Class 06 History Chapter 2 Vedic Period Notes & Important Question Answer

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Chapter Notes

Due to the Vedas being the main source of information about the Vedic period, it is called the Vedic period.

The Vedic period is divided into two parts. 

1. The Rigvedic period 
2. later vedic period 

Rigvedic period – 

• Rigveda is the oldest text of the world. It has 10 Mandalas and 1028 Suktas. 
• It was composed by the sages Gritsamad, Vishwamitra, Vamdev, Atri, Bhardwaj, Vashishtha, Kanva and Angira etc. on the banks of Saraswati and Drishadwati rivers. 
• The Saraswati river is the most sacred river of the Rigvedic period. 
• The date of Rigveda is around 6000 BC. From to 1500 BC considered to be in between. 
• In this, the description of rivers like Indus, Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Sutlej, Yamuna and Ganga etc. and the geographical area of ​​Saptsandhav region is also found. Whose spread is believed to be from Afghanistan to the Ganges Valley. 

Political life during Rigveda –
From the political point of view, the biggest unit of the Rigvedic period was the people. People were divided in their wishes. Vish were divided into villages, villages into clans and clans into families. The smallest unit 'family' was headed by the father or elder brother, who was called Kulap. A village was made up of several clans. The head of the village was called Gramani. Vish was a larger institution than the village whose master was called Vishpati. A group of several poisons was called Jana. In Rigveda description of five people Puru, Turvas, Yadu, Anu and Druhu is found.
The word 'nation' has been used for the country. The mutual struggle of people has been called 'Dasragya war', in which Sudas defeated the union of ten kings. The Aryan army consisted of chariots and foot soldiers. Bow and arrow were the main weapons. The tips of the arrows were made of metal and were pointed. Sword and ax etc. were also used. The rules of war were also fixed. Before starting the war, it was necessary to blow conch shell, drum and bugle. Attacking an unarmed enemy who was wounded and running away from battle was considered an improper act.
The ruler of the people was called Rajan. Rajan was not autocratic. Institutions called 'Sabha, Samiti and Vidath' used to control them. On many occasions, she used to elect the king and also used to remove the king. The king used to take an oath that “If I betray, I will not get the fruits of all my good and righteous deeds and I will be deprived of my place, position, life and even my children. ,
Establishing peace, settling disputes, protecting from external attacks and performing yagya-havan for the fulfillment of material needs and spiritual progress were considered to be the main duties of the king. To assist the king, there were priests, commanders, villagers, etc., who acted as intermediaries between the king and the subjects. They had the rights of governance and justice in their respective territories.
At that time theft, dishonesty and cheating came under the category of crime. For which the culprit was punished physically and financially. There was no practice of capital punishment. Fire was considered extremely sacred. It was kept continuously in all the houses.

Rigvedic social life –
Social System: The basis of the Rigvedic society was the joint family in which the father or elder brother was the head of the family. His rights were unlimited. He could also give the harshest punishment to the family members. But this did not happen. He used to run the family very lovingly.
The state did not interfere in the family life of the people. Life at that time was very decent, pure and virtuous. The villages of that period were also small. People lived in houses made of mud, wood and straw.
Varna system: To run the society smoothly, the varna system based on karma was established. There was no rigidity in the characters. We find many such examples, who were born in one varna, but by their deeds they went to another varna. 

There were four types of characters - 

1. Brahmin 
2. Kshatriya 
3. Vaishya 
4. Shudra 

For example, Vishwamitra became a Kshatriya Brahmin, Nabhanarishtha became a Vaishya Brahmin, that is, a man's character was determined according to his deeds.

Ashram System: The life of a man was divided into four ashrams – 

• Brahmacharya Ashram from 1 to 25 years, 
• Grihastha Ashram from 25 to 50 years, 
• Vanaprastha Ashram from 50 to 75 years and 
• Sannyas Ashram from 75 to 100 years. 

In these stages, following celibacy, one had to take education, marry and earn money in household life, work for the welfare of the society in Vanprastha and try to attain salvation in Sannyas Ashram. The objectives of human life like Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha were also determined.

