Between the existing cultures of people indigenous to India and the Aryan migrants massive influence the foundation of the Vedic culture was set. Together they formed an agricultural, patriarchal, and deeply religious society which has extended to today.
Vedas
Thousands of years of Aryan oral tradition became mixed with Dravidian ideas about spirituality and were then collected in a series of 4 sacred Sanskrit texts around 1500 BCE. These texts are called the Vedas, “knowledge”, and set the foundation for many aspects of a distinct Indian culture. Social Structure, religious beliefs, literature, and many moral institutions are all strongly influenced by the Vedas.
The first of the Vedas is the Rig-Veda which is a collection of hymns for presiding priests to use in ceremony. It also set the standard for Varna in the caste system with a passage on the dividing of Purusa into 4 parts. The Yajur-Veda followed, borrowing many elements of the Rig-Veda to produce a large number of mantras and formulas for rites and other ceremonies. Next is the Sama-Veda which contained formulas for chanting priests, and lastly the Atharva-Veda, which starts with a magic spell and also contains 760 hymns. These are followed by a number of texts that branch off of the Vedic ideas.
Upanishads
Following the Vedas are the Upanishads. These are a series of Sanskrit texts that bring a strongly spiritual nature to the culture and introduce many important Hindu concepts about the soul.
The Upanishads are concerned with the Brahman, or universal soul, and its relationship with the atman, a person’s innermost soul. This relationship is based on the idea of a Higher Truth that is separate from our mind and body. The Higher Truth is an absolute consciousness formed of Brahman and the atman it merges with. Humans exist under the influence of Maya, a cosmic ignorance projected by Brahman, that cause us to perceive ourselves as a limited body in a dual universe.
The goal of a person is to move up in the karma based hierarchy of the universe via reincarnation until they escape entirely. Once escaped, they achieve moksha, absolute consciousness, as their atman merges with Brahman. This goal is met by living according to your social responsibilities as outlined by the Vedas and understanding the teachings of the Vedas.
The Upanishads provide an ethical system to follow. It emphasizes self-control, compassion, and generosity in all areas of life as well as providing the ultimate good of moksha to work toward.
Caste System
The Varna brought to India by the Aryans quickly merged with a local system of classification known as Jati. Varna designates a person’s general level in society. A jati is much more specific and will assign particular professions to specific families. As time has passed those designation have become increasingly complex and limiting to individuals. This system with well-defined hereditary levels reinforced the Hindu idea of reincarnation and moving upward to divinity.
Patriarchy
The Dravidian society that existed in India before the Aryan migration likely had some level of matriarchy in its culture. When the arrival of the warlike Aryans brought a new system of belief as well there was a dramatic shift in women’s role in society. The Vedas instated a tradition that men should be strong and intelligent while women should be beautiful and dependent on men.
Inspired by the Vedas was the Lawbook of Manu, a religious text that was meant to set order after the decline of the Maurya Empire. This book’s authors interpreted the Vedas’ message to be that women were the cause of all turmoil and had to be under constant control. It recommended that women be under the constant supervision of a male relative and work only in her household. This set a tradition of patriarchy within Hinduism.
Vedas
Thousands of years of Aryan oral tradition became mixed with Dravidian ideas about spirituality and were then collected in a series of 4 sacred Sanskrit texts around 1500 BCE. These texts are called the Vedas, “knowledge”, and set the foundation for many aspects of a distinct Indian culture. Social Structure, religious beliefs, literature, and many moral institutions are all strongly influenced by the Vedas.
The first of the Vedas is the Rig-Veda which is a collection of hymns for presiding priests to use in ceremony. It also set the standard for Varna in the caste system with a passage on the dividing of Purusa into 4 parts. The Yajur-Veda followed, borrowing many elements of the Rig-Veda to produce a large number of mantras and formulas for rites and other ceremonies. Next is the Sama-Veda which contained formulas for chanting priests, and lastly the Atharva-Veda, which starts with a magic spell and also contains 760 hymns. These are followed by a number of texts that branch off of the Vedic ideas.
Upanishads
Following the Vedas are the Upanishads. These are a series of Sanskrit texts that bring a strongly spiritual nature to the culture and introduce many important Hindu concepts about the soul.
The Upanishads are concerned with the Brahman, or universal soul, and its relationship with the atman, a person’s innermost soul. This relationship is based on the idea of a Higher Truth that is separate from our mind and body. The Higher Truth is an absolute consciousness formed of Brahman and the atman it merges with. Humans exist under the influence of Maya, a cosmic ignorance projected by Brahman, that cause us to perceive ourselves as a limited body in a dual universe.
The goal of a person is to move up in the karma based hierarchy of the universe via reincarnation until they escape entirely. Once escaped, they achieve moksha, absolute consciousness, as their atman merges with Brahman. This goal is met by living according to your social responsibilities as outlined by the Vedas and understanding the teachings of the Vedas.
The Upanishads provide an ethical system to follow. It emphasizes self-control, compassion, and generosity in all areas of life as well as providing the ultimate good of moksha to work toward.
Caste System
The Varna brought to India by the Aryans quickly merged with a local system of classification known as Jati. Varna designates a person’s general level in society. A jati is much more specific and will assign particular professions to specific families. As time has passed those designation have become increasingly complex and limiting to individuals. This system with well-defined hereditary levels reinforced the Hindu idea of reincarnation and moving upward to divinity.
Patriarchy
The Dravidian society that existed in India before the Aryan migration likely had some level of matriarchy in its culture. When the arrival of the warlike Aryans brought a new system of belief as well there was a dramatic shift in women’s role in society. The Vedas instated a tradition that men should be strong and intelligent while women should be beautiful and dependent on men.
Inspired by the Vedas was the Lawbook of Manu, a religious text that was meant to set order after the decline of the Maurya Empire. This book’s authors interpreted the Vedas’ message to be that women were the cause of all turmoil and had to be under constant control. It recommended that women be under the constant supervision of a male relative and work only in her household. This set a tradition of patriarchy within Hinduism.