Vedic Period (BC 1500 - BC 600)

The period of Aryans is known as Vedic Period. It is divided into two as Early Vedic period (BC 1500 to BC 1000) and the Later Vedic period (BC 1000 to AD 600). The meaning of word Aryan is warrior, knowledgeable and honorable. According to Aryans, Family is the smallest unit. Father got the first place in family. Only One Wife for Man and Women Dowry exists at that time. Child Marriage not allowed. Their main cultivations are Wheat and Barley.

Vedas

The four Vedas are the Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samaveda, and Atharvaveda. Ayurveda (Rigveda), Dhanurveda (Yajurveda), Gandharvaveda (Samaveda), and Arthaveda (Atharvaveda) are known as the "Upavedas"

Rigveda

It is believed that Rig Veda was written in Early Vedic period. Aryans worshipped Water, Wind, Rain, Fire and Thunder- Lightning. They worshipped Indra as the chief lord who was considered as the protector of people. Indra was also known as "Purandara", meaning "the destroyer of fortresses". The main deities based on Rig Veda were Indra, Agni, Soma (the god of plants), Varuna (the god of water), Aryaman, Bhaga and Amsa as Surya, Vayu, Prithvi, Vishnu, Marut (the god of wind) and the Yama (God of Death). The ninth mandala of the Rigveda is entirely dedicated to the god “Soma”. In the Vedic period, “Agni” played a role between man and God.

Rig Veda contains information about the arrival and lifestyle of the Aryans. All the Vedas are written in Sanskrit. The oldest Veda is the Rigveda. The Rigveda begins with "Agnimeela Purohitham". The famous Gayatri Mantra is also in the Rigveda. “Om Tat Saviturvarenyam” is the beginning of the Gayatri Mantra. There are a total of 1028 hymns in the Rig Veda. This is made up of 10 mandalas. The four varnas are discussed in the 'Purusha Sukta' in the tenth mandala. The Rig Veda is considered to be a book written in the Early Vedic period. Sanskrit, the Aryan language, is one of the languages ​​of the Indo-European languages. The Gayatri Mantra was composed by Vishwamitra, an important priest of the Vedic period. The most frequently mentioned river in the Rigveda that no longer exists is Saraswati River and the most frequently mentioned river in the Rigveda that exists is Indus River. Wheat, Barley, Oatmeal, Sesame are the grains mentioned in the Rigveda. 10 Upanishads are there in the Rigveda. The Upaveda of the Rigveda is Ayurveda. The Rigveda is the first work written in an Indo-European language. The Rigveda was translated into English by Max Muller.

Yajurveda

It is believed that Yajur Veda was written between BC 1400 – BC 1000. Yajur Veda is divided into two as Krishna Yajur Veda (Black) and Shukla Yajur Veda (White). Krishna Yajur Veda contains commentaries in prose and Shukla Yajur Veda contains pooja rules and rituals. The Yajurveda describes the rituals and practices of the Aryans. Yajur Veda contains a collection of sacrificial rituals and other rituals. There are 40 chapters in this veda. The Ekaveda is in prose.

Samaveda

Sama Veda mainly given importance to Music. A collection of hymns of 1549 verses taken from the Rigveda had given music. It is known as the book of mantras. The Veda that mainly emphasizes music and deals with music is Samaveda.

Atharvaveda

Atharva Veda, a collection of magic power, magic spells, prayers, apostrophic charms and tentative hymns. In Veda Period, Agni is respected and the position of it is placed between the Human and God. Saraswati River that mentioned in Atharva Veda is now disappeared from Earth whereas Sindhu is the mostly mentioned river. The largest Veda is Atharvaveda. Ayurveda is a system of medicine that sees man as part of nature. It is a part of the Atharva Veda. The Atharva Veda is considered a non-Aryan Veda. "War begins in the human mind" is said in the Atharva Veda.

Puranas, Upanishads, and Epics

■ The main message of the Upanishads is "liberation through knowledge".

■ The Upanishads, which are part of the Vedas, are known as “Vedanta”. There are 108 major Upanishads.

■ The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad is the largest. The Ishavasya is the shortest.

■ “Tattvamasi” is a verse in the Chandogya Upanishad. “Satyameva Jayate” is from the Mundako Upanishad.

■ The epics of India are the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. The Ramayana is the oldest epic. The Mahabharata is the largest.

■ The Mahabharata has 18 Parvas; the Ramayana has 7 Kandas. The author of the Ramayana is Valmiki. Veda Vyasa wrote the Mahabharata.

■ The Mahabharata was known as ‘Jaya Samhita’ and ‘Shatasahasra Samhita’.

■ The famous Aditya Hridaya Mantra is found in the Ramayana and the Bhagavad Gita in the Mahabharata.

■ The Bhagavad Gita is known as the "Soul of the Mahabharata". The Bhagavad Gita is composed of verses 25 to 48 on Bhishma Parva.

■ The Mahabharata war lasted for 18 days. There are 18 main Puranas and 18 sub-Puranas.

■ The Skanda Purana is the largest.

■ The four yugas according to Indian concepts are Krita Yuga, Treta Yuga, Dwapara Yuga and Kali Yuga.

■ Krita Yuga is the longest of the four yugas. Kali Yuga is the shortest.

■ The Bhagavad Gita was translated into English by Charles Wilkins. The Mahabharata was translated into Malayalam by Kodungallur Kunjikuttan Thampuran.

■ There are 14 Manvantaras in total.

■ Matsya, Kurma, Varaha, and Narasimha are the incarnations of Lord Vishnu in the Krita Yuga. Vamana, Parashurama, and Sri Rama are the incarnations of Lord Vishnu in the Treta Yuga. Balarama and Sri Krishna are the incarnations of Lord Vishnu in Dwapara Yuga. Kalki is the incarnation of Lord Vishnu in Kali Yuga.

■ The Mahabharata is known as the fifth Veda.

■ Manusmriti was translated into English by William Jones.

■ “Indian Logic” is known as reasoning. Gautama is the inventor.

■ Kanada is the founder of the Vaisheshika philosophy known as "Indian Atomism". Yoga philosophy is that of Patanjali.

■ Badarayana (Vyasa Muni) is considered the father of Vedanta philosophy.

■ The founder of Advaita Vedanta philosophy was Gaudapada, the guru of Shankaracharya. Advaita Vedanta is a philosophy that is described as the perfection of all Indian philosophies. Shankaracharya was the main propagator of Advaita.

■ Shankaracharya was called the "Modern Buddha". Padmapada was his main disciple.

■ The "Vishishtadvaita" theory is attributed to Ramanuja.

■ Brihaspati was the founder of the Charvaka philosophy, who proclaimed "Eat, Drink, and Be Happy."

■ Dayananda Saraswati was the one who called for "Return to the Vedas."