Vedic Culture

ORIGINAL HOME OF THE ARYANS

The original homeland of the Aryans remains a controversial issue among historians.

There are Different Theories related to it ;

1. Indigenous Theory – Some scholars believe that the Aryans were native inhabitants of India.

2. Migration Theory – Other scholars believe that the Aryans migrated into India from outside.

   Proposed regions include:

• • Central Asia – Supported by Max Müller
  • Europe
  • Arctic Region – Supported by Bal Gangadhar Tilak

3. Popular View

According to the most accepted theory:

• • Aryans migrated from Central Asia.
  • Migration occurred in several waves/stages.
  • Time Period: 2000 BC – 1500 BC

4. Boghazkoi Inscription located in Asia Minor (Turkiye)

• • The inscription mentions four Vedic Gods – Indra, Varuna, Mitra, Nasatyas (Ashvins)
  • This inscription is considered evidence supporting the Central Asian Theory of Aryan origin.

First Aryans Settlement in India

The first Aryan groups settled in:

• • Present Frontier Province
  • Punjab

This region was known as Sapta Sindhu (Land of Seven Rivers)

Aryans remained here for several centuries before expanding into:

• • Ganga Valley
  • Yamuna Valley

VEDIC LITERATURE (1500 BC – 600 BC)

It is believed that the Rig Veda was composed while Aryans were still living in Punjab.

Four Components of Vedic Literature

1. 1. Samhitas (Vedas)
   2. Brahmanas
   3. Aranyakas
   4. Upanishads

Nature of Vedic Literature

• • Vedic literature was transmitted orally from generation to generation.
  • Therefore it is called Shruti (“That which is heard”)

Importance of Vedas

• • The Vedas are considered Apaurusheya (Not created by man) and  Nitya (Eternal)

THE FOUR VEDAS

 Note :The first three Vedas – Rig Veda, Sama Veda and  Yajur Veda are jointly called Vedatrayi

RIG VEDA

• Rig Veda is known as the
• • Oldest text in the world.
  • Called the First Testament of Mankind.
•  Features of Rig Veda
• • Contains 1028 hymns
  • Divided into 10 Mandalas
• Mandalas 2–7 are called Gotra / Vamsha Mandalas (Kula Grantha)
• 1st Mandala and 10th Mandala were added later.
• In 10th Mandala, it talks about Purusha Sukta which explains about origin of four varnas:
• • Brahmana
  • Kshatriya
  • Vaishya
  • Shudra
• Rigvedic hymns were recited by Priest (Hotri)

SAMA VEDA

• Features of Sama Veda
• • Book of Chants
  • Contains 1549 hymns
  • All hymns except 75 were borrowed from Rig Veda
• Sama vedic hymns were recited by Priest (Udgatri)
• Importance of Sama Veda – Considered the foundation of Indian Music.

YAJUR VEDA

• Features of Yajur Veda
  • Book of Sacrificial Prayers
  • Ritualistic Veda
• Yajur vedic hymns were recited by Priest (Adhvaryu)
• Yajur Veda was divided into two Parts ;

1. 1. Krishna Yajur Veda
   2. Shukla Yajur Veda

• Unlike Rig and Sama Veda (which were in verse entirely), Yajur Veda contains both Verse and Prose)

ATHARVA VEDA

• Features
• • 4^th and the last Veda
  • Book of Magical Formulae
  • Contains charms and spells
  • Used against:
    • Evil spirits
    • Diseases
• Important Fact : For a long time Atharva Veda was not included among the Vedas.

BRAHMANAS

• Brahamanas explain the hymns of the Vedas.
• Nature
• • Written in prose
  • Ritualistic in nature
• Purpose of Brahamanas : It Explains the Sacrifices and Rituals
• Every Vedas has several Brahamanas attached to it.

Important Brahmanas

ARANYAKAS

• The word Aranya means Forest. Therefore Aranyakas are the Forest Texts.
• They were written mainly for Hermits and Students living in forests.
• Important Fact – Aranyakas form the concluding portions of Brahmanas.

