Clase 4 the Vedic Society

8/7/2019 Clase 4 the Vedic Society

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The Vedic SocietyThe Vedic SocietyIn the late Vedic Period

(1000 b. C. 4th C. B.C.)


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y The late Vedic society clearly distinguishedbetween high and low. In the Veda andthe Upanishad texts rich and poor aredifferentiated: those who eat and those

who are devoured.y The king was the owner of all the kingdom

with exception of the land of the priests.

y Their economy was semi-nomadic: they

moved every six months after the harvest.y This was the period in which the system of

the 4 castes.


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y The nobility was always in front at battles andwas in charge of defending the farmers whoin return had to pay tribute (bali).

y The criticism with which the nobility is treatedin the books let us know about the existingdisputing and rivalry among castes(Satapathabrahmana 1, 3 and 2, 15).

y It was a period of political and social crisis asthe Pancavimsabrahamana 2, 3, 7 lets usknow: Those whove just return from theexile is exiled again. Those who were in exile,

return. The common man rises over thedistinguished one. A lineage stands againstanother. They (the sovereing) take theirvassals from one another.


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y These texts let us know as well that there

was no such thing as a central State, butlarge tribes that became small kingdomsand states in constant conflict.

y The non-arian tribes were fought andexterminated. In the best case they wereforced to pledge alliance.

y The survivals were assimilated by theVedic culture.


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The system of the four castesThe system of the four castes

Modern form (5):

y

Brahmans,y Ksatriyas (Warriors)

y Vaisya (cattle-herders and

artisans)y Shudras (farmers)

y Chandalas (Theuntouchable).

y Original form (4):

y

Brahmans,y Ksatriyas (Warriors)

y Vaisya (cattle-herders and

artisans andfarmers)

y Shudras (Non-Arians andoutcastes)


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y

Sudras were not slaves.y Outcasts developed with the passage of

time due to mixing of castes and wereedged to perform the jobs considered

lowest: Cleaner of corpses, slayer,butcher, etc..


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RgvedaRgveda 10, 90.10, 90.y A Thousand heads hath Purusha, a thousand eyes, a thousand feet. On every side pervading earth he fills a space ten

fingers wide.1

y This Purusha is all that yet hath been and all that is to be; The Lord of immortality which waxes greater still by food.y So mighty is his greatness; yea, greater than this is Purusha. All creatures are one-fourth of him, three-fourths eternal

life in heaven

y With three-fourths of Purusha went up: one-fourth of him again was here. Thence he strode out to every side overwhat eats not and what eats.

y From him Viraj was born; again Purusha from Viraj was born.

y When Gods prepared the sacrifice with Purusha as their offering, its oil was spring, the holy gift was autumn; summerwas the wood.

y The balmed as victim on the grass Purusha born in earliest time. With him the Dieties and all Sadhyas and Rishissacrificed.

y

From that great general sacrifice the dripping fat was gathered up. He formed the creatures of the air, and animalsboth wild and tame.

y From that great general sacrifice Ricas and Sama-hymns were born: Therefrom were spells and charms produced; theYajus had its birth from it.

y From it were horses born, and from it all cattle with two rows of teeth: From it were generated cattle, from it the goatsand sheep were born.

y When they divided Purusha how many portions did they make? What do they call his mouth, his arms? What do theycall his thighs and feet?

y The Brahman was his mouth, of both his arms was the Rajanya made. His thighs became the Vaisya , from his feet theSudra was produced.

y The Moon was gendered from his mind, and from his eye the Sun had birth; Indra and Agni from his mouth were born,

and Vayu from his breath.y Forth from his navel came mid-air; the sky was fashioned from his head; Earth from his feet, and from his ear the

regions. Thus formed the worlds.

y Seven fencing-sticks had he, thrice seven layers of fuel were prepared, when the Gods, offering sacrifice, bound, astheir victim, Purusha.

y Gods, sacrificing, sacrificed the victim: these were the earliest holy ordinances. The Mighty Ones attained the height ofheaven, there where the Sadhyas, gods of old, are dwelling.


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Clase 4 the Vedic Society