Maarg Manthan · Topic 4.7

Later Vedic Social Organisation – Varna, Family and Women

Ancient History › Vedic Age · Topic 4.7

Later Vedic society was divided into four varnas: brahmana, rajanya or kshatriya, vaishya and shudra. Sacrificial cults raised the brahmanas, vaishyas became the main tribute payers, and shudras and women were denied the sacred thread and gayatri mantra, though varna rules were still flexible. The father's power grew, women were seen as inferior, gotra exogamy began and the ashrama scheme was only partly developed.

5 min read · UPSC Prelims · History · Vedic Age

At a Glance

Varnas Brahmana, rajanya, vaishya, shudra
Tribute payers Vaishyas
Barred from gayatri Shudras and women
New institution Gotra exogamy
Ashramas Three well defined
Exam link UPSC Prelims, Ancient History: Vedic Age

Where Does It Fit?

This is the seventh topic of the category on the Vedic age. The previous topic covered political organisation, and this one covers society. The next topic covers later Vedic religion, rituals and philosophy. Previous topic: Later Vedic Political Organisation.

How Was Society Divided into Varnas?

In short: the later Vedic texts divide society into four varnas, with the brahmanas and kshatriyas dominating the rest.

Aryanization promoted social differentiation. In the later Vedic texts the term arya encompasses brahmana, kshatriya, vaishya and shudra, and it was the Vedic Aryans who introduced the varna system. The growing cult of sacrifices enormously added to the power of the brahmanas. Initially they were only one of sixteen classes of priests, but they overshadowed the others, and this rise of the brahmana is a peculiar development not found in Aryan societies outside India. They conducted rituals and sacrifices for clients and for themselves, officiated at agricultural festivals and prayed for the patron’s success in war, and in return the king pledged not to harm them. Sometimes brahmanas and rajanyas, the warrior nobles, clashed over supremacy, but dealing with lower orders they put aside their differences; from the end of the period it was stressed that the two upper orders should cooperate to rule over the rest.

Varna	Role and position
Brahmana	Priests; conducted rituals; accepted gifts; the Aitareya Brahmana calls him a seeker of livelihood and acceptor of gifts, also removable by the prince
Rajanya or kshatriya	Warrior nobles; the prince sought authority over all three other varnas
Vaishya	Common people with producing functions such as agriculture and cattle-breeding, some artisans, and towards the end of the period traders; the only tribute payers, with rituals to make the vis submissive; described as tribute-paying and to be oppressed at will
Shudra	The servant of another, to be made to work at will; the worst position

What Were the Rights and Disabilities?

All the three higher varnas were entitled to upanayana, investiture with the sacred thread according to Vedic mantras, which heralded the beginning of Vedic education. The fourth varna was deprived of the sacred thread ceremony and of the gayatri mantra, and so of Vedic education. Women were also denied both the gayatri and upanayana, so the imposition of disabilities on shudras and women began towards the end of the Vedic period. Generally the texts draw a line between the three higher orders and shudras, but several public rituals at the king’s coronation in which shudras took part were presumably survivals of the original Aryan community, and some artisans, such as the rathakara or chariot-maker, enjoyed high status and the sacred thread. Thus varna distinctions had not advanced very far. The earlier division into three orders is in Rig Vedic Economy, Society and Family.

How Did Family, Women and Life Stages Change?

The family shows the increasing power of the father, who could even disinherit his son. In princely families, the right of primogeniture was getting stronger, and male ancestors came to be worshipped. Women were generally given a lower position. Although some women theologians took part in philosophical discussions and some queens in coronation rituals, ordinarily they were considered inferior and subordinate to men. The institution of gotra appeared, literally the cow pen where the clan’s cattle were kept, and in time it denoted descent from a common ancestor. People began to practise gotra exogamy, so no marriage could take place between persons of the same gotra or lineage. The ashramas, or four stages of life, were not well established in Vedic times; the post-Vedic texts speak of the brahmachari (student), grihastha (householder), vanaprastha (hermit) and sannyasin (ascetic). Only the first three are clearly defined in the later Vedic texts, the fourth not well established, though ascetic life was known; even later only the householder stage was commonly practised by all varnas.

Institution	Detail
Gotra	Descent group; marriage outside it
Primogeniture	Growing in princely families
Women	Lower position; denied gayatri and upanayana
Ashrama	Brahmachari, grihastha, vanaprastha; sannyasin not established

As an analytical point, the tribal egalitarianism of the Rig Vedic period gave way to a graded order built on tribute, ritual and descent, whose effects on the shudras and women are discussed again in Varna System, Social Orders and Legislation in the Age of the Buddha.

Why Is This Topic Important?

Core social topic Varna system’s origin
Disabilities Shudras and women
Terms Gotra and ashramas

What Came Next?

The next topic describes later Vedic religion, rituals and philosophy. Next topic: Later Vedic Religion, Rituals and Philosophy.

Key People and Terms

Varna Social order
Upanayana Sacred thread ceremony
Gayatri Vedic mantra
Gotra Clan lineage
Ashrama Stage of life
Primogeniture Succession by eldest son

Exam Corner

Points to Remember

Four varnas in later Vedic texts.
Vaishyas: tribute payers.
Shudras and women: no gayatri or upanayana.
Gotra exogamy appears.
Only three ashramas well defined.

Do Not Confuse With

Kshatriya and rajanya Same warrior order under two names
Gotra and clan Lineage group versus wider kin
Grihastha and sannyasin Householder versus ascetic

Memory Hook

Priest, prince, tribute-payer, servant; thread for three, none for shudra or woman; gotra bars marriage.

Mains Angle

Questions on this theme ask about the origin of social inequality. These points add depth.

Rise of priests Sacrifice cult
Disabilities Shudras and women
Flexibility Varna not yet rigid

A Question You May Face

An original practice question, not a past paper question.

“Describe the social organisation of the later Vedic period.”

How to Answer

Varna Four orders.
Rights Upanayana and gayatri.
Family Father’s power, gotra.
Ashramas Partial development.

GS Relevance

Prelims: varnas, gotra, ashramas. GS Paper 1: social stratification in the later Vedic age.

Frequently Asked Questions

How was later Vedic society divided?

It was divided into four varnas: brahmana, rajanya or kshatriya, vaishya and shudra. The brahmanas rose with the cult of sacrifice, the vaishyas became tribute payers, and shudras were servants who were deprived of the sacred thread and Vedic education.

What was upanayana?

Upanayana was the investiture with the sacred thread according to Vedic mantras, given to the three higher varnas. It marked the beginning of Vedic education, and shudras and women were denied it and the gayatri mantra.

What is gotra?

Gotra literally means a cow pen where the cattle of the whole clan were kept, but in time it signified descent from a common ancestor. People began to practise gotra exogamy, which barred marriage between persons of the same gotra.

What were the four ashramas?

The four stages of life were brahmachari (student), grihastha (householder), vanaprastha (hermit) and sannyasin (ascetic). In later Vedic texts only the first three are clearly defined, and the fourth was not well established, though ascetic life was known.

What was the status of women in the later Vedic period?

Women were generally given a lower position than in the Rig Vedic period and were considered inferior to men, though some women theologians took part in philosophical discussions. Women were also barred from the gayatri mantra and upanayana.

PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis

1 Vaishyas were the main tribute payers in the later Vedic period.

True

Brahmanas and kshatriyas lived on tribute.

2 Shudras could be invested with the sacred thread.

False

They were denied it.

3 Gotra exogamy began in the later Vedic period.