Category 4 · Ancient History

Vedic Age

9 micro topics in Ancient History for UPSC Prelims, in book order: Identity of Aryan Culture and the Debate on Aryan Origins; The Age of the Rig Veda – Polity and Tribal Society; and 7 more.

4.1

Identity of Aryan Culture and the Debate on Aryan Origins

Aryan refers to speakers of Indo-Aryan languages, not a race. Their culture is reconstructed from the Rig Veda, the Avesta and Homer: agriculture and pastoralism, the horse and spoked-wheel chariot, bows, fire and soma cults, animal…
4.2

The Age of the Rig Veda – Polity and Tribal Society

The Rig Vedic Aryans lived in the Land of the Seven Rivers (eastern Afghanistan, Punjab and western UP fringes) in kin-based tribes (jana) led by a hereditary chief (rajan), checked by assemblies (sabha, samiti, vidatha, gana),…
4.3

Rig Vedic Economy, Society and Family

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…
4.4

Rig Vedic Gods and Religion

Rig Vedic religion personified nature: Indra (rain god and warlord, about 250 hymns), Agni (fire, about 200 hymns, messenger between gods and people), Varuna (water and cosmic order), Soma (plants and drink), the Maruts (storm) and…
4.5

Later Vedic Phase – Expansion, Iron and Agriculture

In the later Vedic period (c. 1000 to 500 BC) the Aryans spread from Punjab over the Ganga-Yamuna doab, where the Kuru-Panchalas ruled from Hastinapur, and then east to Koshala and Videha. Iron weapons and horse…
4.6

Later Vedic Political Organisation

In later Vedic times tribal assemblies weakened (the vidatha vanished, women were barred from the sabha) while royal power grew with larger territorial kingdoms (rashtra, rajya, janapada). Kingship became hereditary, supported by rajasuya, ashvamedha and vajapeya…
4.7

Later Vedic Social Organisation – Varna, Family and Women

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…
4.8

Later Vedic Religion, Rituals and Philosophy

In the later Vedic period Prajapati became supreme, Rudra and Vishnu rose, Indra and Agni declined, and sacrifices (public and domestic, with exact formulae by the yajamana and brahmana priests) dominated worship, involving large cattle losses…
4.9

Vedic Literature – Samhitas, Brahmanas, Aranyakas, Upanishads and Vedangas

Vedic literature comprises the four Vedas (Rig, Sama, Yajur and Atharva) with their Samhitas, plus the Brahmanas, Aranyakas and Upanishads, and the supporting Vedangas (shiksha, kalpa, vyakarana, nirukta, chhanda, jyotisha). The Rig Veda is the oldest…

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Frequently asked questions

Which topics are in Vedic Age?

Vedic Age has 9 micro topics in Ancient History: Identity of Aryan Culture and the Debate on Aryan Origins; The Age of the Rig Veda – Polity and Tribal Society; Rig Vedic Economy, Society and Family; Rig Vedic Gods and Religion; Later Vedic Phase – Expansion, Iron and Agriculture; Later Vedic Political Organisation; Later Vedic Social Organisation – Varna, Family and Women; Later Vedic Religion, Rituals and Philosophy; Vedic Literature – Samhitas, Brahmanas, Aranyakas, Upanishads and Vedangas.

Is Vedic Age important for UPSC Prelims?

Vedic Age is a part of the UPSC Prelims Ancient History syllabus map on MaargX UPSC. Each of its 9 published topics has key terms, a Mains angle and practice questions.