INDIAN TRADITIONS, CULTURAL AND SOCIETY

UNIT-3 : INDIAN RELIGION & PHILOSOPHY

Pre-Vedic and Vedic Religion:

01. Religion is the science of soul. Morality and ethics have their foundation on
religion.
2. Religion played an important part in the lives of the Indians from the earliest times.
3. It assumed numerous forms in relation to different groups of people associated with
them.
4. Religion in India was never static in character but was driven by an inherent
dynamic strength.
5. Indian spirituality is deeply rooted in ancient philosophical and religious traditions
of the land.
6. Philosophy arose in India as an enquiry into the mystery of life and existence.
7. Philosophy provided a correct view of reality, while religion showed the correct way
of life.
8. Philosophy provided the vision, while religion brought about the fulfillment.
9. Philosophy was the theory, and religion was the practice.
10. Thus in ancient India, philosophy and religion complemented each other.

4/28/2025 Ashok Kumar Sahu,Associate Professor,BSACET, Mathura 1

 INDIAN TRADITIONS, CULTURAL AND SOCIETY
UNIT-3 : INDIAN RELIGION & PHILOSOPHY
Religious traditions of pre-Vedic (Harappan) period.
01.The Harappan civilization beginning can be traced in the preceding rural cultures of Neolithic (नवपाषाण
काऱ) times which are known as Nal, Kulli, Zhob,Quetta cultures.
2. This civilization dates back to about 3000 B.C.
3. The Harappan culture matured around 2600 B.C. and it declined around 1700 B.C.
4. From the archaeological findings, it may be presumed that the most important feature of the pre-Vedic
(Harappan) religion was the cult of Mother (मााँ का पंथ) Goddess or Nature Goddess.
5. Seals from Harappa show a female figure turned upside down, with outstretched legs, and a plant emerging
from her womb (गर्ााशय).
6. Another representation of a feroali (फ़ेरोअऱी) figure standing in a bifurcated tree may be interpreted to
identify the Mother Goddess with the Nature Goddess.
7. There are also a few female figures with a number of children which may connect the Mother Goddess with fertility cult.
8. Among male deities Siva can be identified easily as a principal deity in Harappan religion.
9. Most remarkable representation of this deity is a three-faced figure wearing a three-horned head-dress,
seated cross-legged on a throne,the posture being very similar to padmasana, with eyes turned towards the
tip of his nose, as described in Yoga texts.
10. It also appears that Siva was worshipped both in icon and in linga.
11. The pre-Vedic (Harappan) people might have been worshipping animals.Various types of animals are found
depicted on the seals and sealings.
12. In all probability the pre-Vedic (Harappan) people also worshipped natural objects like water, fire, trees, etc.
Various trees, plants and foliage पत्तियां have been depicted on a number of seals.
13. Some scholars consider the existence of ‘shamanism’ in Harappan religion. Shamanism is a form of religious
practice that exists among preliterate prehistoric groups, including tribesmen and hunter-gatherers.
14. Being a highly developed urbanized civilization Harappan people also had developed religious practices
and symbolism. (प्रिीकातमकिा).
4/28/2025 Ashok Kumar Sahu,Associate Professor,BSACET, Mathura 2
 INDIAN TRADITIONS, CULTURAL AND SOCIETY
UNIT-3 : INDIAN RELIGION & PHILOSOPHY
Vedic religion.
1. The Vedic tradition at its early stage was primarily a tradition, by priests and priest-craft, with
a sizable pantheon of nature deities प्रकृति द़े विाओं का द़े वमण्डऱ.
2. Sacrifice involving the specialized priests and slaughter of animals was the chief form of
religious practice.
3. Sacrifice was originally a rite of hospitality आतिथ्य का संस्कार for the gods and this was
performed to obtain material rewards on earth and in heaven.
4. In the context of the Vedic religion sacrifice needs to be understood with reference to the
inner self of man.
5. Ancient seers संि have suggested two approaches with reference to the Vedic religion :
Pravrtti Lakshana (characterized by action) and nivrttilakshana (characterized by renunciation).
6. The aim of religion is also two fold : Abhyudaya (prosperity in the life in this world and
enjoyment in heaven in the life after) and Nihsreyasa तन्श्ऱेयस (permanent freedom from all
bondage and sufferings, state of eternal bliss शाश्वि आनंद).
7. The Mantra and Brahmana parts of the Veda serve the purpose of Abhyudaya, whereas the
Aranyakas अरण्यकस and the Upanishads teach the ways and means for Nihsreyasa.

