Notes

19th January, 2022

The Vedic Literature is divided into two sections ie.

• RIGVEDA ( c 1500 BCE - 1000 CE)
It is one of the oldest text and is composed in the Sanskrit language and was orally composed. It is the sacred one. This happened because originally the Rigveda was composed orally. It did not have any script. It passed from one generation to another generation by reciting. When it was originally made it has no script, it's nature was different. The written form was given to it around the Gupta Period. Prayer book of the Indo-Europeans whom we also call ARYAN. This book is divided into 10 Mandalas. The first and tenth mandal belong to The later vedic period . The rigveda contains about 1028 Hymns/poems dedicated to various gods and goddesses and Indra, Varun and Agni are the most prominent ones. • LATER VEDIC TEXT (c 1000 BCE - 700 BCE) - Include rest of the vedas like Yajurveda, Samveda, Atharva Veda. Besides these three major vedas, there are other vedas also which are included in it such as Upnishads, Shrot literature (DHARMA SHASHTRAS, GRAH SHASHTRAS). The later vedic text tell us that these Indo-European (ARYAN) people around 1000 BCE migrated from the area of Punjab into the Ganga valley area and started leading a settled life which was based on agriculture. They also started using ions. They did reference to trade. Society became more complex. And we get the first reference to the caste/varna systems. These later-vedic period throw light on the economy, polity, social, culture of these people. The upnishad for the first time found the concept of Sufi, the concept of Karma, the concept of the Soul which is the essence of the Brahamincal philosphy which eventually developed. It is also known as vedic sources. The rest of the literary text throw light only after 6th century BCE.