The Vedic Age & Hinduism

(Some of this is probably a recap but I want to make sure everyone's on the same page to start.)

 

The Vedic Age, circa 1700 to 500 BCE (late Bronze Age and Iron Age)

One of the challenges of studying this period of South Asian history is the general absence of written records other than religion and some literature; this is compounded by the work of European (and some North American) scholars who imposed their own viewpoints upon the material.

At the start of this age, the Aryan peoples (not to be confused with modern Arians and Arianism) migrated into South Asia. This was once seen as an invasion, in common with other migrations of the same and later periods, but is now seen as more of a migration. Certainly it was not always peaceful, but it was not an outright conquest.

 

This replaced the exiting Indus Valley civilization; how is up for debate. Some scholars see assimilation of local elites with the Aryan newcomers; others see broader, slower acculturation, especially with language. Others argue - more controversially - that the Indo-Aryans were indigenous to South Asia and did not represent a migration, and require extensive re-imagining of surviving source material - and largely have been rejected.

The best non-archaeological source for this period are the religious texts known as the Vedas, first composed circa 1700-1100 but not written down until later. As is common with other oral then written traditions (for example Homer's Iliad) there is much debate about the transmission of the texts and how they developed. Moreover, there are different recensions (variants) that could vary by group or region.

 

The Vedas are divided into four :

• Rigveda: the oldest text, a collection of more than 1000 Vedic hymns organized into 10 books. These show similarities to the mythos and rituals of other ancient Central Asian groups.
• Yajurveda: a collection of prose mantras, providing information on rituals and sacrifices. Linguistically, these are different from the Rigveda. You can see two examples (and a link to more) at Veda Examples - these provide an idea of some of the early rituals.
• Samaveda: collection of songs, mostly from the Rigveda.
• Atharvaveda: 700+ hymns in poetry and prose, used as a source for Vedic customs and beliefs, as well as everyday life, including some politics. It was not considered Vedic until after the Vedic period.

To explicate the Vedas, commentaries (Brahmanas) developed, which provide more information on myth and philosophy. The surviving ones were created circa 900-700 BCE, before the rise of Buddhism.

 Examples of Vedic texts:

Hinduism

Hinduism was the religion of the Vedic peoples (and is currently the world's third largest religion). Usually seen as polytheistic, there are some would argue that the religion is truly monotheistic, centered on a single deity, Brahma, that was beyond human comprehension except through aspects. Depending on the branch or interpretation, there is one deity, three, thirty-three, or hundreds. Major/common deities include Indra (sky or storm god); Shiva the destroyer/transformer; Vishnu the preserver; Ganesha the elephant-headed deity and patron of arts; and the goddess Kali, destroyer of evil.

Although 'religion' would be the western category, Hinduism is more of a way of life, focusing on the eternal harmony of the world, and accepting that order and purpose allowed one to fully experience life. There are four main aims: Dharma - what one should do, or ethics; Artha - work and success; Kama - what one wants, or is passionate about; and Moksha - salvation or freedom. You are likely familiar with the term karma, or the intent and consequences of actions, which was linked to reincarnation (or more appropriately rebirth). Yoga is a term referring to the different practices one could use to attain Moksha.

 

The Caste System

The prominent feature of South Asian society in this period is the caste system - the division of people into different socio-cultic groups (Varnas):

• The Brahmana, priests and scholars
• The Kshatriya, warriors
• The Vaishya, farmers and merchants
• the Shudra, laborers
• The Dalits, or untouchables

Originally, the divisions corresponded solely to occupation but these hardened over time so that caste was decided by birth. The first four groups - the original ones - correspond to general divisions within society that are roughly mirrored throughout the globe. The shift to caste by birth reflects the increasing importance of religion and ritual, and the increasing power of the first two groups. The establishment of the fifth group, the untouchables, is an addition likely circa 400 CE during a struggle between Hinduism and Buddhism. The term Dalit means 'broken men' or 'scattered men' and technically they are not part of the caste system -they are outside of it, and polluted - and this could be tied either to working in polluted occupations (involving blood or waste), but also possibly from groups or tribes that had been broken up and dispossessed. [For more, optional material on Hinduism, see TBD].

 

Questions to consider

• Since the only literary sources we have for the period are religious in nature, what can you deduce about society?
• What the does the caste system reveal about social and cultural hierarchies, but also society more broadly?
• The many deities (or avatars): what do these say about how people in the Vedic Age understood the world?