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| Texts considered to date to the Vedic period, composed in ], are mainly the four ], but the ], and some of the older ]s are also considered Vedic. The Vedas record the ] connected with the rituals and sacrifices performed by the ]s. To the ]s, the hymns of the ] and other Vedic hymns were divinely revealed, and they were considered "hearers" ('']'' means "what is heard"), rather than "authors". | Texts considered to date to the Vedic period, composed in ], are mainly the four ], but the ], and some of the older ]s are also considered Vedic. The Vedas record the ] connected with the rituals and sacrifices performed by the ]s. To the ]s, the hymns of the ] and other Vedic hymns were divinely revealed, and they were considered "hearers" ('']'' means "what is heard"), rather than "authors". | ||
| The mode of worship was performance of sacrifices and ]ing of hymns (see ]). The ] helped the common man in performing rituals. People prayed for abundance of children, cattle and wealth. Vedas have mention of rituals for pleasing gods by lighting fire] and sacrifice(bali). It seems like african tribal worship & witchcraft. Modern science has concluded that Indian subcontinent was attached to africa in ancient times. Later on it drifted away and got attached to asian plate which created himalaya mountains due to a huge thrust and it is still moving north. In yajna the priests consumed intoxicants in large quantities, called ] and sacrifice of humans & animals(cow, horse etc.) was done . Soma was made from either ] or ] or both (cannabis is as common as grass in Himalayas). | The mode of worship was performance of sacrifices and ]ing of hymns (see ]). The ] helped the common man in performing rituals. People prayed for abundance of children, cattle and wealth. Vedas have mention of rituals for pleasing gods by lighting fire (]) and sacrifice(bali). It seems like african tribal worship & witchcraft. Modern science has concluded that Indian subcontinent was attached to africa in ancient times. Later on it drifted away and got attached to asian plate which created himalaya mountains due to a huge thrust and it is still moving north. In yajna the priests consumed intoxicants in large quantities, called ] and sacrifice of humans & animals(cow, horse etc.) was done . Soma was made from either ] or ] or both (cannabis is as common as grass in Himalayas). | ||
| Elements of Vedic religion reach back into ] times. The Vedic period is held to have ended around ], Vedic religion gradually diversifying into the historical ], notably ], in parts conservative (see ]), in parts fundamentally reformed (see ] and ], an offshoot of late Vedic religion). | Elements of Vedic religion reach back into ] times. The Vedic period is held to have ended around ], Vedic religion gradually diversifying into the historical ], notably ], in parts conservative (see ]), in parts fundamentally reformed (see ] and ], an offshoot of late Vedic religion). | ||
Revision as of 10:49, 7 June 2006
This article discusses the historical religious practices in the Vedic time period; see Dharmic religions for details of contemporary religious practices. See Śrauta for the continuing practice of Vedic rituals.
The religion of the Vedic civilization is the predecessor of classical Hinduism, usually included in the term. Its liturgy is reflected in the text of the Vedas. The religion centered on a clergy (the Brahmins) administering sacrificial rites.
Texts considered to date to the Vedic period, composed in Vedic Sanskrit, are mainly the four Vedas, but the Brahmanas, and some of the older Upanishads are also considered Vedic. The Vedas record the liturgy connected with the rituals and sacrifices performed by the purohitas. To the rishis, the hymns of the Rigveda and other Vedic hymns were divinely revealed, and they were considered "hearers" (shruti means "what is heard"), rather than "authors".
The mode of worship was performance of sacrifices and chanting of hymns (see Vedic chant). The priests helped the common man in performing rituals. People prayed for abundance of children, cattle and wealth. Vedas have mention of rituals for pleasing gods by lighting fire (yajna) and sacrifice(bali). It seems like african tribal worship & witchcraft. Modern science has concluded that Indian subcontinent was attached to africa in ancient times. Later on it drifted away and got attached to asian plate which created himalaya mountains due to a huge thrust and it is still moving north. In yajna the priests consumed intoxicants in large quantities, called soma and sacrifice of humans & animals(cow, horse etc.) was done . Soma was made from either cannabis or ephedra or both (cannabis is as common as grass in Himalayas).
