☼ Society during the Rig Vedic Period:
• The Rigvedic society comprised of four varnas:— (i) Brahmana, (ii) Kshatriya, (iii) Vaishya (iv) Shudra.
• The classification of society was based on the professions or occupations of the individuals.
•(i) Brahmana: The Teachers and the priests were called 'Brahamanas'.
•(ii) Kshatriya: The rulers and administrators were called 'Kshatriyas'.
•(iii) Vaishya: The farmers, merchants and bankers were called 'Vaishyas'.
•(iv) Shudra: The Artisans and labourers were reckoned as 'Shudras'.
• These vocations were followed by persons according to their ability and liking, and the occupations had not become hereditary as they became later on.
• Members of the same family took to different professions and belonged to different varnas as well illustrated by a hymn of the Rig Veda.
• In one of the hymn a person says : 'l am a singer; my father is a physician, my mother is a grinder of corn .'
• Family was the unit of society and the family was primarily monogamous and patriarchal .
• Child marriage was not in vogue.
• A widow could marry the younger brother of her deceased husband (Niyoga).
• The father's property was inherited by son.
• Right to property existed in respect of moveable things like cattle, horse, gold and ornaments and also in respect of immovable property like land and house.
• The home of the teacher was the school where he taught the particular sacred texts.
• Milk and its products were curd, butter and ghee which were an important part of the diet. There is also the mention of grain cooked with milk (Kshira-pakamodanam).
• The meat of fish, birds and animals was eaten.
• The cow was already deemed Aghanya i.e. not to be killed.
• Rig Veda prescribes a penalty of death or expulsion from the kingdom to those who kill or injure cows.
• Alcoholic drinks, Sura and Soma were also consumed.
• Aryans were primarily agricultural and pastoral people who reckoned their wealth in terms of cows.
• Amusements included music, dancing, chariot-racing and dicing. One stanza in the Rig Veda known as the gambler's lament says : 'My wife rejects me and her mother hates me'.
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