Short Notes on Later Vedic Period & Sangam Age

By Shantanu Sanwal|Updated : April 27th, 2019

In this article, we have discussed RRB History Notes for Later Vedic Period. These History notes are for Railways & Other Exams well. 

GA History Notes: Later Vedic Period

The history of the later Vedic period is based mainly on the Vedic texts which were compiled after the age of Rig Veda.

1. Later Vedic Texts

a. The Veda Samhitas
i. Sama Veda – The book of chants with hymns taken from Rig Veda. This Veda is important for Indian Music.
ii. Yajur Veda – The book consists of sacrificial rituals and formulae.
iii. Atharva Veda – This book consists of charms and spells to ward of evils and diseases

b. The Brahmanas – Consists of the explanatory part of the Vedas. Sacrifices and rituals have also been discussed in great detail.
i. Rig Veda – Aitreya and Kaushitiki Brahmana
ii. Yajur Veda – Panchvisha, Chandogya, Shadvinsh and Jaiminaya
iii. Sama Veda – Shatapata and Taittariya
iv. Atharva Veda - Gopatha

c. The Aranyakas – Concluding portions of Brahmanas, also called as Forest texts written mainly for the hermits and students living in forests.

d. The Upanishads – Appearing at the end of Vedic period, they criticized the rituals and laid stress on right belief and Knowledge.

2. Vedic literature – Following the Later Vedic age, a lot of Vedic Literature was developed, inspired from the Samhitas which follow the Smriti – Literature which was written in comparison to Shruti – Word of Mouth tradition. Important texts in Smriti tradition are further subdivided into

a. Vedangas
i. Shiksha - Phonetics
ii. KalpaSutras – Rituals

  • Sulva Sutras
  • Grihya Sutras
  • Dharma Sutras

iii. Vyakarna - Grammar
iv. Nirukta - Etymology
v. Chhandha - metrics
vi. Jyotisha - Astronomy

b. Smritis
i. Manu Smriti
ii. Yajnavalkya Smriti
iii. Narada Smriti
iv. Parashara Smriti
v. Brihaspati Smriti
vi. Katyayana Smriti

c. Mahakavyas
i. The Ramayana
ii. The Mahabharata

d. The Puranas
i. 18 Maha Puranas – Dedicated to specific deities such as Brahma, Surya, Agni, Saiva and Vaishnava. They include Bhagavata Purana, Matsya Purana, Garuda Purana etc
ii. 18 Upa Puranas – Lesser known texts

e. The Upvedas
i. Ayurveda - Medicine
ii. Gandharvaveda - Music
iii. Arthaveda - Vishwakarma
iv. Dhanurveda - Archery

f. Shad-Darshanas or Indian Philosophical Schools
i.  
Samkhya
ii. Yoga
iii. Nyaya
iv. Vaisheshika
v. Mimansa
vi. Vedanta

3. The PGW-Iron Phase Culture and Later Vedic Economy

The settlements covered the whole of the North India with Ganges being the center of culture. Appearance of Iron implements in Dharwar, Gandhara and Baluchistan region from 1000 BC. Iron was called as Shyama or Krishna Ayas and was used in hunting, clearing forests etc.

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a. Territorial Divisions
i. Aryavarta – North India
ii. Madhya Desa – Central India
iii. Dakshinapah – South India

b. Transition of chief source of livelihood from Pastoralists to well-settled and sedentary Agriculture based economy. Rice (Vrihi), Barley, Wheat and Lentils were chief produce.

c. Arts and Crafts improved with use of Iron and Copper implements. Weaving, leather work, pottery and carpenter’s work also made great progress.

d. Growth of Towns or Nagaras were seldom found. The Later vedic phase didn’t develop into an urban Phase. Kaushambi and Hastinapur are called as Proto-Urban Sites.

e. Seas and Sea Voyages are also mentioned in the Vedic texts.

4. Political Organization

a. Assemblies – Popular assemblies lost their importance. Character of Sabha and Samiti changed while Vidatha disappeared. Rich nobles and chiefs started to dominate these assemblies.
i. Women were no longer allowed in these assemblies. They lost their importance gradually.

b. Formation of bigger kingdoms led to Kings becoming powerful and tribal authority becoming territorial. Rashtra indicates territory appears first in this phase

c. Though Election of the chief appears in the text, the post tends to become hereditary. But the Bharata Battle shows Kingship knows no Kinship.

d. The king performed various rituals to strengthen his powers. Some of them are
i. Ashvamedha – Unquestioned control over an area in which the royal horse ran uninterrupted.
ii. Vajapeya- Chariot race
iii. Rajasuya Sacrifice to confer supreme powers
e. Sangrihitri – An officer appointed to collect taxes and tributes
f. Even in this phase the King did not possess a standing army and tribal units were mustered in times of war.