Many samskaras have also been told from the birth of a man till his death.
Food and Drink: In that period, milk, ghee and curd etc. had special importance in food.
Dress: The upper part of the body was covered with a cloth only, which was called Vas. The turban worn on the head was called Adhivas and the cloth worn below (on the feet) was called Nivi.
In jewellery, women used to wear hair ties, ear rings, necklaces, armlets and anklets etc. Braiding, oiling, flower gajras etc. were used to beautify the hair. Men also used ornaments.
Entertainment: Hunting, chariot race, horse race and all the three genres of music, singing, instrumental and dance etc. were also entertained.
Education: Had to go to the Guru's house for education. Education was oral, whose basic purpose was to acquire knowledge, to make a good citizen by keeping good behavior. Vedic sages used to wish everyone well. There is a prayer in the Sanjana Sukta of the Rigveda - “O God, give us such wisdom that we all live together, speak dearly, be kind hearted and use wealth and grains together. Our attitude should be without attachment and hatred and with love. At another place in the Rigveda, there is mention of service to the motherland. Many mantras are found in Rigveda which have been written to protect the nation. In the Indra Sukta of Rigveda, there is a wish for such a child, who is full of wealth and grains for the protection of his country and showers welfare qualities on every people and people.

Status of women: The status of women in the society was good. Marriages used to take place only in the mature stage. They also had the right to move freely, read and write and choose their husband. Purdah system was not prevalent and there was proper arrangement for women's education. Marriage was considered a sacred and permanent relationship. After marriage, when the wife used to come home, she was welcomed as Grihaswamini. Some women did not marry, such as Apala, Vishwavara, Ghosha etc. Religious works were not complete without women. His presence was mandatory.

Economic life of Rigveda –
Agriculture :Agriculture and animal husbandry were the main sources of income of the Rigvedic Aryans. Individual land was called Urvara and Shamlati or common land was called Khilya, which was used for grazing animals. At that time people knew about plowing, sowing, irrigation and harvesting of crops. Plows driven by oxen were used. Although the main source of irrigation was rain, but there is also mention of irrigation from wells. 

Animal Husbandry :In animal husbandry mainly animals like cow, bull, sheep, goat, horse, dog etc. were reared. Cattle herders were called Gopas. Cow's milk was the main diet. Bullocks were used for plowing and pulling bullock carts. Horses were used in chariots and on the battlefield. Dogs were used for hunting. The more animals he had, the richer he was. Hunting (hunting) was also a major task, which was done by spreading bow-arrows and nets.
Industry: Industry and craft were also in vogue on a large scale. Wood industry, textile industry, leather industry, metal industry and potters etc. are mentioned in Rigveda. Chariots, bullock carts etc. were specially made in wooden articles. In the textile industry, clothes made of cotton, silk and wool were made. Leather whips, bridles, ropes and bags etc. were made. There is also evidence of smelting of metals to make objects. In that time there is mention of potters who make pottery, barbers who cut hair, surgeons, singers, musicians, dancers etc. Many people were cured by the surgery given by Chyavan Rishi.
There was also trade in that period. The merchants were called Panni. Trade was done by both water and land routes. Trade was done by barter. Cow was the main means of barter. There is also mention of the words Kaal Gana, Vrata, which were probably used for business associations. They probably also used to do interest transactions, which was not considered good.

Rigvedic religious life
There are visions of polytheism in Rigvedic religion. The deities of that time were symbols of natural forces only. That's why it seems more appropriate to call the religion of that period natural religion. The gods and goddesses of that time were classified into three parts. All of them are the chief deities of their respective classes. No one was big or small among the deities of this period.
The vehicles of many gods are also mentioned such as the horse of Surya and the elephant of Indra.
To please their deities, they used to perform yagya-havan in open places and people from all sections of the society used to participate in them.
There is no mention of idol-worship, temples etc. anywhere in Rigveda.
It seems that considering nature as alive, it was humanised. There is a description of three forms of fire such as- fire on earth, fire of the sun, electric fire that crackles in the clouds in the air world. Similarly, in different forms, different nomenclature is done.

Gods of Space: Indra, Rudra, Vayu
Gods of the Earth: Agni, Prithvi, Soma
Gods of the sky: Surya, Varuna, Aditya

Rigvedic humans used to worship the gods for the suppression of enemies. The enemies of that period were called Asuras. Like- Vritrasura. Vritrasur was probably a phenomenon of nature in which a sandstorm arises and where there is a shortage of water. Enemies of other humans who were considered demons. These demons/dasyus were probably those people who did not believe in worship. While living in the forests, they used to eat meat and used to obstruct the sacrifices.

There were sages and sages who used to perform yagya-havan and prepare hymns, who belonged to all classes. There was no religious bigotry in those days. A person of any varna could go to another varna by his deeds. There was no untouchability in those days. The creation of all the varnas has been prayed for in the Rigveda. The belief in reincarnation and Karmaism is also reflected in the Rigveda.

Later vedic period
Yajurveda, Samaveda, Atharvaveda, commentaries on Vedas developed on the basis of Rigvedic culture, Brahmin texts and Aranyak texts, Upveda Ayurveda, Dhanurveda, Gandharva Veda, Shilpaveda, Upanishads and six Vedangas-Shiksha, Kalpa, Grammar, Astrology, Nirukta and Chanda etc. Information about the culture of the later Vedic period is available. The date of the later Vedic period is usually 1500 BC. From to 1000 BC considered to be in between. This time was the period of progress of Aryans. Along with increasing in terms of numbers, they were also expanding geographically. They had crossed the river Ganga-Yamuna and had spread up to Bengal in the east and had also crossed the Vindhyachal mountain range in the south. The characteristics of this period can be seen in the following way.

political life -
In this period, the kingdoms had become bigger as compared to Rigveda, in which there were Kuru, Panchala, Kashi, Kaushal, Videha, etc. The Kuru dynasty was formed by joining Puru and Bharata. Modern Haryana was also included in his state. Hastinapur was their capital. Parikshit and Janamejaya were important rulers of this dynasty. The capital of Janamejaya was Asandhivat (modern Asandh). The kingdom of the Panchalas was to the north of the Ganga-Yamuna and Kampilya was its capital.

King: The powers of the kings increased during this period. During this period, the king used to wear many titles. Like Samrat, Virat, Rajadhiraj etc. Ashwamedh, Rajasuya and Vajpayee big yagyas were also organized by them. Monarchical system of government and the position of the king was hereditary. His powers were autocratic but still he used to work in the interest of the subjects.

In this period, many incidents are found in the defense of motherland and proof of patriotism. Bhumisukta mentioned in the Atharvaveda may be mentioned in which it is written "The land is my mother and I am her son". The earth provides sustenance to the various castes, those who do religious deeds. In Yajurveda, scholars and common people have been requested to choose such a great Kshatriya as king who will expand their kingdom, give shelter to learned people, enrich them with wealth and work politely without any discrimination by taking everyone's consent. And make your land free from enemies.
The king was also expected to act according to Dharma Ritu or rules because the whole world was bound by rules and Dharma. The onus was on the king to protect dharma but he was not above dharma and he could not change the principles of dharma. Condemnation of unrighteous and autocratic kings is also mentioned.

The functions of the king are as follows: – 

1. To protect the state and the people and to lead the army in wars. 
2. To judge 
3. To work in the interest of the people. 

The king used to collect various types of taxes from the subjects, which were used to pay salaries to the officials, provide security, perform the work of the people and spend on the needs of the palace. In the later Vedic period, the importance of sabha and samiti had decreased. Apart from this, the king used to appoint officials like Bhagduh (tax collector), Sarkarta (treasurer), Suta (charioteer), Dwarpal (message carrier), Palagal, Purohit and Yuvraj etc. to help him.

Military Management: In this period, the kings had started keeping their 'standing army'. Elephants were also being used in war. His main weapon was the bow and arrow. The pointed tips of their arrows were sometimes quenched with poison. In addition to wars, soldiers also used to do civilian work like agriculture. Fighter - commander
Soot - the charioteer of the king
gramani - head of the village
Bhagduh – Tax collector
Treasurer - Treasurer
Sata - partihar
Govikartan – Head of the Forest Department.
Mahishi – Chief Queen
Purohit - religious worker
Yuvraj – Prince

Judicial System: Small disputes were settled by the villagers. Fire, water etc. tests were also conducted to prove innocence. Death penalty was not given. Economic and physical punishments were given for crimes.

Social life
The smallest unit of the society was the family. The families were patriarchal i.e. the son was known only by the gotra of the father. The eldest male of the family was considered the head of the family and he had complete control over all the property and members of the house.
This is proved by a wish written in the Atharvaveda: The son should be devoted to his father, the mother should be of one mind, the wife should always speak sweetly and politely to her husband. Don't hate brother and sister, eat and drink together, join together around the yagya fire. As the spokes of the wheel remain attached to the axle.

