Vedic Civilization in India

1. Vedic Literature is known to be written between 1000 to 600 BC. Veda means to know or to get knowledge.

2. Arya means Foreigner (ary in Russian language is outsider or unknown). Aryas were originally from south Russia as per Brandastine.

3. Vedic Hymns or Types of Veda: Rig-Veda, Yajurveda, Samveda, Atharvaveda

4. Rig veda is a collection of praise of Gods or Devtas. Indra was the god of Rig-Veda.

5. Samveda is a collection of melodies

6. Atharveda describes beliefs and superstitions

7. Yajurveda is of two types : Shukla Yajurveda & Krishna Yajurveda

8. There are 6 vedangas : siksha, Kalpa, Vyakarna, Nirukt, Jyotish, Chhanda

9. Siksha vedanga is related to Phonetic Education.

10. Kalpa Vedanga is related to Rituals

11. Vyakarna Vedanga is related to Grammar

12. Nirukt Vedanga is related to Etymology

13. Chhanda is related to Metrics

14. Jyotish is related to Astrology

15. There are 4 kalpsutra : Sharutan Sutra, Grih Sutra , Dharma Sutra, and Sholva Sutra,

16. There are 4 major upvedas: Ayurveda of Rig-Veda, Dhanurveda of Yajurveda, Gandharvaveda of Sam Veda, Shilpveda is of Atharvaveda

17. Ayurveda was propounded by Brahma and it is about medicinal science Ayurveda

18. Dhanurveda was propounded by Vishvamitra and it describes art of War

19. Gandharvaveda was propounded by Narad and it describes Music

20. Shilpveda was propounded by Vishwakarma and it describes architecture

21. The Number of Puranas is 18

22. The No. of Upnishad is 108. The subjects described in Upanishads are God, soul, Birth, Matter, Rebirth, Salvation etc.

23. The period of Upanishads is supposed to be 800 to 500 BC.

24. Prominent Upanishads are as follows:

Ish, Ken, Kath, Prashn, Mundak, Mandukya, Taitteriya, Aitereya, Chhandogya, Vriahdaranyaka, Shwetaswara, Kaushitaki, Mahanarayana

25. Brahman of Rig-Veda : Aitareya, Kaushitaki

26. Brahman of Samveda : Tandya, Panchvinsa, Jaiminia

27. Brahman of Yajurveda : Taitteriya which is of Krishna Yajurveda, Satpath which is of Shukla Yajurveda

28. Brahman of Atharvaveda :Gopatha

29. There are 6 schools of Philosophy in Vedic Culture: Samkhya, Yoga, Nyaya, Vaiseshika, Mimansa , Vedanta . They are collectively called shaddarshana

30. Samkhya school was propounded by kapilMuni and it describes about real knowledge and atheism

31. Yoga was propounded by Patanjali which describes Yoga and meditation

32. Nyaya is propounded by Gautam and it deals with justice and logic

33. Vaiseshika is propounded by Mahrishi Kanad and deals with materialistic

34. Mimansa was propounded by Jaiminia and Badrayana and deals with practical religion

35. Vedanta was propounded by Badrayana and deals with soul, Brahma and Karma

36. Vedic mantras are called suktas.

37. Prominent Sages were Gritsamad, Vishwamitra, Bhardwaj, Atri, and vashishtha.

38. Prominent female sages were Lopamudra, Ghosa, Shachi, Poulomi

39. Prominent Ayurvedacharyas were : Ashwini Kumar, Dhanvantari, Banbhatt, Sushrut, Madhav

40. Araynakas deal with life, death and other serious themes, they were read and listened in loneliness of Jungles (Aranya means Forests)

41. The Samveda and Yajurveda have no Araynakas

42. India was a land of seven rivers, called as sapt sindhu and pronounced by the west Asians as Hapt Hindu that is how the Hindu term was coined.

43. The sapta sindhu were the Indus, Five River of Punjab and saraswati (extinct now)

44. The doctor or vaidya was called Bheesaj or Mishak

45. The goddesses were Usha, Sita, Prithvi, Aranyani, Ratri, Vak

46. Traders were called pani

47. Cow was the backbone of economy

48. Prajapati has been refereed as aadipurush or first male

49. The officer of lands was Vrajpati

50. Main crops were wheat and paddy

51. Rajsuya Yajna was performed to obtain divine power

52. Ashwamedha yajna was performed to expand the empire

53. Vajpey Yajna for Chariot racing

54. Gotra system developed in later vedic ages.

55. Shatpath Brahman gives account about agriculture procedure.

56. Rig-Veda is divided among 10 mandalas. Xth mandala of Rig-Veda gives an account of origin of the universe

57. Rig-Veda is the oldest religious text in the world

58. The three Vedas except Rig-Veda are collectively called "Traya"

59. There were 4 councils : Sabha, Samiti, Vidhata, Gana

60. The word Bharat comes first from Rig-Veda.

61. There are 1028 Vedic texts in Rig-Veda

62. Language of Vedas was Sanskrit

63. Gayatri Mantra is mentioned in 3rd mandal of Rig-Veda

64. Savitri or Sun is worshipped in Gayatri mantra

65. The social structure was Patriarchal

66. Cow was also used as a medium of exchange

67. Satyamev Jayate is taken from Mundakopnishad

68. The birth and rebirth is mentioned in Vrihadranyaka

69. Animal Theft was the crime mentioned most in Vedas'

70. Om has been used for 1028 times in Rigveda

71. Mahabharat was the largest epic of Vedic period written by Vedvyas in Sanskrit

72. Bronze was referred as Ayas

73. Barley was referred as Yava

74. Carpenter was called Takshak

75. Maker of bows was called dhumvakrit

76. Rice was referred as Vrihi

77. Goldsmith was called as Hiranyakata.

78. Jana word was used for 275 times in Rigveda

79. Indra word was used for 200 times

80. The potteries used were Black and Red ware, Black Slipped ware, painted Grey ware and Red ware.

81. Name of Indus River of Sindhu

82. Name of Kabul River was Kumbha

83. The name of swat river was Suvastu

84. Name of Chenab was Askini

85. The name of Jhelam river was Vitasta

86. The name of ravi river was Purushni.