Disclaimer: I am neither a historian nor a student of history. These are notes for self reference, from books I have read.

Vedic Period (1500-600 BC)

Rig Vedic Age/Early Vedic Age (1500-1000 BC, discovery of Iron):

• The word veda derived from vid(to know) meaning knowledge for excellence.

• Vedic texts are Sruti (heard) believed to have directly revealted to the authors by God.

Rig Veda:

• 10 Chapters

  • II to VII → earliest

  • I and X → latest

  • 1017 hyms + 10 valakhilyas Sukta

Aryans:

Original homeland (Steppe, grassland around Caspian sea)

⇩

Iran & Asia Minor

⇩(Through Hindukush, Sulaiman range)

        India

Settled in Sapta Sindhu (land of seven rivers, Punjab,also referred to as the Brahmavarta)

Aryans came in several waves:

⇓

Conflict with Dasas and Dasyus

Battle of Tenkings:

• dāśarājñá, mentioned in RV, Book 7.

• took place on bank of River Parusni (Ravi).

• The Aryans were divided into five tribes called Panch

• Bharatha vs 10 Chiefs (5 Aryans and 5 Non Aryans)

  • Bharata/Trtsu was headed by Sudas.

  • Vashishta was priest of Trtsu while Vishwamitra supported 10 kings tribes.

Rivers: The Nadistuti sukta, “hymn of praise of rivers”, is hymn 10.75 of the Rigveda.

• Kashmir was known as Manoravasarana

• Afghanistan was known as kambojal gandhara

Contemporary: