Vedic Period

1500–500 BCE

BCE CE

History and Religion 1 / 4

 Invasion

Indo-Europeans from the

north reached Punjab

Transmission of
Religious “Texts” Indo-Europeans
and the R
. g-Veda
Ritual “Texts” like the R
. g-
Veda and other parts of the Religious activities cen-
Veda were transmitted orally. tered around the R . g-Veda
The manuscripts preserved which formed a collection of
today originate from later times. hymns dedicated to various
deities i.a. Indra and Agni.
Thus Vedic culture was
to a high degree focused
on orality and sound.

Early Vedic
1500 BCE

1500 BCE 500 BCE

Vedic Period
History and Religion 2 / 4
 Invasion

Indo-Europeans from the

north reached Punjab

Transmission of
Religious “Texts” Indo-Europeans
and the R
. g-Veda
Ritual “Texts” like the R
. g-
Veda and other parts of the Religious activities cen-
Veda were transmitted orally. tered around the R . g-Veda
The manuscripts preserved which formed a collection of
today originate from later times. hymns dedicated to various
deities i.a. Indra and Agni.
Thus Vedic culture was
to a high degree focused
on orality and sound.

Early Vedic
1500 BCE

1500 BCE 500 BCE

Vedic Period
History and Religion 2 / 4
 Invasion

Indo-Europeans from the

north reached Punjab

Transmission of
Religious “Texts” Indo-Europeans
and the R
. g-Veda
Ritual “Texts” like the R
. g-
Veda and other parts of the Religious activities cen-
Veda were transmitted orally. tered around the R . g-Veda
The manuscripts preserved which formed a collection of
today originate from later times. hymns dedicated to various
deities i.a. Indra and Agni.
Thus Vedic culture was
to a high degree focused
on orality and sound.

Early Vedic
1500 BCE

1500 BCE 500 BCE

Vedic Period
History and Religion 2 / 4
 Invasion

Indo-Europeans from the

north reached Punjab

Transmission of
Religious “Texts” Indo-Europeans
and the R
. g-Veda
Ritual “Texts” like the R
. g-
Veda and other parts of the Religious activities cen-
Veda were transmitted orally. tered around the R . g-Veda
The manuscripts preserved which formed a collection of
today originate from later times. hymns dedicated to various
deities i.a. Indra and Agni.
Thus Vedic culture was
to a high degree focused
on orality and sound.

Early Vedic
1500 BCE

1500 BCE 500 BCE

Vedic Period
History and Religion 2 / 4
 Kamboja

Gandhāra Settlement

Indo-Europeans invaded the

Ganges Basin and Upper Dekkan.
Kuru
They established settlements
Matsya Pañcala Kosala and later principalities known
Vrji as the 16 mahājanapadas.
Śūrasena
Vatsa MallaMagadha
Aṅga These times were coined by
Kāśı̄ feuds between clans and rivalry
Avanti between priests and kings.
Cedi

Center of Vedic Culture

Aśmaka
More Parts of the Vedas Kuru, one of the 16
mahājanapada became the
Sāma-Veda, dedicated to center of Vedic developments.
melodies and chants, and
Yajur-Veda, a collection
of mantras used for rit-
ual offerings, are created.

Middle Vedic
1000 BCE

1500 BCE 500 BCE

Vedic Period
History and Religion 3 / 4
 Kamboja

Gandhāra Settlement

Indo-Europeans invaded the

Ganges Basin and Upper Dekkan.
Kuru
They established settlements
Matsya Pañcala Kosala and later principalities known
Vrji as the 16 mahājanapadas.
Śūrasena
Vatsa MallaMagadha
Aṅga These times were coined by
Kāśı̄ feuds between clans and rivalry
Avanti between priests and kings.
Cedi

Center of Vedic Culture

Aśmaka
More Parts of the Vedas Kuru, one of the 16
mahājanapada became the
Sāma-Veda, dedicated to center of Vedic developments.
melodies and chants, and
Yajur-Veda, a collection
of mantras used for rit-
ual offerings, are created.

Middle Vedic
1000 BCE

1500 BCE 500 BCE

Vedic Period
History and Religion 3 / 4
 Kamboja

Gandhāra Settlement

Indo-Europeans invaded the

Ganges Basin and Upper Dekkan.
Kuru
They established settlements
Matsya Pañcala Kosala and later principalities known
Vrji as the 16 mahājanapadas.
Śūrasena
Vatsa MallaMagadha
Aṅga These times were coined by
Kāśı̄ feuds between clans and rivalry
Avanti between priests and kings.
Cedi

Center of Vedic Culture

Aśmaka
More Parts of the Vedas Kuru, one of the 16
mahājanapada became the
Sāma-Veda, dedicated to center of Vedic developments.
melodies and chants, and
Yajur-Veda, a collection
of mantras used for rit-
ual offerings, are created.

Middle Vedic
1000 BCE

1500 BCE 500 BCE

Vedic Period
History and Religion 3 / 4
 Kamboja

Gandhāra Settlement

Indo-Europeans invaded the

Ganges Basin and Upper Dekkan.
Kuru
They established settlements
Matsya Pañcala Kosala and later principalities known
Vrji as the 16 mahājanapadas.
Śūrasena
Vatsa MallaMagadha
Aṅga These times were coined by
Kāśı̄ feuds between clans and rivalry
Avanti between priests and kings.
Cedi

Center of Vedic Culture

Aśmaka
More Parts of the Vedas Kuru, one of the 16
mahājanapada became the
Sāma-Veda, dedicated to center of Vedic developments.
melodies and chants, and
Yajur-Veda, a collection
of mantras used for rit-
ual offerings, are created.

Middle Vedic
1000 BCE

1500 BCE 500 BCE

Vedic Period
History and Religion 3 / 4
 Kamboja

Gandhāra Expansion

The two principalities Kosala and

Magadha rose to larger kingdoms.
Kuru
Magadha was the setting of
Matsya Pañcala Kosala rising ascetic movements, among
Vrji them Buddhism and Jainism.
Śūrasena
Vatsa MallaMagadha
Aṅga
Kāśı̄
Avanti
Cedi Beginning of Reli-
gious Transformations

Developments in late Vedic litera-

ture (Brahmanas and Upanis.ads)
Aśmaka
Extension of Veda marked the transition from
Vedic to Brahmanic religion.
The Athar-Veda, a collec- Concepts like karma, rebirth
tion of “magical” formulas, and liberation (moks.a) arose.
was added to the Vedas.
Ascetic movements (śramana
movements) like Buddhism and
Jainism rose in the eastern parts.

Late Vedic
500 BCE

1500 BCE 500 BCE

Vedic Period
History and Religion 4 / 4
 Kamboja

Gandhāra Expansion

The two principalities Kosala and

Magadha rose to larger kingdoms.
Kuru
Magadha was the setting of
Matsya Pañcala Kosala rising ascetic movements, among
Vrji them Buddhism and Jainism.
Śūrasena
Vatsa MallaMagadha
Aṅga
Kāśı̄
Avanti
Cedi Beginning of Reli-
gious Transformations

Developments in late Vedic litera-

ture (Brahmanas and Upanis.ads)
Aśmaka
Extension of Veda marked the transition from
Vedic to Brahmanic religion.
The Athar-Veda, a collec- Concepts like karma, rebirth
tion of “magical” formulas, and liberation (moks.a) arose.
was added to the Vedas.
Ascetic movements (śramana
movements) like Buddhism and
Jainism rose in the eastern parts.

Late Vedic
500 BCE

1500 BCE 500 BCE

Vedic Period
History and Religion 4 / 4
 Kamboja

Gandhāra Expansion

The two principalities Kosala and

Magadha rose to larger kingdoms.
Kuru
Magadha was the setting of
Matsya Pañcala Kosala rising ascetic movements, among
Vrji them Buddhism and Jainism.
Śūrasena
Vatsa MallaMagadha
Aṅga
Kāśı̄
Avanti
Cedi Beginning of Reli-
gious Transformations

Developments in late Vedic litera-

ture (Brahmanas and Upanis.ads)
Aśmaka
Extension of Veda marked the transition from
Vedic to Brahmanic religion.
The Athar-Veda, a collec- Concepts like karma, rebirth
tion of “magical” formulas, and liberation (moks.a) arose.
was added to the Vedas.
Ascetic movements (śramana
movements) like Buddhism and
Jainism rose in the eastern parts.

Late Vedic
500 BCE

1500 BCE 500 BCE

Vedic Period
History and Religion 4 / 4
 Kamboja

Gandhāra Expansion

The two principalities Kosala and

Magadha rose to larger kingdoms.
Kuru
Magadha was the setting of
Matsya Pañcala Kosala rising ascetic movements, among
Vrji them Buddhism and Jainism.
Śūrasena
Vatsa MallaMagadha
Aṅga
Kāśı̄
Avanti
Cedi Beginning of Reli-
gious Transformations

Developments in late Vedic litera-

ture (Brahmanas and Upanis.ads)
Aśmaka
Extension of Veda marked the transition from
Vedic to Brahmanic religion.
The Athar-Veda, a collec- Concepts like karma, rebirth
tion of “magical” formulas, and liberation (moks.a) arose.
was added to the Vedas.
Ascetic movements (śramana
movements) like Buddhism and
Jainism rose in the eastern parts.

Late Vedic
500 BCE

1500 BCE 500 BCE

Vedic Period
History and Religion 4 / 4