4/28/2025 Ashok Kumar Sahu,Associate Professor,BSACET, Mathura 3

 INDIAN TRADITIONS, CULTURAL AND SOCIETY
UNIT-3 : INDIAN RELIGION & PHILOSOPHY
Source of knowledge of the Vedic religion.
1. The Vedic religion emanates from the Veda. The word ‘Veda’ is derived
from the root ‘vid’, ‘to know’ and hence means knowledge.
2. The knowledge contained in and imparted by the Veda is considered to
be the knowledge par excellence सवोतकृष्ट.
3. The source of knowledge of the Vedic religion is the corpus द़े ह of the Vedic
literature which is composed of four great works, the Rig-Veda, the Sama-
Veda, the Yajur-Veda and the Atharva-Veda.
4. Each of these having fourfold subdivisions : the Samhitas or Mantras,
the Brahmanas, the Aranyakas and the Upanishads.
5. Brahmanas are the ritual textbooks intended to guide the priests through
the complicated web of sacrificial rites.
6. The Aranyakas, considered as appendices पररशशष्ट to the Brahmanas, Contain
the mysticism रहस्यवाद and symbolism of sacrifice.
7. The Upanishads deal with metaphysical speculations आध्यात्तमक अटकऱें
and spiritual teachings.
8. These are the texts which help us in formulating our knowledge about the
Vedic religion.
4/28/2025 Ashok Kumar Sahu,Associate Professor,BSACET, Mathura 4
 INDIAN TRADITIONS, CULTURAL AND SOCIETY
UNIT-3 : INDIAN RELIGION & PHILOSOPHY
Rites and rituals performed in the Vedic religion.
1.The formulation of the rites and rituals presupposes the existence of deities
who are to be propitiated संिुष्ट ककया गया, prayed through the rituals.
2. The Vedas mention quite a good number of deities. The principal deities
are classified as belonging to different regions :
i., terrestrial ऱौककक ii. Aerial आकाशीय and iii. celestial. खगोऱीय
3. Ritual and prayer are two expressions in act and word of man’s sense of
dependence on divine powers.
4. Rituals were performed to enlist the good will of divine powers so that they
may fulfill the wish of the worshipper.
5. Sacrifice was considered as an inherent part of the cosmic order.
6. Sacrifice involved the yajamana, the patron of the offering, the god to whom
the offering is given, the Brahmana who performs the sacrifice and acts as a
link between the yajamana and the god and the bali or the offering which is
gifted to the gods.
7. Vedic rituals are broadly classified into two categories : public rites (srauta)
श्रौिा and domestic rites (grhya or smarta).

4/28/2025 Ashok Kumar Sahu,Associate Professor,BSACET, Mathura 5

 INDIAN TRADITIONS, CULTURAL AND SOCIETY
UNIT-3 : INDIAN RELIGION & PHILOSOPHY
A. Public rites (Srauta) :
1. The Srauta sacrifices are primarily classified on the basis of the material of the offerings, viz.,
havir-yajna in which ghee is offered as the main oblation (AAHUTI), and Soma-yajna in
which the juice of the Soma plant is the chief oblation.
2. The Srauta rituals require the participation of various types of officiating priests.
3. Srauta sacrifices are many and varied. A vast literature, known as Srauta sutras came into
being to discuss the details of the performance of the sacrifice.
4. The Srauta sacrifices may be classified as :
i. periodic or regularly recurring ones (nitya) and
ii. occasional or special (naimittika).
B. Domestic rites (Grhya or Smarta) :
1. A householder belonging to any of the three upper castes is required to perform quite a good
number of personal or family rites - as enjoined by the ritualistic texts known as grhya karmans.
2. The most important distinction between the public and the domestic rites is that while the
public rites are performed in three sacred fires, viz., Ahavaniya, Daksinga and Garhapatya, - the
domestic rites are performed only in the Garhapatya fire.
3. The householder is supposed to perform all the Grhya rites himself.
4. The materials used for the oblations in the Grhya rites are generally the same as those for the
srauta rituals, with the exception that Soma is never offered and animals very rarely.

4/28/2025 Ashok Kumar Sahu,Associate Professor,BSACET, Mathura 6