5. Social Organization

a. Chaturvarna System developed gradually due to increasing power of Brahmanas as Sacrifice rituals were becoming more common. But even now the Varna system had not advanced very far.

b. The Vaishyas were the common people who paid tributes while the Brahmanas and Kshatriyas lived on the tributes collected from the Vaishyas. The three Varnas were entitled to Upanayana and the recitation of Gayatri Mantra which was deprived to Shudras.

c. Gotra started to appear with Gotra Exogamy begun to be practiced.

d. Ashramas (Brahmacharya, Grihastha, Vanaprastha and Sannyasin) were not well established.

6. Gods, Rituals and Philosophy

a. The cult of Brahminical Influence developed with growing rituals and sacrifices.

b. Indra and Agni lost their importance while Prajapati acquired the supreme position with Rudra and Vishnu having important positions

c. Signs of idolatry started to appear

d. People worshipped god for material reasons

e. Sacrifices became more important with sacrificial rituals and formulae accompanying sacrifices

f. The guest was called as Goghana or one who was fed on cattle.

g. Brahmans demanded golds, cloth, horses along with territories/lands as part of their sacrificial gifts.

 

Sangam Age - The Dawn of History in the Deep South

The Megalithic Background

Megalith graves were encircled by big pieces of stones. They also contained pottery and iron objects buried with the corpse. They are found in the upland regions of Peninsula with concentration in Eastern Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu

State formation and rise of civilization

The megalithic people started to reclaim the fertile deltaic lands. The route to the south is called as Dakshinapatha which became economically important.

Megasthenes knew about Pandyas while Ashokan inscriptions mention about Cholas, Pandyas, Keralaputras and Satyaputras

Flourishing trade with Roman empire led to the formation of these three states i.e., Cheras, Cholas and Pandyas

Sangam Period

Sangam period is the period in the history of ancient Tamil Nadu spanning from c. 3rd century BC to c. 3rd century AD. It is named after the famous Sangam academies of poets and scholars centred in the city of Madurai.

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Three early kingdoms

Kingdom

Capital

Port

Emblem

Famous Ruler

Cheras

Vanji – Modern Kerala

Muzuri and Tondi

Bow

Senguttuvan

Cholas

Uraiyur and Puhar

Kaveripatinam/Puhar. They had an efficient Navy

Tiger

Karikalan

Pandyas

Madurai

Korkai for Pearl Fishing

Fish

Nedunzheriyan

Cheras

  • They had Palmyra flowers as their Garland
  • Pugalur inscriptions mention of three generations of Cheras
  • Senguttuvan introduced Pattni cult or Worship of Kannagi as ideal wife

Cholas

  • Karikalan built Kallanai (Check dam) against River Kaveri

Pandyas

  • Maduraikkanji written by Mangudi Maruthanar describes the socio-economic conditions of the Pandyas
  • Invasion by Kalbharas led to their decline

These kingdoms had a profitable trade with the Roman empire. They produced Pepper, Ivory, Pearls, Precious stones, Muslin, Silk, Cotton etc. which led to prosperity in their region.

Rise of social classes

  • Enadi – captains of the army
  • Vellalas – Rich peasants
  • Arasar – ruling class
  • Kadaisiyar – the lowest class
  • Pariyars – agricultural labourers

Four castes mentioned in Tolkappiyam

  • Arasar – Ruling class
  • Anthanar – Brahmanas
  • Vanigar – People involved in Trade and Commerce
  • Vellalar – Labourers

Five-fold division of land

Land

Type of land

Chief deity

Chief occupation

Kurunji

Hilly tracts

Murugan

Hunting and honey collection

Mullai

Pastoral

Mayon

Cattle rearing and dealing with dairy products

Marudham

Agricultural

Indira

Agricultural

Neidhal

Coastal

Varunan

Fishing and salt manufacturing

Palai

Desert

Korravai

Robbery

Sangam administration

  • Avai – the imperial court
  • Kodimaram – tutelary tree of every ruler
  • Panchmahasabha
    1. Amaichar – ministers
    2. Senatipathiar – Army chief
    3. Otrar – Spy
    4. Thoodar – Envoy
    5. Purohitar – Priest
  • Kingdom’s division
  • Mandalam/Nadu – Province
  • Ur – town
  • Perur – Big village
  • Sitrur – Small village

Sangams

Sangam

Place

Chairman

Surviving texts

1st

Then-Madurai

Agasthiyar

Nil

2nd

Kapadapuram

Agasthiyar and Tolkappiyar

Tolkappiyam

3rd

Madurai

Founder - Mudathirumaran

Nakkirar 

Ettutogai, Pattu Pattu (10 idylls)

Tamil language and Sangam literature

  • Narrative – Ettutogai and Pattupattu which are called Melkankakku – 18 Major works. They are divided into Agam (love) and Puram (Valour)
  • Didactive – Pathinenkilkanakku – 18 minor works. They deal with Ethics and Morals.
  • Thirukkural ­– Written by Thiruvalluvar is a treatise covering various aspects of life.
  • Tolkappiyam by Tolkappiyar is the earliest of Tamil literature. It is a work on Tamil Grammar but also provides information on Political and Social conditions of Sangam period

Epics

  • Silapadhikaram by Elango Adigal
  • Manimegalai by Sitthalai Sathanar
  • Valayapathi
  • Kundalagesi
  • Sivaga Sinthamani

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