Organization
- Society organized on lines of Kula, Vis, Jana and Vansha
- Kula: family
- most imp unit
- headed by Kulapa (eldest male member of family)
- Vis: immediate neighborhood
- Vansha: clan
- Jana: Aryan community
- patriarchal society, but women were accorded very high respect
- enjoyed political rights
- were member of political assemblies (Sabha, Vidhata)
- enjoyed educational rights, participated in educational discourses
- Lopamudra: wife of Agastya Rishi
- regarded as one of the renowned intellectuals of the time
Marriage
- no child marriage
- love marriage allowed under Gandharva Vivah
- Polygamy practiced in exceptional circumstances
- Polyandry also accepted in exceptional circumstances
- Widow remarriage allowed under Niyoga Vivah
- allowed to marry younger brother of dead husband if not blessed with a son
Slaves
- slavery practiced rampantly
- two types of slaves
- Das: defeated Aryans
- less discriminated
- many times given favorable positions in the court
- Dasyu: defeated non Aryans
- more discriminated
- many times, mass kiling of Dasyus (Dasyu Hatya)
Religious Practices
- personified elements of nature into God
- Indra: (most imp) God of rain and thunder
- Agni: (2nd most imp) God of fire
- intermediary god
- quoted > 200 times in Rig Veda
- Varuna: (3rd most imp) God of water
- Mitra: (4th) God of wind and air
- Pushan: God of animals
- worship of Sun highly prevalent
- female divinities also worshipped
- Aditi
- Savitri
- Usha
- Nisha
- Ila
- method of worship: recitation of mantras and salms
- animal sacrifices also performed as part of vedic rituals
- main objective of worship:
- material growth
- development of highly powerful society
- getting Suvirah (i.e. brave son)
- spiritual growth not the objective