Buddhist Scholars

The most important turning point in the expansion of Buddhism in India was the emergence and conversion of Asoka the Great (304–232 BC). He embraced Buddhism after 8 years of his coronation, he became a Buddhist and made it his ..

16 Mahajanapada and their capitals

In the 8th century BC, India could be broadly understood in terms of five large regions viz. Madhyadesa (the middle country), Pratichya (western lands), Prachya (Eastern region), Uttarpatha (the land in the north of Vindhyas and Dakshinpatha (the land south ..

Vedanta

Vedanta means Veda end or the purpose or goal of the Vedas. It was given by Badrayana or Maharishi Vyasa, who is one of the 7 Chiranjeevis and wrote “Mahabharata”. Advaita Its proponent was Adi Shankara and his Guru Gaudapada. ..

Shatdarshana

Hindu philosophy is traditionally divided into six āstika (orthodox) schools of thought, or darśanam, which accept the Vedas as supreme revealed scriptures. The āstika schools are: Samkhya, an atheistic and strongly dualist theoretical exposition of consciousness and matter. Yoga, a ..

Social System in Later Vedic Age

The key changes in later Vedic era included evolution of territorial sovereignty; development of Varnashrama dharma, degradation of Sabha and Samitis, degradation of women, sedentary life, private possession of land, rigidity of the society etc. General Changes The Sabhas and ..

Rig-Vedic Gods

Before we discuss the important deities of the Vedic people, it is important to understand that Aryans were solely theists and their contemplation about life and the world was from the spiritual standpoint. The Vedic Aryans believed in the concept of ..

Rig Vedic Society

The Kula or family was the basic unit of Rig-Vedic society. The Kula was headed by a Kulapa, who was usually the eldest member. Society was essentially patriarchal and birth of son was desired repeatedly. Status of women was equal ..

Rig Vedic Polity

During Rig-Vedic era, the basic unit of power lied within a patriarchal family (Kula). The head of the family was a Kulapa. A group of such families called grama, which was controlled by a village headman Gramini. The groups of ..