
| Varna | First in Purusha Sukta (RV 10.90); shudra first mentioned there |
| Economy | Pastoral; barley (yava); ayas = copper/bronze; nishka; no coins, no towns |
| Gods | Indra ~250 hymns, Agni ~200, Varuna (rita), Soma (Mandala 9) |
Later Vedic Changes
| Item | Fact |
|---|---|
| Iron | Shyama / krishna ayas; first named in the Atharvaveda |
| Pottery | Painted Grey Ware (Hastinapur, Atranjikhera, Ahichchhatra) |
| Kingdoms | Kuru (Hastinapur), Panchala; Kosala, Kashi, Videha |
| Legend | Videgha Mathava: Agni stops at the Sadanira (Gandak) = Kosala–Videha boundary (Shatapatha Brahmana) |
| Assemblies | Sabha, samiti decline; vidatha disappears; women excluded from sabha |
| Revenue | Bali becomes compulsory; vaishyas pay; bhagadugha collects |
| Sacrifices | Rajasuya (consecration), Ashvamedha (horse, territory), Vajapeya (chariot race) |
| Ratnins | Eleven in the Shatapatha Brahmana; sangrahitri = treasurer, bhagadugha = tax collector, suta = charioteer/bard, palagala = messenger |
| Varna | Four hereditary varnas; dvija get upanayana; shudras excluded |
| Gotra | Lineage; gotra exogamy |
| Ashramas | Three in the Chandogya Upanishad; all four in the Jabala Upanishad |
| Women | Status declined; Gargi, Maitreyi (Brihadaranyaka) |
| Crops | Vrihi (rice), godhuma (wheat), barley |
| Value units | Nishka, shatamana, krishnala (no coins) |
| Gods | Prajapati supreme; Vishnu, Rudra rise; Pushan linked with shudras |
Vedic Literature Grid
| Veda | Priest | Brahmana(s) | Upanishad(s) | Remember |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rig | Hotri | Aitareya, Kaushitaki | Aitareya, Kaushitaki | 10 Mandalas, 1,028 hymns, ~10,600 verses; family books 2–7 |
| Sama | Udgatri | Panchavimsha (Tandya), Jaiminiya, Shadvimsha | Chandogya, Kena | Melodies; verses mostly from Rig; origin of Indian music |
| Shukla Yajur | Adhvaryu | Shatapatha (largest) | Brihadaranyaka, Isha | Vajasaneyi Samhita; mantras separate |
| Krishna Yajur | Adhvaryu | Taittiriya | Katha, Taittiriya, Shvetashvatara | Mantras mixed with prose |
| Atharva | Brahman | Gopatha | Mundaka, Mandukya, Prashna | 20 kandas; charms, medicine; iron |
Famous Hymns and Sayings
| Line / hymn | Source |
|---|---|
| Gayatri Mantra | RV 3.62.10, Vishvamitra, to Savitri |
| Purusha Sukta | RV 10.90 — four varnas |
| Nasadiya Sukta | RV 10.129 — creation |
| Nadistuti Sukta | RV 10.75 — rivers |
| Gambler’s Hymn | RV 10.34 |
| Satyameva Jayate | Mundaka Upanishad |
| Asato ma sadgamaya | Brihadaranyaka Upanishad |
| Aham brahmasmi | Brihadaranyaka Upanishad |
| Tat tvam asi | Chandogya Upanishad (Uddalaka to Shvetaketu) |
| Nachiketa and Yama | Katha Upanishad |
| Ishavasyam idam sarvam | Isha Upanishad |
Vedangas and Upavedas
| Vedanga | Subject / text |
|---|---|
| Shiksha | Phonetics |
| Kalpa | Ritual: Shrauta, Grihya, Dharma, Shulba (geometry) sutras |
| Vyakarana | Grammar — Panini, Ashtadhyayi |
| Nirukta | Etymology — Yaska |
| Chhanda | Metre — Pingala |
| Jyotisha | Astronomy — Vedanga Jyotisha (Lagadha) |
| Upaveda | Usually attached to |
|---|---|
| Ayurveda | Rig (some lists: Atharva) |
| Dhanurveda | Yajur |
| Gandharvaveda | Sama |
| Shilpaveda / Sthapatyaveda | Atharva |
| UNESCO | Fact |
|---|---|
| Tradition of Vedic chanting | Proclaimed 2003; on the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage 2008 |
| Rig Veda manuscripts (30, BORI Pune) | Memory of the World Register, 2007 |
Don’t Confuse
| This | vs | That |
|---|---|---|
| Ayas (Rig Veda) = copper/bronze | vs | Shyama/krishna ayas (later) = iron |
| Vidatha = oldest assembly, vanishes later | vs | Sabha/samiti = continue, weaken |
| Bali voluntary (early) | vs | Bali compulsory (later) |
| Yava = barley | vs | Vrihi = rice |
| Vajapeya = chariot race | vs | Ashvamedha = horse sacrifice |
| Sangrahitri = treasurer | vs | Bhagadugha = tax collector |
| Gomati (Rig Veda) = Gomal | vs | Gomti of Uttar Pradesh |
| Gayatri = RV 3 | vs | Purusha / Nasadiya = RV 10 |
| Satyameva Jayate = Mundaka | vs | Asato ma sadgamaya = Brihadaranyaka |
| Shruti = Vedas incl. Upanishads | vs | Smriti = Vedangas, epics, Puranas, Dharmashastras |
| Kosala of the Brahmanas = Ganga plain | vs | Dakshin Kosala = Chhattisgarh, later name |
| Painted Grey Ware = later Vedic | vs | Northern Black Polished Ware = Mahajanapada/Mauryan |
Favourite MCQ trap
“The sabha and samiti were called the two daughters of Prajapati in the Rig Veda.” Wrong. The description is in the Atharvaveda (7.12). Similarly, iron (shyama ayas) is first named in the Atharvaveda, not the Rig Veda.
Second favourite trap
“The four varnas are a feature of the entire Rig Veda.” Wrong. They appear in the Purusha Sukta of the tenth Mandala, one of the latest parts of the text. Rig Vedic society was largely tribal and occupations were not hereditary.
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