Chapter 2. The Vedic Period

Oldest Books In The World

* The Rig Veda, one of the oldest books in the world, was composed nearly 3,500
years ago.
* The Rig Veda was written in Vedic Sanskrit.
* The Rig Veda contains 1028 hymns that praise different gods and goddesses.
* The Rig Veda also contains various hymns for cattle, horses and children.

How Men Became Rulers


* The Sama Veda, Yajur Veda and Atharva Veda throw light n the society that
existed during the later Vedic Period.
* The Varna system that existed during the later Vedic period was inflexible and was decided on the basis of birth.
* The rajas of the later Vedic period performed a ritual called the Ashwamedha to establish their supremacy.
* They then formed a mahajanapada, which had fortified capitals
* Under the mahajanapada, taxes were introduces to collect revenue to build fortified cities, and to pay the salaries of soldiers and labour.

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