Geographical Spread of Later Vedic Period:-
They expanded from Punjab over the whole of western U.P. covered by the Ganga-Yamuna doab.
In the beginning, they cleared the land by burning and later with the use of iron tools which became
common by 1000-800 B.C.
In Later Vedic period, many great cities like Videha, Kaushambi, Kasi, Ayodhya, Hastinapur and
Indraprastha etc. had sprung up.
Political Organization during Later Vedic Period :-
Social Life during Later Vedic Period:-
Daiva: Marriage in which the father gave his daughter to a sacrificial priest as part of his fees.
Arsa: Marriage in which a token bride price of a cow and a bull was paid to the daughter’s father.
Prajapatya: Marriage in which the father gave the girl without any dowry and without demanding bride price.
Gandharva: Marriage often clandestine, by the consent of the two parties.
Asura: Marriage by purchase.
Rakshasa: Marriage by capture.
Paishacha: Marriage involving the seduction of a girl while sleeping, etc.
Anuloma marriage: was the marriage of higher varna man with a lower varna woman.
Pratiloma marriage: was the marriage of a lower varna man with a higher varna woman.
Important Vedic Rituals during Later Vedic Period :-
1. Asvamedha: A king performed this sacrifice which meant control over the area in which the royal horse ran uninterrupted. The ceremony lasted for three days at the end of which the horse sacrificed was performed. The Asvamedha sacrifice concluded with the sacrifice of 21 sterile cows.
2. Vajapeya: A chariot race was performed in which the king must win the race (it was fixed). It was
meant to re-establish the supremacy of the king over his people.
3. Rajasuya: A sacrifice ceremony which conferred supreme power on the king.
4. Ratnahavimsi: A part of Rajasuya ceremony where different royal officials (ratnins) invoked different gods and goddesses.
5. Upanayana: An initiation ceremony to confer dvija status to boys of the higher varnas in their eighth year.
6. Pumsayam: A ceremony to procure a male child.
7. Garbhadhana: A ceremony to promote conception in women.
8. Culakarma: A ceremony, also known tonsure performed for boys in their third year.
9. Semontannayam: A ceremony to ensure the safety of the child in the womb.
10. Jatkarma: A birth ceremony performed before the cutting of the umbilical cord.
Pottery used during Later Vedic period:-
Though the Later Vedic phase has been identified with the Painted Grey Ware pottery culture, but
the fact is that this type of pottery constitutes only about 3-15% of the total pottery found.
The later vedic people used four types of pottery: black and red ware, black-slipped ware, painted
grey ware and red ware.
Red ware for commoners was most popular and has been found almost all over western U.P. However, the most distinctive pottery of the period is known as Painted Grey Ware which comprised bowls and dishes, used either for rituals or for eating by upper classes.
Economy during Later Vedic Period :-
During Later Vedic period, Krishnala berry was unit of weight and this probably led to the use of
coinage.
The Nishka replaced cow as a unit of value.
The Satamana mentioned in the Brahmanas was a piece of gold weighing a hundred Krishnalas.
Rigveda mentions only gold and copper or bronze but Later Vedic texts mention tin, lead, silver and
iron.
In addition to the cultivation of barley, wheat and rice, many new grains such as sesame (Tila) and
beans began to be cultivated during this period and great progress was doubtlessly made in the
methods of cultivation
Religion followed during Later Vedic Period :-
They expanded from Punjab over the whole of western U.P. covered by the Ganga-Yamuna doab.
In the beginning, they cleared the land by burning and later with the use of iron tools which became
common by 1000-800 B.C.
In Later Vedic period, many great cities like Videha, Kaushambi, Kasi, Ayodhya, Hastinapur and
Indraprastha etc. had sprung up.
Political Organization during Later Vedic Period :-
- Tiny tribal settlements were replaced by strong kingdoms.
- The earliest legend on the origin of kingship occurs in the Aitareya Brahmana, one of the Later Vedic texts, perhaps of the 8th or 7th century B.C.
- During the Rigvedic period the Aryans had built only small kingdoms, as they were always busy fighting the non-Aryans. But now they had crushed the resistance of the non-Aryans and had established such powerful kingdoms as Kuru, Panchala, Kosala, Magadha, Kasi and Anga.
- Powers of the king who was called the Samrat increased. Importance of assemblies declined. Women were no longer permitted to attend assemblies and the term ‘Rashtra’ indicating territory first appeared in this period.
- The establishment of vast empires led to the growth of the royal power.
- The Sabha and the Samiti were now not powerful enough to check the power of the kings. The office of the monarch had now become more or less hereditary.
- A regular army was maintained for the protection of the kingdom.
- In the Rigvedic period we hear of three main assistants of the king, i.e., the Purohita, the Senani and the Gramini. But now in addition to these officials many new assistants of the king were present. References of Priest (Purohita), Commander in chief (Senapati), Charioteer (Suta),Treasurer (Sangrihita), Tax collector (Bhagdugha),Chief queen (Mahisi) and the Great companion(Aksavapa).
- The centre of gravity was the king and not the priest. If there was any difference between the rule and the priest, it was the priest who yielded.
- Kings of various grades are mentioned in the Vedic hymns. For example, the Rajaka was inferior to a Raja who in turn was inferior to a Samrat.
- Political affairs, religious and social matters were discussed by the speakers in the local assemblies.