Elements of Vedic religion reach back into Proto-Indo-Iranian times. The Vedic period is held to have ended around 500 BC, Vedic religion gradually diversifying into the historical Dharmic religions, notably Hinduism, in parts conservative (see Śrauta), in parts fundamentally reformed (see Vedanta and Buddhism, an offshoot of late Vedic religion).
Rituals
The Ashvamedha (horse sacrifice) has parallels in the 2nd millennium BC Andronovo culture, in India allegedly continued until the 4th century AD. The practice of vegetarianism may already have arisen in late Vedic times: in Panini, the compound gohan is taught to refer to a "receiver of a cow" exclusively, avoiding a literal translation of "cow-slaying", while gohan in the Rig-Veda 7.56.17 appears parallel to nrhan "slaying men" in reference to the weapon vadha of the Maruts,
- 17c āre gohā nṛhā vadháḥ vaḥ astu "far be your cow-slaying, men-slaying weapon!"
This change of interpretation occurred parallel to the rise of, and possibly under the influence of, Buddhism, which began as a reform-movement of the Vedic religion. In later texts, the cow is often described as aditi and aghnya (that which should not be killed).
The Hindu rites of cremation develop during the Vedic period; while they are attested from early times in the Cemetery H culture, there is a late Rigvedic reference in RV 10.15.14, invoking forefathers "both cremated (agnidagdhá-) and uncremated (ánagnidagdha-)", indicating convergence of Aryan (Indo-Iranian) and pre-Aryan traditions.
Specific rituals and sacrifices of the Vedic religion include:
- The Soma cult described in the Rigveda, descended from a common Indo-Iranian practice.
- Fire rituals, also a common Indo-Iranian practice, cf. Zoroastrianism:
- The Agnihotra or oblation to Agni
- The Agnicayana, the sophisticated ritual of piling the fire altar.
- The Agnistoma or fire sacrifice
- The Ashvamedha or horse sacrifice described in the Yajurveda
- The Purushamedha or human sacrifice, probably very early reduced to a symbolic sacrifice.
- The rituals described in the Atharvaveda concerned with demonology and magic.
Monistic tendencies
Already the Rigveda, in its youngest books (books 1 and 10) contains evidence for emerging monotheistic thought. Often quoted are pada 1.164.46c,
- ékam sád víprā́ bahudhā́ vadanti
- "To what is One, sages give many a title" (trans. Griffith)
and hymns 10.129 and 10.130, dealing with a creator deity, especially verse 10.129.7:
- iyám vísṛṣṭiḥ yátaḥ ābabhûva / yádi vā dadhé yádi vā ná / yáḥ asya ádhyakṣaḥ paramé vyóman / sáḥ aṅgá veda yádi vā ná véda
- "He, the first origin of this creation, whether he formed it all or did not form it, / Whose eye controls this world in highest heaven, he verily knows it, or perhaps he knows not." (trans. Griffith)
Ékam sát in 1.164.46c means "One Being" or "One Truth". Such concepts received greater emphasis in classical Hinduism, from the time of Adi Shankara at the latest.
Post-Vedic religions
Vedic religion gradually diversified into the 'Hindu' paths of Yoga and Vedanta, a religious path considering itself the 'essence' of the Vedas. The Vedic pantheon was interpreted as a unitary view of the universe with God seen as immanent and transcendent in the forms of Ishvara (God's Personal Feature), Paramatma (God's localised feature) and Brahman (God's Impersonal Energies). There are also conservative schools which continue portions of the historical Vedic religion largely unchanged until today (see Śrauta, Nambudiri).
Religions considered to be descended from the Vedic religion include:
Zoroastrianism shares common Indo-Iranian properties with the Vedic religion but it is not a direct descendant.