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Vedic Age

History & Culture

Useful for: UPSC Civil Services

Overview

The Vedic period (c. 1500–600 BCE) saw the composition of the Vedas, a pastoral early phase and an agrarian, iron-using later phase with more rigid social order.

Key points

  • The Rigveda has 10 mandalas and 1,028 hymns; the Gayatri mantra is in Mandala III.
  • Early Vedic economy was pastoral (cattle wealth); later Vedic economy became agrarian with iron (Painted Grey Ware sites).
  • Assemblies: sabha and samiti; vidatha was an older assembly.
  • The Battle of Ten Kings (Dasharajna) was fought on the Parushni (Ravi).
  • Upanishads (Vedanta) discuss atman and brahman; "Satyameva Jayate" comes from the Mundaka Upanishad.
  • Sama Veda relates to chanting and music; Atharva Veda includes charms and everyday concerns.

Practice MCQs

  1. From the perspective of definition and scope, which one of the following statements about Vedic Age is correct?

    1. The political and economic structure of the early and later Vedic periods remained completely unchanged.
    2. Vedic Age is unrelated to institutions, processes or real-world applications.
    3. Vedic Age has no exceptions or limitations in exam analysis.
    4. Early and Later Vedic phases show changes in settlement, economy, political organization and social stratification.

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    Show answer

    Answer: (d) Early and Later Vedic phases show changes in settlement, economy, political organization and social stratification.. Early and Later Vedic phases show changes in settlement, economy, political organization and social stratification.

  2. Consider the following statements on Vedic Age, focusing on definition and scope: 1. Early and Later Vedic phases show changes in settlement, economy, political organization and social stratification. 2. The political and economic structure of the early and later Vedic periods remained completely unchanged. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2

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    Show answer

    Answer: (a) 1 only. Statement 1 is correct; Statement 2 is a common misconception.

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