What are the main features of Vedic society and religion? Do you think some of the features are still…

Question

What are the main features of Vedic society and religion? Do you think some of the features are still prevailing in Indian society?

Ghissu Editorial · Accepted Answer

Vedic society moved from pastoral, kin-based tribes with fluid varna and nature worship to agrarian communities with hereditary varna, elaborate yajnas and Upanishadic philosophy. Many features persist in transformed form, such as saptapadi, recognised by the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, alongside caste endogamy and patriarchy.

**Introduction**

The Vedic age (c. 1500 to 600 BCE), known through the Vedas, Brahmanas and Upanishads, saw pastoral tribes of the Sapta Sindhu become settled agrarian communities of the Ganga plains, and many of its institutions still echo in Indian society.

**Main Features of Vedic Society and Religion**

SKETCH: comparison | Rig Vedic vs Later Vedic
a: Rig Vedic
b: Later Vedic
- Pastoral, cattle wealth :: Agrarian, iron tools
- Fluid varna :: Hereditary varna
- Women in assemblies :: Women excluded
- Sabha, samiti strong :: Kingship strengthened
- Indra, Agni, Varuna :: Prajapati, Vishnu, Rudra
- Simple hymns :: Elaborate yajnas

1. **Kinship and varna**: Society rested on the patriarchal kula, vish and jana; the Purusha Sukta first names four varnas, which became hereditary in the Later Vedic period.
2. **Nature worship to philosophy**: Indra, Agni and Varuna, guardian of rita, were worshipped without temples, and elaborate yajnas later provoked the Upanishads' ideas of atman, karma and rebirth.

**Vedic Features Still Prevailing in Indian Society**

1. **Rites and recitation**: Samskaras like upanayana and saptapadi persist, the latter recognised by the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, and UNESCO inscribed Vedic Chanting in 2008.
2. **Hierarchy and patriarchy**: Caste endogamy and gotra rules still govern most marriages, as khap panchayat diktats show, despite Article 17 abolishing untouchability.
3. **Transformed pluralism**: The Rig Vedic "Ekam sat vipra bahudha vadanti" underpins Indian pluralism, and Surya is still worshipped in Chhath, though Puranic deities have replaced most Vedic gods.

**Way Forward**

1. **Constitutional filter**: Keep Vedic inquiry and pluralism while rejecting birth-based hierarchy under Articles 15 and 17.
2. **Preserve knowledge**: Use the AICTE Indian Knowledge Systems division (2020) to document Vedic texts and recitation lineages.

**Conclusion**

Several Vedic features do prevail, but transformed rather than frozen. Valuing composite culture under Article 51A(f) means keeping the spirit of inquiry while leaving hierarchy behind.

What are the main features of Vedic society and religion? Do you think some of the features are still prevailing in Indian society?

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