Varna system: Like Rigveda, the society was divided into varnas, but its basis was still karma. There was no discrimination against Shudras. There was no feeling of untouchability. There was a provision for the Shudras to prepare food for the Aryans engaged in the Vaishvadev Yagya. In the Atharvaveda, there is a wish for the fame of all the varnas.

Later on the caste system started to be based on birth, yet they were changeable.

Ashram System: In the post-Vedic period, considering the age of a man as one hundred years, he has been divided into four ashrams. 

• Brahmacharya (1 to 25 years): In which man had to learn the policies/rules and receive education while following celibacy. 
• Grihastha (25 to 50 years): In this period, man was assigned the tasks of livelihood and upbringing of his children. 
• Vanaprastha (50 to 75 years): In this stage social tasks were fixed for man. Like a man used to take care of his children in the householder's ashram. Similarly, considering the society as our own, efforts were to be made for its progress. 
• Sannyas (75 to 100 years): In this stage a man was expected to leave home, society and go to the forests to attain salvation and make his own efforts to attain salvation. 

The purpose of human life was considered to be four Purusharths. 1. Dharma 2. Artha 3. Kama 4. Moksha. They had to be completed in these ashrams only.

Rituals: From birth to death, there was a practice of performing 16 rites.
Food and drink: Satvik food was used during this period. Roasted grains were also used. Consumption of Sattu, Til, Kheer, Khichdi etc. was common during this period.
Costumes: Colorful clothes became popular during this period. Clothes were dyed only by natural methods like saffron etc. Aromatic substances were also used. People were fond of dressing up. Women used to wear many types of ornaments. Men also wore armlets and different types of garlands.
Means of entertainment: Outdoor games like chariot race, horse race, hunting, wrestling, animal fighting etc. were used for entertainment. Games played at home like chaupad, music, drama etc. were also fun.
Status of women: The status of women in the society was good. Polygamy was prevalent in rich and royal families. Sati, child marriage and purdah practices were not prevalent. She used to get education. Gargi-Yagyavalkya debate proves that women also had the right to read and write in that period. And she used to be a witch.
Moral decline: The moral decline of the society had started in this period. Liquor, dancing, singing, gambling etc. were being practiced in the Raj Bhavans.

Economic life
Agriculture: Agriculture was the main source of income during this period. During this period, the holding of agriculture had increased a lot. The size of the plow was large and it was used on a large scale. The use of such plows is found which was pulled by 24 oxen together. Barley, rice, moong, urad, sesame and wheat etc. were the main food grains. Crops were sown and reaped according to the seasons. Barley (Yava) was sown in winter and harvested in summer. Various works of agriculture like ploughing, sowing, irrigation, harvesting, weeding etc. are mentioned in Shatapatha Brahmin. Cow dung manure was used to increase production. They depended on rain for irrigation. They also used water from wells and rivers. There used to be fear among the farmers of coming of excess rains or less rains and other natural calamities. Tantra-mantra was used to protect agriculture from diseases or such calamities.
Animal Husbandry: During this period the importance of cow had increased a lot and it was seen with reverence. Elephants and camels were also domesticated during this period. Apart from this, horse, pig, donkey, dog, and other useful animals were reared.
Industries: In the Vajasaneyi Samhita, we find mention of various occupations. Among them charioteers, goldsmiths, tanners, blacksmiths, potters, weavers, washermen, carpenters, nuts, singers, cowherds, yarners, barbers, astrologers, etc. were prominent.
Metal Industry: The use of metals such as gold (Hiranya), iron (black ore), copper (red ore), silver, tin, glass etc. is known during this period. Ornaments, agricultural implements, utensils and weapons for fighting were made from metals.
Trade: In this period, people doing similar business used to get organized in a union. Many such unions are mentioned in the literature and their president was called Shresthi. Various units of currency like Nishka, Shatman, Karshapan etc. are mentioned during this period. Trade was done through water and land routes. Mention of big boats with hundred rudders is also found. Trade was also done with hilly regions. The use of bullock carts was common for carrying goods from one place to another.