- These speakers sought the help of spells and magic herbs to stimulate their eloquence in debate (Pras) and overcome their rival debaters (Prati Prasita).
Social Life during Later Vedic Period:-
- The four fold division of society became clear initially based on occupation which later became hereditary; Brahmins (priests), Kshatriyas (warriors), Vaishyas (agriculturists, cattle-rearers,
- traders) and Shudras (servers of the upper three).
- Women enjoyed freedom and respect but their status deteriorated compared to earlier time.
- The institution of gotra appeared in this age first time. Gotra signifi ed descent from common ancestors.
- In this age also Chariot racing was the main sport and gambling the main pastime.
- The excavations at Hastinapur in Meerut, dating back to about 900 B.C.-500 B.C. have revealed
- settlements and faint beginning of town life. It may be called a proto-urban site.
- Later Vedic period, especially from around 800 B.C.- 500 B.C., is also the Sutra period. Sutra
- means formula. Grihasutra contained social rituals including sixteen sanskaras through which individual had to pass from conception tocremation.
- Woman was now gradually losing her position of importance in the religious and social sphere. The king and the nobility had now begun to marry more than one wife and the birth of a daughter was now regarded as source of misery.
- Higher education was, however, imparted to women. The re-marriage of a widow was prevalent
- and the practices of sati, child-marriage, purdah and child infanticide were not heard of.
- Now in place of four main varnas many new castes were born, leading to the complexities of the caste system.
- The life of an ordinary man was now, however, divided into four stages popularly known as the four Ashramas.
- Types of marriages:- Brahma: Marriage of a duly dowered girl to a man
Daiva: Marriage in which the father gave his daughter to a sacrificial priest as part of his fees.
Arsa: Marriage in which a token bride price of a cow and a bull was paid to the daughter’s father.
Prajapatya: Marriage in which the father gave the girl without any dowry and without demanding bride price.
Gandharva: Marriage often clandestine, by the consent of the two parties.
Asura: Marriage by purchase.
Rakshasa: Marriage by capture.
Paishacha: Marriage involving the seduction of a girl while sleeping, etc.
Anuloma marriage: was the marriage of higher varna man with a lower varna woman.
Pratiloma marriage: was the marriage of a lower varna man with a higher varna woman.
Important Vedic Rituals during Later Vedic Period :-
1. Asvamedha: A king performed this sacrifice which meant control over the area in which the royal horse ran uninterrupted. The ceremony lasted for three days at the end of which the horse sacrificed was performed. The Asvamedha sacrifice concluded with the sacrifice of 21 sterile cows.
2. Vajapeya: A chariot race was performed in which the king must win the race (it was fixed). It was
meant to re-establish the supremacy of the king over his people.
3. Rajasuya: A sacrifice ceremony which conferred supreme power on the king.
4. Ratnahavimsi: A part of Rajasuya ceremony where different royal officials (ratnins) invoked different gods and goddesses.
5. Upanayana: An initiation ceremony to confer dvija status to boys of the higher varnas in their eighth year.
6. Pumsayam: A ceremony to procure a male child.
7. Garbhadhana: A ceremony to promote conception in women.
8. Culakarma: A ceremony, also known tonsure performed for boys in their third year.
9. Semontannayam: A ceremony to ensure the safety of the child in the womb.
10. Jatkarma: A birth ceremony performed before the cutting of the umbilical cord.
Pottery used during Later Vedic period:-
Though the Later Vedic phase has been identified with the Painted Grey Ware pottery culture, but
the fact is that this type of pottery constitutes only about 3-15% of the total pottery found.
The later vedic people used four types of pottery: black and red ware, black-slipped ware, painted
grey ware and red ware.
Red ware for commoners was most popular and has been found almost all over western U.P. However, the most distinctive pottery of the period is known as Painted Grey Ware which comprised bowls and dishes, used either for rituals or for eating by upper classes.
Economy during Later Vedic Period :-
During Later Vedic period, Krishnala berry was unit of weight and this probably led to the use of
coinage.
The Nishka replaced cow as a unit of value.
The Satamana mentioned in the Brahmanas was a piece of gold weighing a hundred Krishnalas.
Rigveda mentions only gold and copper or bronze but Later Vedic texts mention tin, lead, silver and
iron.
In addition to the cultivation of barley, wheat and rice, many new grains such as sesame (Tila) and
beans began to be cultivated during this period and great progress was doubtlessly made in the
methods of cultivation
Religion followed during Later Vedic Period :-
- Rituals and formulae became prominent in the cult of sacrifice.
- According to the scheme of four stages, life did not begin with one’s physical birth, but with the second birth which was after the investiture ceremony or Upanayana. The age of Upanayana was 8 years for Brahmanas, 11 years for Kshatriyas, and 12 years for Vaishyas.
- Shatpatha Brahmana says that east, west, north, south; all should be given to priests as fee.
- Indra, Varuna, Surya and Agni lost their importance.
- Prajapati (the creator) became supreme.
- Vishnu came to be conceived as the preserver and protector of the people.
- Some of the special orders came to have their own deities e.g. Pushan responsible for well being of the cattle, became the God of the Shudras.
- Towards the end of the period, began a strong reaction against the sacrificial cults and rituals with the composition of the Upanishads which valued right belief and knowledge more than anything else.
