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Effects of the Aryan Migration. The Vedas. A collection of poems, hymns, myths, and rituals that were written by Aryan priests. They describe Aryan religious beliefs and daily life.
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The Vedas • A collection of poems, hymns, myths, and rituals that were written by Aryan priests. They describe Aryan religious beliefs and daily life. • Originally memorized by Aryan priests, the Vedas were later written down in Sanskrit, the language of ancient India • There are four Vedas -Rig Veda (The oldest and most sacred of the Vedas) -Yajur Veda -Sama Veda -Atharva Veda
The Vedas/Varnas-According to the Vedas, there were four main varnas, or social classes, in Aryan society.
The Vedas/Varnas-According to a hymn from the Rig Veda, the four varnas came into being with the creation of the world.
Varnas/Castes-Over time, the four varnas were further divided into several subgroups known as castes.-This division became known as the Caste System-The Caste System divided Indian society into groups based on a person’s birth, wealth, or occupation.
Rules of the Caste System • In order to keep their class system distinct, the Aryans developed sutras, or guides, which listed all the rules for the caste system • Could not marry someone from another caste • Could not eat with a person from a different caste • If any of the caste rules were broken, you would be banned from your home and caste, which would make you an untouchable. (Outcaste) • Untouchables were banished from normal social life.
Religion-Aryan religion was based on the Vedas-The Aryan word for priest was “Brahmin.”-Their religion was known as Brahmanism-After the Vedas were written down, Aryan priests, or Brahmins, wrote down their thoughts about the Vedas. These texts became known as the “Vedic Texts.”-One of better known Vedic texts are the Upanishads.-These writings are reflections of the Vedas by religious students and teachers.
Religion-Over time, the ideas of these sacred texts began to blend with religious ideas from other cultures.-The blending of these ideas created a religion called Hinduism.
Religion-The Caste system worked perfectly into Hindu beliefs.-It worked like a ladder. The goal was to follow your dharma and achieve good karma so that you could keep being reincarnated into a higher caste. This way you could eventually work your way to the top and reach moksha, which would end samsara because your atman will join with Brahman