 UPANISHADS

• Upanishads are the Philosophical Texts
• They are also called Vedanta (End of the Vedas)
• In total there are 108 Upanishads
• Oldest Upanishad is Brihadaranyaka Upanishad

LITERATURE OF VEDIC TRADITION (600 BC–600 AD)

• Also called as Smriti Literature (Remembrance Literature)
• It has Six Components

1. 1. Vedangas / Sutras
   2. Smritis / Dharmashastras
   3. Mahakavyas (Epics)
   4. Puranas
   5. Upavedas
   6. Shad Darshanas

SIX VEDANGAS

1. Shiksha (Phonetics)

   Important Text – Pratishakhya (Oldest phonetics text).

2. Kalpa Sutras (Rituals)

  Kalpa sutras consists of :

1. 1. a) Shrauta / Shulva Sutras – Deals with sacrifices.
   2. b) Grihya Sutras – Deals with family ceremonies.
   3. c) Dharma Sutras – Deals with Varna, Ashrama

3. Vyakarana (Grammar)

   Ashtadhyayi (Oldest grammar text in the world ) was written by Panini.

.4. Nirukta (Etymology)

   Nirukta (etymology) is an ancient Indian treatise authored by the scholar Yāska.

As a direct commentary on the Nighaṇṭu—the oldest recorded collection of words and proto-thesaurus in India, Nirukta breaks down the roots, origins, and semantics of difficult Vedic terms, making it widely regarded as the world’s oldest dictionary

5. Chhanda (Metrics)

   Important Text is Chandasutras, authored by Pingala

6. Jyotisha (Astronomy)

   Important Text is Vedanga Jyotisha (oldest Jyotisha text), authored by Lagadha Muni

SMRITIS

There are six famous Smritis:

1. Manu Smriti (Pre-Gupta Period)
   • The oldest Smriti text
   • Commentators: Vishvarupa, Meghatithi, Gobindraj, Kulluk Bhatta
2. Yajnavalkya Smriti (Pre-Gupta Period)
   • Commentators: Vishvarupa, Jimutvahan (Daybhag), Vijnyaneshwar (Mitakshara), Apararka (a king of the Shilahar Dynasty)
3. Narada Smriti (Gupta Period)
4. Parashara Smriti (Gupta Period)
5. Brihaspati Smriti (Gupta Period)
6. Katyayana Smriti (Gupta Period)

MAHAKAVYAS (EPICS)

There are mainly two Mahakavyas (Epics):

1. The Ramayana (Valmiki)

• • It is known as ‘Adi Kavya’ (the oldest epic of the world).
  • At present, it consists of 24,000 shlokas (verses).
  • Originally: 6,000 verses
  • Later: 12,000 verses
  • Finally: 24,000 verses
  • It is divided into 7 Kandas (sections).
  • The 1st and 7th Kandas were the latest additions to the Ramayana.

2. The Mahabharata (Ved Vyasa)

• • It is the longest epic of the world.
  • At present, it consists of 1,00,000 shlokas (verses).
  • Originally: 8,800 verses (Jaya Samhita)
  • Later: 24,000 verses (Chaturvinshati Sahastri Samhita / Bharata)
  • Finally: 1,00,000 verses (Shatasahastri Samhita / Maha Bharata)
  • It is divided into 18 Parvas (chapters).
  • It also includes the Harivamsa supplement.
  • The Bhagavad Gita is extracted from the Bhishma Parva of the Mahabharata.
  • Shanti Parva is the largest Parva (chapter) of the Mahabharata.
  • The Harivamsa is regarded as the Khila (appendix/supplement) of the Mahabharata

PURANAS

• • The word Purana means “the old.”
  • There are 18 famous Puranas.
  • Matsya Purana is the oldest Puranic text.
  • Other important Puranas include:
  • Bhagavata Purana
  • Vishnu Purana
  • Vayu Purana
  • Brahmanda Purana
  • They describe the genealogies of various royal dynasties

 UPAVEDAS (Auxiliary Vedas)

Shad-Darshanas

Six Schools of Indian Philosophy