Vedic period

Religious life
During this period the importance of the earlier natural deities Indra, Varuna and Agni declined and the worship of new deities began. Now the place of Brahma-Vishnu-Mahesh was at the top.
Predominance of Yagyas: Yagyas became dominant during this period. Yagya had gone away from the reach of the general public due to the construction of Yagyavedis, the presence of priests for their operation, which lasted for many days. In the post-Vedic period, rituals had become dominant, in which, along with household works, such laws of Mahayagyas were made, whose imagination was beyond the thinking of an ordinary man. In these rituals, there was not only a law from birth to death of a man, but many deeds were also told for the peace of the departed soul.
Penance: In this period, the feeling of giving pain to the body, that is, the feeling of penance also developed. Truth originated from penance and through penance even the gods can be subdued. Many humans won heaven by attaining power through penance. Prajapati also created the universe through penance. In this period, there is mention of severe penance by many sages.
During this period, superstition started increasing among the people. People started believing in ghosts. His belief in witchcraft and mantras had become firm. There is a detailed mention of Tantra-Mantra for protection from ghosts in Atharvaveda. Tantra-mantra was also used to cure diseases.
Philosophical: In this period, where rituals and severe austerities were happening on the one hand, on the other hand there was also a class which was engaged in the search of peace and knowledge. A detailed description of this spiritual thinking is found in the Upanishads. Soul, God, creation, salvation etc. were their main subjects.
Six theistic interpretations of philosophy can be found. In which 1. Sankhya Darshan 2. Yoga Darshan 3. Vaisheshik Darshan 4. Nyaya Darshan 5. Purva Mimamsa and 6. Uttar Mimamsa. Uttara Mimansa itself is called Vedanta, that is, the essence of the Vedas.

All these interpretations consider the world to be an illusion. In order to understand Brahman and Jiva, Chhandogya Upanishad describes a father-son dialogue, in which Uddalaka (the father) explains to his son Svetaketu that there must be something or the other that gave rise to the universe. It can be imagined and it is the truth. When he thought to become many from one, then fire, earth, air, water, and other living beings were made from him. Therefore whatever is seen is the same, so O Shvetaketu you are also the same.
The ultimate goal of man is to attain salvation. Moksha means freedom from the cycle of birth and death. Salvation does not destroy the soul, but it merges into Brahman. Which is a part of it, it is a state of extreme peace, which we get from knowledge.

Ashwamedha Yagya – To increase the empire boundary, the horse was set free
Rajasuya Yajna – associated with the coronation of a king
Agnishtom Yagya – Described as the destroyer of sins and the boat leading to heaven
Vajpayee Yagya – Chariot race organized for display of power

Question Answer

let's know, how much learned 

Select the correct answer :

1. The Rigveda consists of ……….. mandalas and …………….. suktas.
a) 8,1000
b) 10,1028
c) 10,1050
d) 20,5000
Answer – b) 10,1028 

2. Organization bigger than village …………. Used to be
a) nation
b) public
c) Vish
d) none of these
Answer – c) Vish 

3. Life of man ………. It was divided into ashrams.
a) 4
b) 5
c) 2
d) 3
Answer – a) 4

4. The kingdom of Panchalas was to the north of Ganga, Yamuna and its capital was ……….
a) sedentary
b) Kampilya
c) Hastinapur
d) Kingdom of Panchalas
Answer – B) Kampilya

5. Uttara Mimansa is called ……….
a) Upanishads
b) Vedanta
c) Samkhya philosophy
d) none of these
Answer – b) Vedanta

Fill in the blanks :

1. ___________ Chariot race was organized for the display of power in Yagya. 
2. The __________ period was called the period of progress of the Aryans. 
3. The officer who collected the taxes of the king in the later Vedic period was called ________. 
4. The __________ river was the most sacred river of the Rigvedic period. 

Answer – 1. Vajpayee Yajna, 2. Uttar Vedic, 3. Bhagduh, 4. Saraswati




Match the correct :

1. God of space            Indra 
2. Grihastha Ashram    Oldest book 
3. Rajasuya Yagya        Earning a living and raising children
4. Mahishi                    Coronation 
5. Rigveda                    Chief queen 

Answer -

1. God of space            Indra 
2. Grihastha Ashram    Earning a living and raising children 
3. Rajasuya Yagya        Coronation 
4. Mahishi                    Chief queen 
5. Rigveda                    Oldest book 

Mark True (✓) or False (X) to the following statements : 

• Life in the Vedic period is divided into four parts. (✓)
• In the Vedic period, the Sabha and Samiti institutions kept a check on the kings. (✓)
• Efforts had to be made for the benefit of the society in the sannyas ashram. (X) 
• In the Vedic period, personal land was called Urvara and Shamlat land was called Khilya. (✓)
• In the later Vedic period, the pointed tips of arrows were sometimes quenched with poison. (✓)

Short Question:

Question 1. Which is the oldest book in the world?
Answer – Rigveda.

