Historical Vedic religion facts for kids

The spread of the Vedic culture in the late Vedic period. Aryavarta was limited to northwest India and the western Ganges plain, while Greater Magadha in the east was occupied by non-Vedic Indo-Aryans. The location of shakhas is labeled in maroon.

The historical Vedic religion, also known as Vedicism or Vedism, was a set of religious ideas and practices. It was followed by the Indo-Aryan peoples in the northwest part of ancient India (around Punjab and the western Ganges plain) during the Vedic period (about 1500–500 BCE). These ideas and practices are written down in the Vedic texts. Some of these ancient rituals are still performed today. The Vedic religion is one of the main traditions that helped shape Hinduism, even though modern Hinduism is quite different from the original Vedic religion.

This religion started in the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent during the early Vedic period (1500–1100 BCE). However, its roots go back to older cultures like the Sintashta culture (2200–1800 BCE) and the Andronovo culture (2000–900 BCE) from the Eurasian Steppe, as well as the Indus Valley Civilisation (2600–1900 BCE). It was a mix of beliefs from the Central Asian Indo-Aryans, who themselves had blended old Central Asian ideas with new Indo-European ones. They also borrowed religious practices from the Bactria–Margiana culture and combined them with traditions from the Harappan culture.

Later, during the late Vedic period (1100–500 BCE), a new form called Brahmanism grew out of the Vedic religion. This happened in the Kuru-Panchala region and then spread to other areas. Brahmanism was a big influence on today's Hinduism. It mixed with other non-Vedic religious traditions from the eastern Ganges plain, which also led to the rise of Buddhism and Jainism.

Some important rituals and sacrifices in the Vedic religion included the Soma rituals and Fire rituals, where offerings were made. Both grave burials and cremation were practiced. Key gods in the Vedic religion were Dyaus, Indra, Agni, Rudra, and Varuna. Important ethical ideas were satya (truth) and ṛta (cosmic order).

Understanding Key Terms

Vedism and Brahmanism

Vedism refers to the very first form of the Vedic religion. This was when the Indo-Aryans first arrived in the Indus River valley in waves around 2000-1000 BCE. Brahmanism is a more developed form from the late Vedic period, which took shape around the Ganges basin about 1000 BCE. It's called Brahmanism because it gave great religious and legal importance to the brāhmaṇa (priestly) class in society.

Both Vedism and Brahmanism consider the Veda texts as sacred. However, Brahmanism was more open to new ideas. It included teachings and themes beyond the Vedas, like temple worship, puja (devotional rituals), meditation, and the role of a guru (teacher). These elements became very important in Hindu religious life.

"Ancient Hinduism"

In the past, some people thought the Vedic religion was completely separate from Hinduism. But in the 20th century, scholars realized that the historical Vedic religion was actually a very old ancestor of modern Hinduism. They saw how much they shared in their heritage and beliefs.

Today, it's generally accepted that the historical Vedic religion came before Hinduism. However, they are not exactly the same. For example, the early Vedic religion believed in an afterlife, but not in reincarnation or samsāra (the cycle of rebirth), which became central to later Hinduism. Some modern Hindu movements emphasize their Vedic roots and use the term "ancient Hinduism."

Where it Began and How it Grew

Indo-Aryan Vedic Religion

The Vedic religion was the set of beliefs of some Indo-Aryan tribes, called aryas. These tribes moved into the Indus River valley region of India after the Indus Valley Civilisation ended. The Vedic religion, and later Brahmanism, focused on the stories and rituals found in the Vedas. This was different from other Indian religions that used non-Vedic texts.

The Vedic religion is described in the Vedas and many other Vedic writings, including the early Upanishads. Priestly schools have kept these texts safe until today. The religion existed in the western Ganges plain from about 1500–1100 BCE. It then grew into Brahmanism in the late Vedic period (1100–500 BCE). The eastern Ganges plain had different Indo-Aryan groups. They didn't accept the later Brahmanical ideas, and their traditions led to Jainism and Buddhism.

Indo-European Roots and Mixing Cultures

The Indo-Aryans spoke a language from the Indo-European language family. This language started in the Sintashta culture and later developed in the Andronovo culture. These cultures came from the Kurgan culture in the Central Asian steppes. The early Vedic age is thought to be around the 2nd millennium BCE.

