Society of the Rig Vedic Period

Submitted by administrator on Mon, 03/25/2013 - 08:39

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) KshatriyaThe 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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