Question 2. Who used to mediate between the king and the subjects?
Answer – There were priests, commanders, villagers etc. to help the king, who used to work as an intermediary between the king and the subjects.

Question 3. Who and where composed the Rigveda?
Answer – Rigveda was composed by sages like Gritsamad, Vishwamitra, Vamdev, Atri, Bharadwaj, Vashishtha, Kanva and Angira etc. on the banks of Saraswati and Drishdwati rivers.

Question 4. Write the names of the major kingdoms of the later Vedic period.
Answer – Kuru, Panchal, Kashi, Kaushal, Videha.

Question 5. Which officers were appointed by the king for the efficiency of governance in the later Vedic period? Mention their works.
Answer – In the later Vedic period, for the efficiency of governance, the king appoints officials like Bhagduh (tax collector), Sarkarta (treasurer), Suta (charioteer), Dwarpal (message carrier), Palagal, Purohit and Yuvraj etc. Was.

Let's consider:

Question 1. Write a note on the social life of the later Vedic period.
Answer – The smallest unit of the society was the family. Like the Rigveda, the society was divided into varnas, but its basis was still karma. There was no discrimination against Shudras. There was no feeling of untouchability. There was a provision for the Shudras to prepare food for the Aryans engaged in the Vaishvadev Yagya. In the Atharvaveda, there is a wish for the fame of all the varnas. In the post-Vedic period, considering the age of a man as one hundred years, he has been divided into four ashrams. There was a practice of performing 16 rituals from birth to death. In this period there was satvik food.

Question 2. What was the type of family structure in the Rigvedic period? Describe!
Answer – Joint family was the basis of Rigvedic society in which father or elder brother was the head of the family. His rights were unlimited. He could also give the harshest punishment to the family members. But this did not happen. He used to run the family very lovingly.

Question 3. Analyze the economic life of the later Vedic period.
Answer – Agriculture was the main source of income during this period. Crops were sown and reaped according to the seasons. They depended on rain for irrigation. They also used water from wells and rivers.

During this period the importance of cow had increased a lot and it was seen with reverence. During this period elephant, camel, horse, pig, donkey, dog, and other useful animals were domesticated.

Various units of currency like Nishka, Shatman, Karshapan etc. are mentioned during this period.

Question 4. Analyze the political system of the Rigvedic period.
Answer – From the political point of view, the biggest unit of the Rigvedic period was the people. People were divided in their wishes. Vish were divided into villages, villages into clans and clans into families. The smallest unit 'family' was headed by the father or elder brother, who was called Kulap. A village was made up of several clans. The head of the village was called Gramani. Vish was a larger institution than the village whose master was called Vishpati. A group of several poisons was called Jana. The word 'nation' has been used for the country. The ruler of the people was called Rajan. Rajan was not autocratic. Institutions called 'Sabha, Samiti and Vidath' used to control them. On many occasions, she used to elect the king and also used to remove the king. To assist the king, there were priests, commanders, villagers, etc., who acted as intermediaries between the king and the subjects. They had the rights of governance and justice in their respective territories.

Question 5. What are the six theistic interpretations of philosophy? What is the world according to them?
Answer – Following are the six theistic interpretations of philosophy. In which 1. Sankhya Darshan 2. Yoga Darshan 3. Vaisheshik Darshan 4. Nyaya Darshan 5. Purva Mimamsa and 6. Uttar Mimamsa. All these interpretations consider the world to be an illusion.

let's try

Question 1. Make a comparative study of the present status of women and the status of Rigveda period.
Answer – The position of women in the society was good during the Rigvedic period. Marriages used to take place only in the mature stage. They also had the right to move freely, read and write and choose their husband. The purdah system was not prevalent and there was a proper arrangement for the education and initiation of women. Religious works were not complete without women. His presence was mandatory. The status of women in modern society is similar to that of the Rigvedic period.

Important Question Answer

Question 1. Which is the oldest book in the world?
Answer – Rigveda.

Question 2. Who used to mediate between the king and the subjects?
Answer – There were priests, commanders, villagers etc. to help the king, who used to work as an intermediary between the king and the subjects.