The Vedic beliefs were closely related to the ideas of the ancient Proto-Indo-European religion. They also shared rituals with the Andronovo culture, from which the Indo-Aryan people came. The Old Indic religion likely formed where Indo-European migrants met people in Central Asia and Iran. It was a mix of old Central Asian and new Indo-European elements. It borrowed special religious beliefs and practices from the Bactria–Margiana culture (BMAC). This mixing is shown by many non-Indo-European words borrowed from this culture, including the god Indra and the ritual drink Soma.

The oldest writings in Old Indic, the language of the Rig Veda, are found in northern Syria. This was where the Mitanni kingdom was located. The Mitanni kings had Old Indic names, and Old Indic words were used for horse riding and chariot driving. The Old Indic term r'ta, meaning "cosmic order and truth," which is a key idea in the Rig Veda, was also used in the Mitanni kingdom. Old Indic gods, including Indra, were known there too.

South Asian Influences

The Vedic religion was also a mix of Indo-Aryan and Harappan cultures. Some scholars believe that the Vedic religion partly came from the Indus Valley civilization.

It's not clear if the ideas in Vedic texts truly show the everyday practices and beliefs of the Vedic religion. The Vedic religion changed when Indo-Aryan people moved into the Ganges Plain after about 1100 BCE. They became settled farmers and mixed their traditions with the local cultures of northern India. The Vedic religion seemed to develop in two ways: one was a more complex and expensive system of rituals, which still exists today in some forms. The other was a deeper, more personal understanding of the ideas behind the rituals, similar to the Jain and Buddhist traditions.

Some parts of the historical Vedic religion are still practiced today. For example, the Nambudiri Brahmins still perform ancient Śrauta rituals in Kerala and coastal Andhra. The Kalash people in northwest Pakistan also practice a form of the ancient Vedic religion. Some scholars even suggest that Shinto, the native religion of Japan, has some influences from the ancient Vedic religion.

Brahmanism

Brahmanism grew out of the Vedic religion. It included non-Vedic religious ideas and spread from northwest India to the Ganges valley. Brahmanism included the Vedic texts, but also later texts like the Dharmasutras and Dharmasastras. These texts gave importance to the priestly (Brahmin) class in society. The focus on rituals and the high position of Brahmins developed as an idea in the Kuru-Pancala realm. It then spread after this kingdom ended. It existed alongside local religions, like the Yaksha cults.

The word Brahmanism was first used in the 16th century. In the 18th and 19th centuries, it was often used to mean the same thing as Hinduism in English.

Brahmanism also focused on ideas about Absolute Reality (Brahman) found in the early Upanishads. These ideas developed during the late Vedic era. Brahman is seen as what existed before the universe was created, what makes up everything that exists, and what the universe will return to in endless cycles of creation, maintenance, and destruction.

After the Vedic period, during the Second Urbanisation, Brahmanism became less popular. This was due to new political groups, the Sramanic movement (which included early Jainism and Buddhism), and invasions from eastern empires like the Nanda Empire and the Mauryan Empire. Brahmins overcame this by offering new services and mixing with non-Vedic traditions from the eastern Ganges plain and local religions. This led to modern Hinduism. This "new Brahmanism" appealed to rulers, who liked the special powers and advice Brahmins could offer. This helped Brahmanical influence grow again, becoming very important in Indian society from the early centuries CE.

Important Texts

A Yupa sacrificial post from the time of Vasishka, 3rd century CE. It was found near Mathura and is now in the Mathura Museum.

The texts from the Vedic period are written in Vedic Sanskrit. The main ones are the four Vedic Samhitas. But the Brahmanas, Aranyakas, and some of the older Upanishads also belong to this time. The Vedas describe the prayers and rules for rituals and sacrifices. These texts are also considered sacred in modern Hinduism.

Who really knows?
Who will here proclaim it?
Whence was it produced? Whence is this creation?
The gods came afterwards, with the creation of this universe.
Who then knows whence it has arisen?
— Nasadiya Sukta, Rig Veda, 10:129-6

Key Features

The idea of reincarnation, or saṃsāra (the cycle of rebirth), is not mentioned in the earliest parts of the Vedic religion texts, like the Rigveda. However, later parts of the Rigveda do hint at ideas that suggest a move towards the concept of rebirth.

