Late Vedic And Hindu Traditions

It can be dated all the way back to the Indus Valley civilization (2500 BCE to about 1500 BCE) and the Aryan culture (second millennium BCE) to when the origins and rise of Hinduism began. Ever since, Hinduism has been developing and has given birth to various religious traditions. These various religious traditions play a dominant role in the way Hindus demonstrate and practice their beliefs, even to this day. The purpose of this essay is to discuss the key shifts in the central religious beliefs, practices, and goals that take place between the Early Vedic, Late Vedic, and Classical Hindu traditions. The Early Vedic period, which lasted from around 1500 BCE to 500 BCE, gave Hinduism its most unique characteristic from all other religions,

As quoted from the hymn, “When the gods spread the sacrifice with the Man as the offering, spring was the clarified butter, summer the fuel, autumn the oblation.” Most importantly, the sacrifice gave birth to the caste structure - the four varṇas. This was one of the most important traditions and beliefs during the Early Vedic period, as people were divided into castes and had to abide by their dharma, which were their duties. As the devas, sādhyas, and sages sacrificed the Man, “His mouth became the Brahmin; his arms were made into the Warrior (Kṣatriya), his thighs the People (Vaiśya), and from his feet the Servants (śūdra) were born…” The caste system was not the only thing that came out of this sacrifice. Besides animals and formulas, two important devas of this period, Indra and Agni, were also created and they played important roles in the practices

This was an important ritual as the fire acts as both a substance and a deva, as a transformative link between the worldly and divine realms. Most importantly, conducting fire sacrifices were essential because of the underlying belief of dharma and karma. Dharma was believed to be the obligation to perform rituals, while karma was the performance and action of rituals. The Brahmanas (priestly class) were expected to conduct these rituals, as it was their duty and to obtain dharma. The importance of Agni, the fire god, and Soma, the plant god, elevate during the times of these rituals. One of the kinds of rituals, Śrauta was a public rite that was focused on the two principal deities. Śrauta also involved many priests and required the