Question 3. Who and where composed the Rigveda?
Answer – Rigveda was composed by sages like Gritsamad, Vishwamitra, Vamdev, Atri, Bharadwaj, Vashishtha, Kanva and Angira etc. on the banks of Saraswati and Drishdwati rivers.

Question 4. Write the names of the major kingdoms of the later Vedic period.
Answer – Kuru, Panchal, Kashi, Kaushal, Videha.

Question 5. Which officers were appointed by the king for the efficiency of governance in the later Vedic period? Mention their works.
Answer – In the later Vedic period, for the efficiency of governance, the king appoints officials like Bhagduh (tax collector), Sarkarta (treasurer), Suta (charioteer), Dwarpal (message carrier), Palagal, Purohit and Yuvraj etc. Was.

Question 6. Write a note on the social life of the later Vedic period.
Answer – The smallest unit of the society was the family. Like the Rigveda, the society was divided into varnas, but its basis was still karma. There was no discrimination against Shudras. There was no feeling of untouchability. There was a provision for the Shudras to prepare food for the Aryans engaged in the Vaishvadev Yagya. In the Atharvaveda, there is a wish for the fame of all the varnas. In the post-Vedic period, considering the age of a man as one hundred years, he has been divided into four ashrams. There was a practice of performing 16 rituals from birth to death. In this period there was satvik food.

Question 7. What was the type of family structure in the Rigvedic period? Describe!
Answer – Joint family was the basis of Rigvedic society in which father or elder brother was the head of the family. His rights were unlimited. He could also give the harshest punishment to the family members. But this did not happen. He used to run the family very lovingly.

Question 8. Analyze the economic life of the later Vedic period.
Answer – Agriculture was the main source of income during this period. Crops were sown and reaped according to the seasons. They depended on rain for irrigation. They also used water from wells and rivers.

During this period the importance of cow had increased a lot and it was seen with reverence. During this period elephant, camel, horse, pig, donkey, dog, and other useful animals were domesticated.

Various units of currency like Nishka, Shatman, Karshapan etc. are mentioned during this period.

Question 9. Analyze the political system of the Rigvedic period.
Answer – From the political point of view, the biggest unit of the Rigvedic period was the people. People were divided in their wishes. Vish were divided into villages, villages into clans and clans into families. The smallest unit 'family' was headed by the father or elder brother, who was called Kulap. A village was made up of several clans. The head of the village was called Gramani. Vish was a larger institution than the village whose master was called Vishpati. A group of several poisons was called Jana. The word 'nation' has been used for the country. The ruler of the people was called Rajan. Rajan was not autocratic. Institutions called 'Sabha, Samiti and Vidath' used to control them. On many occasions, she used to elect the king and also used to remove the king. To assist the king, there were priests, commanders, villagers, etc., who acted as intermediaries between the king and the subjects. They had the rights of governance and justice in their respective territories. 

Question 10. What are the six theistic interpretations of philosophy? What is the world according to them?
Answer – Following are the six theistic interpretations of philosophy. In which 1. Sankhya Darshan 2. Yoga Darshan 3. Vaisheshik Darshan 4. Nyaya Darshan 5. Purva Mimamsa and 6. Uttar Mimamsa. All these interpretations consider the world to be an illusion.

Question 11. How many types of varnas were there in the Rigvedic period? Write their names.
Answer – There were four types of characters in the Rigvedic period –

1. Brahmin 
2. Kshatriya 
3. Vaishya 
4. Shudra 

Question 12. In how many ashrams was the life of a man divided in the Rigvedic period? briefly describe.
Answer – In the Rigvedic period, the life of a man was divided into four ashrams – 

1. Brahmacharya Ashram from 1 to 25 years, 
2. Grihastha Ashram from 25 to 50 years, 
3. Vanaprastha Ashram from 50 to 75 years and 
4. Sannyas Ashram from 75 to 100 years. 

In these stages, following celibacy, one had to take education, marry and earn money in household life, work for the welfare of the society in Vanprastha and try to attain salvation in Sannyas Ashram.

Question 13. Write the names of three celestial deities of the Rigvedic period.
Answer – Indra, Rudra, Vayu

Question 14. Write the names of three earth gods of the Rigvedic period.
Answer – Agni, Prithvi, Soma

Question 15. Write the names of the three celestial deities of the Rigvedic period.
Answer – Surya, Varuna, Aditya

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