The early Vedas don't talk about the idea of Karma (actions and their results) and rebirth. Instead, they mention a belief in an afterlife. These early Vedic texts show ancestor worship and rituals like sraddha (offering food to ancestors). Later Vedic texts, like the Aranyakas and Upanisads, show a different path to salvation based on reincarnation. They focus less on ancestor rites and start to explain the earlier rituals in a more philosophical way. The ideas of reincarnation and karma have their roots in the Upanishads of the late Vedic period, even before the Buddha and the Mahavira. For example, the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad (around 800 BCE) discusses early versions of the Karma idea.

The ancient Vedic religion did not believe in reincarnation or concepts like Saṃsāra or Nirvana. It was a complex religion with beliefs in spirits (animistic) and many gods (polytheistic), as well as ideas that everything is part of one divine being (pantheistic). Ancestor worship was a very important part of the ancient Vedic religion. Elements of ancestor worship are still common in modern Hinduism, like the Śrāddha rituals.

Some scholars believe that the tradition of renouncers (people who give up worldly life) was a natural growth of ideas found in Vedic religion. Others think these ideas came from the local non-Aryan people. This is an ongoing debate among scholars.

Rituals

A Śrauta yajna being performed in Kerala

Specific rituals and sacrifices of the Vedic religion included:

Fire rituals involving offerings (havir):
- The Agnyadheya, which was the installation of the sacred fire.
- The Agnihotra, an offering to Agni, the fire god, often linked to the sun.
- The Darshapurnamsa, sacrifices performed during new and full moons.
- The four seasonal (Cāturmāsya) sacrifices.
- The Agnicayana, a complex ritual of building a fire altar.
The Pashubandhu, a animal sacrifice performed once or twice a year.
The Soma rituals, which involved getting, using, and drinking Soma, a special sacred drink.
The royal consecration (Rajasuya) sacrifice, for kings.
The Ashvamedha (horse sacrifice), a ritual for the glory and success of a kingdom or empire.
The Purushamedha (human sacrifice, though often symbolic).
Rituals and charms in the Atharvaveda dealt with medicine and healing.
The Gomedha or cow sacrifice:
- The Taittiriya Brahmana text gives instructions for choosing the cow for the sacrifice based on the god it was offered to.
- Panchasaradiya sava – a celebration where 17 cows were sacrificed every five years.
- Sulagava – a sacrifice where roast beef was offered.

Hindu cremation rites have been seen since the Rigvedic period. The Rigveda mentions ancestors who were "cremated" and "uncremated."

Gods and Goddesses

A detail of the Phra Prang, the main tower of the Wat Arun ("Temple of Dawn") in Bangkok, Thailand. It shows the ancient Vedic god Indra and his three-headed elephant, Erawan (Airavata).

Even though many names for devas (gods) appear in the Rigveda, only 33 gods are usually counted. There were eleven gods for earth, eleven for space, and eleven for heaven. The Vedic gods belonged to two groups: Devas and Asuras. The Devas (Mitra, Varuna, Aryaman, Bhaga, Amsa, etc.) were gods of cosmic and social order, affecting everything from the universe to kingdoms and individuals.

The Rigveda is a collection of hymns (songs) to various gods. The most famous are the heroic Indra, Agni (the sacrificial fire and messenger of the gods), and Soma (the sacred drink that was also seen as a god). Also important were Varuna (often with Mitra) and the group of "All-gods," the Vishvadevas.

Wise Sages

In Hindu tradition, the respected wise people of this time included Yajnavalkya, Atharvan, Atri, Bharadvaja, Gautama Maharishi, Jamadagni, Kashyapa, Vasistha, Bhrigu, Kutsa, Pulastya, Kratu, Pulaha, Vishwamitra Narayana, Kanva, Rishabha, Vamadeva, and Angiras.

Ethics: Satya and Rta

Ethics in the Vedas are based on ideas like satya and ṛta.

