Rig Vedic Economy, Society and Family
Ancient History › Vedic Age · Topic 4.3
Rig Vedic people were predominantly pastoral: cattle was the chief wealth, wars were gavishthi (search for cows), gifts to priests were cows and slave women, not land. Agriculture and crafts (carpenter, weaver, potter, chariot-maker) existed but there was no regular trade or cities. Society was patriarchal with a joint family, women had some standing, and slight social differentiation (arya and dasa varna, a late shudra) arose.
5 min read · UPSC Prelims · History · Vedic Age
At a Glance
- Economy Predominantly pastoral
- Wealth Cattle
- War term Gavishthi, search for cows
- Family Patriarchal joint family (griha)
- Shudra Only in Book X
- Exam link UPSC Prelims, Ancient History: Vedic Age
Where Does It Fit?
This is the third topic of the category on the Vedic age. The previous topic covered Rig Vedic polity, and this one covers livelihood, society and family. The next topic covers Rig Vedic gods and religion. Previous topic: The Age of the Rig Veda – Polity and Tribal Society.
How Did the Rig Vedic People Earn Their Living?
In short: they lived mainly by herding cattle, with some farming and simple crafts, and no cities.
The Rig Vedic Aryans owed their success to horses, chariots and possibly better bronze arms, and possibly used copper from the Khetri mines. They had superior knowledge of agriculture: the ploughshare is mentioned in the earliest part (though some think this an interpolation) and was possibly of wood; they knew sowing, harvesting, threshing and the seasons. But the many references to the cow and bull make them a predominantly pastoral people. Most wars were fought over cows, the word for war being gavishthi or search for cows, and cattle seems the most important form of wealth. Gifts to priests were usually cows and women slaves, never land, and land was not a well-established private property.
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| Crafts | Carpenter, chariot-maker, weaver, leather worker and potter; ayas for copper or bronze shows metalworking |
| Trade | No clear evidence of regular trade; land routes used; samudra means a stretch of water |
| Settlement | Pur means a dwelling unit or cluster, not a city or fort; the Aryans did not live in cities, possibly in fortified mud settlements |
| Sites | Bhagwanpura and Punjab sites with Painted Grey Ware and late Harappan pottery, 1600 to 1000 BC, with cattle bones and, at Bhagwanpura, horse bones |
What Was the Family and Tribal Structure?
Kinship was the basis of social structure and a man was identified by his clan. The kula (family) is rarely mentioned, while griha is the common word. In the earliest Indo-European languages one word denotes nephew, grandson and cousin, which implies that separate households had not yet formed and the family was a large joint unit, patriarchal and headed by the father, with several generations under one roof. The birth of a son was repeatedly desired, and people prayed for brave sons; no desire for daughters is expressed, though children and cattle are recurrent themes. Women could attend assemblies and offer sacrifices along with husbands. Five women composed hymns, whereas later texts mention twenty. Marriage was established though primitive traces survived: Yami’s proposal to her twin Yama was refused; hints of polyandry exist in the cases of the Maruts and the Asvins and traces of matrilineal naming such as Mamateya. Levirate and widow remarriage occur, there are no examples of child marriage, and the marriageable age seems to have been 16 to 17. The political side of tribal life is in The Age of the Rig Veda – Polity and Tribal Society.
How Were Social Differences Emerging?
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Varna | The term means colour; the Indo-Aryan speakers seem to have been fair and the indigenous inhabitants dark, but colour’s importance has been exaggerated by writers with racial beliefs |
| Conquest | The conquest of the indigenous inhabitants was the largest factor in social division; dasas and dasyus were treated as slaves and shudras; the Rig Veda mentions arya varna and dasa varna |
| Three orders | Tribal society gradually divided into warriors, priests and common people on the Iranian pattern; chiefs and priests got larger shares of booty |
| Shudras | A fourth division appeared towards the end of the period; the term occurs only in Book X, the latest addition |
| Slaves | Mainly women employed in domestic work, given to priests; not used in agriculture or production |
| Occupations | Differentiation had begun but was not sharp: a poet’s family might have a physician father and a grinder mother |
The economy was pastoral and not food-producing, so there was little scope for regular tribute, no gifts of land, and domestic slaves but not wage-earners. The tribal elements were stronger and the society was still tribal and egalitarian. As an analytical point, the early inequalities came from war spoils and priestly gifts, not from land, and the full varna system came later, as discussed in Later Vedic Social Organisation – Varna, Family and Women. The religion of this society is in Rig Vedic Gods and Religion.
Why Is This Topic Important?
- Terms Gavishthi, griha and varna are asked
- Society Women’s position and family type
- Contrast With later Vedic society
What Came Next?
The next topic describes Rig Vedic gods and religion. Next topic: Rig Vedic Gods and Religion.
Key People and Terms
- Gavishthi War, search for cows
- Griha Household or family
- Pur Dwelling unit or cluster
- Ayas Copper or bronze
- Levirate Marriage to a dead brother’s widow
- Dasa varna Dark conquered people
Exam Corner
Points to Remember
- War term: gavishthi.
- Gifts: cows and slave women, not land.
- Marriageable age 16 to 17.
- Shudra appears in Book X only.
- Family term: griha.
Do Not Confuse With
- Kula and griha Rarely used family term versus common household term
- Arya varna and dasa varna Conquerors versus the conquered
- Pastoral and agrarian economy Cattle-based versus crop-based
Memory Hook
Cows are wealth, wars seek cows, gifts are cattle and slave women; family under one roof.
Mains Angle
Questions on Rig Vedic society ask about the economy and social change. These points add depth.
- Economy Pastoral with some farming
- Family Patriarchal joint family
- Inequality War spoils and conquest
A Question You May Face
An original practice question, not a past paper question.
“Describe the economy and society of the Rig Vedic period.”
How to Answer
- Economy Cattle, farming, crafts.
- Family Patriarchal and joint.
- Women Assemblies and hymns.
- Orders Arya, dasa, rise of shudra.
GS Relevance
Frequently Asked Questions
Was the Rig Vedic economy pastoral or agricultural?
It was predominantly pastoral. The many references to the cow and bull, the term gavishthi for war and the gifts of cows to priests show that cattle were the main wealth, although agriculture and the plough were known.
What was the Rig Vedic family like?
The family was a large patriarchal joint unit, called griha, headed by the father, with several generations living together. The birth of sons was desired, and women could attend assemblies and offer sacrifices alongside their husbands.
What was the position of women in the Rig Veda?
Women attended the sabha and vidatha, took part in sacrifices and five composed hymns. Levirate and widow remarriage occur, there are no instances of child marriage, and the marriageable age appears to have been about 16 to 17.
How did social divisions arise in the Rig Vedic period?
Conquest of the indigenous inhabitants and unequal division of war spoils created divisions. Society split into warriors, priests and common people, and the shudra appears at the end of the period, only in Book X.
Did the Rig Vedic people live in cities?
No. The word pur means a dwelling unit or cluster of units, not a city or fort, and there is no evidence of regular trade, so the Aryans possibly lived in fortified mud settlements that archaeologists still need to identify.
PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis
1 The Rig Vedic term for war was gavishthi.
It means search for cows.
2 Gifts to priests in the Rig Veda usually consisted of land.
They were cows and women slaves.
3 The word shudra appears first in Book X of the Rig Veda.
That book is a late addition.
4 Child marriage was common in the Rig Vedic period.
No examples exist.
Related Topics
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