Upanishads deal with philosophical thoughts, the origin of the Universe and God, soul and mysteries of nature. Upanishads– Meaning- to sit near someone.

Tandyamaha Brahmana is one of the oldest and includes the vratyastoma, a ceremony through which people of non-Aryan stock could be admitted into the Aryan fold. The important Brahmanas are: (1) Aitareya, (2) Kausitaki, (3) Tandyamaha, (4) Jaiminiya, (5) Taittiriya, (6) Satapatha and (7) Gopatha Brahmanas.Īitareya and Kausitaki are related to the Rig Veda, Tandyamaha and Jaiminiya to the Sama Veda, Taittiriya and Satapatha to the Yajur Veda and Gopatha to the Atharva Veda. It says about the efficiency of plants to cure diseases.īrahmanas– Describes the procedures of performing sacrifices. It is divided into 20 books and contains 711 hymns. Origin of Indian music is traced to it.Ītharva Veda– Last of the four Vedas. Sama Veda – Deals with music and consists of 1603 verses which are chanted by priests at Soma sacrifices to the God. It is divided into Krishna Yajur Veda (in verse) and Shukla Yajur Veda (in verse and prose). In Mandal III, composed by Visvamitra, we find the famous Gayatri mantra, addressed to the solar deity Savitri. Mandal I and X are later additions and contains the Purushashukta which explains the four varnas- Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishyas, Sudras.

Earliest Mandals, i.e., II to VII are called Gotra or Vamsha Mandal. It is a collection of 1,028 hymns and 10,500 verses, divided into 10 Mandals. Rig Veda-The Rig Veda is the oldest Veda. There are four Vedas and every Veda has four parts-Samhita, Brahmana, Aranyaka, and Upanishad. 1000–500 BCE)-Includes Books 1, 8, 9, and 10 of the Rig Veda, Samhita, the Samhitas of the Sama Veda, the Yajur and the Atharva Vedas and the Brahmanas, Aranyakas, and Upanishads attached to all the four Vedas. Later Vedic Literature/Later Vedic Period (c. They are called ‘family books’ as their composition is attributed to the families of poets, Vishvamitra, Atri, Vasishtha, and Bharadvaja. 1500–1000 BC)-Includes the Rig Veda, Samhita and other texts of the family. The Vedic period is divided into Early Vedic and Later Vedic Period.Įarly Vedic Literature/Rig Vedic Period (c. Western Branch Eastern Branch Hittites (Asia Minor- 1950 BC) Tibet- Dayanand Saraswati Aryan Migration The seven rivers are the Indus (Sindhu), and its five tributaries,namely, the Jhelum (Vitasta), Beas (Vipasa), Chenab (Askini), Ravi(Purushni), Sutlej (Sutudri), and the Saraswati (modern Ghaggar Hakra), which covered mostly the areas of eastern Afghanistan, Punjab, and fringes of western U P. They first settled in Punjab (then Sapta Sindhu- land of 7 rivers). Aryans were semi-nomadic, pastoral people who inhabited in Central Asia and migrated to India in around 2000 BC.

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