In the Vedas and later texts, the word satya (सत्य) developed into an ethical idea about truthfulness. It is seen as an important good quality. It means being true and consistent with reality in your thoughts, words, and actions.

The Vedic word ṛtá and its similar word in Avestan (an ancient Iranian language), aša, are thought to come from an older word meaning "truth." Ṛta means "fixed or settled order, rule, divine law or truth." It can also mean "universal law" or "cosmic order." This idea of "ordered action" is always present in its meaning.

Because of the nature of Vedic Sanskrit, the term Ṛta can mean many things, directly or indirectly. Scholars have found it hard to find one perfect translation for all its uses in the Vedas.

The term is also found in the Proto-Indo-Iranian religion, the religion of the Indo-Iranian peoples. The term dharma was used later in Brahmanical thought, where it was seen as a part of ṛta.

Vedic Mythology

The main story behind Vedic rituals is about Indra slaying the dragon (ahi) Vritra. This act freed the rivers, the cows, and Dawn.

Vedic mythology has many elements that are common in other Indo-European mythologies, like those of Persia, Greece, and Rome, as well as Celtic, Germanic, Baltic, and Slavic peoples. The Vedic god Indra is similar to Dyaus Pitar (the Sky Father), Zeus, Jupiter, Thor, and Perun. The god Yama, who is the lord of the dead, is thought to be related to Yima in Persian mythology. Vedic hymns mention these and other gods, often 33 of them. These gods belong to the three parts of the universe: heavens, earth, and the space in between.

Some major gods of the Vedic tradition include Indra, Dyaus, Surya, Agni, Ushas, Vayu, Varuna, Mitra, Aditi, Yama, Soma, Sarasvati, Prithvi, and Rudra.

Religions After the Vedic Period

Hymn 10.85 of the Rigveda includes the Vivaha-sukta (above). Its recitation is still a part of Hindu wedding rituals today.

The Vedic period is believed to have ended around 500 BCE. The time between 800 BCE and 200 BCE was a key period for the development of later Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism. The period from 500 BCE to 200 BCE was a time of "ascetic reformism," meaning people focused more on self-discipline and spiritual practices. The time between 200 BCE and 1100 CE is called "classical Hinduism." This was a turning point where the Vedic religion changed into Hindu religions.

Brahmanism evolved into Hinduism, which is quite different from the Brahmanism that came before it. This change happened as Brahmanism interacted with non-Vedic traditions. Many core ideas from the Vedas were kept, while new non-Vedic ideas were also included. Some Hindu schools like Vedanta, Samkhya, and Yoga share a goal with Buddhism: to escape suffering.

Continuing Ancient Rituals

According to Axel Michaels, the Vedic gods became less important but didn't disappear. Local religious practices were absorbed into the Vedic-Brahmanic group of gods, which then became the Hindu gods. Gods like Shiva and Vishnu became more prominent, leading to the development of Shaivism and Vaishnavism.

Some communities in India still practice parts of the historical Vedic religion. This can be seen in Kerala and Andhra Pradesh states. According to historian Michael Witzel, some rituals of the Kalash people in Pakistan have elements of the historical Vedic religion.

Mīmāṃsā and Vedanta

Mīmāṃsā philosophers believed there was no need for a creator god for the world, just as there was no need for an author to write the Vedas or a god to approve the rituals. Mīmāṃsā argued that the gods mentioned in the Vedas only exist through the mantras (sacred sounds) that speak their names. So, the power of the mantras was seen as the power of the gods.

The Upanishads gradually developed into Vedanta, which is one of the main schools of thought in Hinduism. Vedanta sees itself as "the purpose or goal of the Vedas."

Sramana Tradition

The non-Vedic śramaṇa traditions existed alongside Brahmanism. These were not direct offshoots of Vedism, but movements that influenced and were influenced by Brahmanical traditions. They reflected the ideas of an older, non-Aryan upper class in northeastern India. Jainism and Buddhism grew out of the Shramana tradition.

Jain texts mention 22 ancient tirthankaras (spiritual teachers). According to this view, Jainism was at its peak during the time of Mahavira (traditionally in the 6th century BCE). Buddhism, which traditionally started around 500 BCE, later declined in India between the 5th and 12th centuries CE, as Puranic Hinduism and Islam became more popular.