UPSC History The vedic period - Early vedic period, Later vedic period and sangam period Later Vedic Period (1000 - 500 BC)

Later Vedic Period (1000 - 500 BC)

Category : UPSC

Later Vedic Period (1000 - 500 BC)

The later Vedic society came to be divided into four varnas called the Brahmanas, rajanyas or kshatriyas, vaisyas and shudras, each varna was assigned with its duty.
All the three higher varnas shared one common feature, they were known as Dvijas [twice born).
The fourth varna was deprived of the sacred thread ceremony, and with it began the imposition of disabilities on the shudras.
The worst position is reserved for the shudra. He is called the servant of another.
Women were generally given a lower position.
Ashramas or the four stages of life were created in the post-Vedic time.
The four ashramas were: Brahmachari or a student, grihastha or householder, vanaprastha or partial retirement and sanyasa or full withdrawal from the world.

Kingdoms of the Later Vedic Period

Kingdom Location

Different types of Marriages

Asura: Marriage by purchase.

Gandharva: Marriage by the consent of two parties, often clandestine. A special form of it was syamvara or self-choice.

Brahma: Marriage of a duly dowered girl to a man of the same varna with Vedic rites and rituals.

Daiva: Father gives the daughter to the sacrificial priests as part of fee or dakshma.

Arsa: A token bride-price of a cow and a bull is given.

Prajapati: Marriage without dowry and bride-price.

Paisacha: It is seduction of a girl while asleep, mentally deranged or drunk, hence it can hardly be called a marriage.

Rakshasa: Marriage by Capture.

Prajapati, the Creator, came to occupy a Supreme position in the later Vedic Period.

Mahajanapadas	Capitals	Current location
Gandhara	Taxila	Apart of Afghanistan
Kamboja	Rajpur	Part of Kashmir and Afghanistan
Asmaka	Potana	Godavari Valley
Vatsa	Kaushambi	Allahabad
Avanti	Ujjain	Malwa and a part of M.P.
Surasena	Mathura	Mathura in U.P.
Chedi	Shuktimati	Bundelkhand in M.P.
Malla	Kushinara, Pawa	Eastern U.P.
Kurus	Hastinapur/Indraprashta	Delhi and Meerut
Matasya	Virat Nagari	Jaipur and Alwar
Vajjis	Vaishali	North Bihar
Anga	Champa	Bhagalpur and Monghyr in Bihar
Kashi	Banaras	Banaras
Kosala	Shravasti	Faizabad in U.P.
Magadha	Girivraja/ Rajgriha	Patna and Gaya in Bihar
Panchaia	Ahichhatra/Kampilyas	Rohilkhand in U.P.

During the sixth and fourth centuries BC, Magadha [now Bihar], became the most powerful Mahajanapada.
The earliest capital of Magadha was at Rajgir, which was called Girivraja at that time.

Chronology of Foreign Invasion

Summary of Alexander's Invasion

Alexander marched to India through the Khyber Pass in 326 B.C.
Ambi, the ruler of Taxila, submitted to Alexander.
He was bravely checked by the local chieftains despite the fact that they had no chance of success.
He was resisted first strongest by Porus at Jhelum.
His advance was checked on the bank of the Beas because of the mutiny of his soldiers. ,
In 325 B.C., he began hft homeward journey.
In 324 B.C., he reached Susa in Persia and died the next year, i.e. 323 B.C.
The Greek invasion of India opened the trade route between north-west India and Western Asia.