☼ Rig Vedic / Early Vedic Period (1500 BC - 1000 BC)
Geographical Area•
• Rig Veda is the only source of knowledge for the Rig Vedic / Early Vedic Period .
• From the names of rivers, mountains (Himvant i.e. Himalaya, Munjavant i.e. Hindukush) and ocean in Rig Veda we have a clear idea of the geographical area in which Rig vedic people lived.
• Rig Veda mentions 40 rivers. The Nadisukta hymn of the Rig Veda mentions 21 rivers which include the Ganges in the east and the Kubha (Kabul) in the west.
• Rigvedic people, who called themselves Aryans, were confined in the area which came to be known as Sapta Sindhu i.e. land of the seven rivers. Sapta Sindhu comprises Sindhu and their five tributaries— (i) Vitasta, (ii) Asikani, (iii) Vipas, (iv) Parushni & Sutuadri and (v) Saraswati.
• According to the Rig Veda, the most mentioned river is Sindhu, the most pious river is Saraswati .
☼ The Dasrajan War (The Battle of Ten Kings):-
According to Rig Veda, the famous Dasrajan war was the internecine war of the Aryans. The Dasrajan war gives names of ten kings who participated in a war against Sudas who was Bharata king of Tritsus family. The ten kings were of the states of (i) Purus, (ii) Yadus, (iii) Turvasas, (iv) Anus (v) Druhyus along with five others viz. (vi) Alinas, (vii) Pakhtas, (viii) Bhalanas, (ix) Sibis and (x) Vishanins. The battle was fought on the bank of Parushni (Ravi). Sudas emerged victorious in this Dasrajan war.
• Rigvedic Name of the river 'Sindhu' is known as Indus (Modern Name) in the Punjab region.
• Rigvedic Name of the river 'Vitasta' is known as Jhelum (Modern Name) in the Punjab region.
• Rigvedic Name of the river 'Asikani' is known as Chenab (Modern Name) in the Punjab region.
• Rigvedic Name of the river 'Vipas' is known as Beas (Modern Name) in the Punjab region.
• Rigvedic Name of the river 'Parushni' is known as Ravi (Modern Name) in the Punjab region.
• Rigvedic Name of the river 'Sutudri' is known as Sutlej (Modern Name) in the Punjab region.
• Rigvedic Name of the river 'Saraswati' is known as Sarsuti (Modern Name) in the Rajasthan region.
• Rigvedic Name of the river 'Drishadvati' is known as Ghaggar (Modern Name) in the Rajasthan region.
• Rigvedic Name of the river 'Kubha' is known as Kabul (Modern Name) in the Afghanistan region.
• Rigvedic Name of the river 'Suvastu' is known as Swati (Modern Name) in the Afghanistan region.
• Rigvedic Name of the river 'Krumu' is known as Kurram (Modern Name) in the Afghanistan region.
• Rigvedic Name of the river 'Gomati' is known as Gomal (Modern Name) in the Afghanistan region.
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