CDS History · Ancient India
Vedic Age
Rig Vedic tribes, rivers, grains and crafts; the hymns, goddesses and Upanishad stories CDS asks about; and the eight forms of marriage in the law books.
Why this matters
Eight questions, four of them MODERATE and three HARD. CDS asks Vedic words more than Vedic events: the name of a river, a grain, a craft, a goddess or a hymn. A short vocabulary list covers most of them.
Concept 1 of 3: Rig Vedic tribes, rivers and economy
The early Aryans of the Rig Veda were mostly cattle herders who also grew a little grain. Their leader, the rajan, led a tribe in war; he did not rule a fixed territory, so there was no State in the full sense yet.
Definition
- The early Aryans were pastoral: wealth was counted in cattle.
- The rajan was a tribal chief and war leader who ruled over his people (jana), not over a fixed area. So historians say the Rig Vedic Aryans had no State.
- The Battle of Ten Kings (Dasarajna): Sudas of the Bharata tribe defeated ten tribes on the banks of the Parushni, the modern Ravi.
- Other Rig Vedic river names: Shutudri is the Sutlej, Vitasta the Jhelum, Asikni the Chenab, Vipas the Beas.
- The Rig Veda's words for cereals are yava (barley) and dhanya (grain). Vrihi (rice) and godhuma (wheat) appear in later Vedic texts.
- Crafts had names: the ishukrit or ishukara was the arrow maker.
| Vedic word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Rajan | Tribal chief and war leader, ruling a people, not a territoryQ |
| Parushni | The Ravi river |
| Shutudri | The Sutlej river |
| Vitasta | The Jhelum river |
| Yava | BarleyQ CDS 2024 (II): yava and dhanya were the Rig Vedic words for cereals. |
| Vrihi and godhuma | Rice and wheat, named in later Vedic texts |
| Ishukrit or ishukara | Arrow makerQ |
Practice this conceptself-check · 4 quick reps
The same idea in a real exam question:
CDS · 2022 · CDS (II) 2022 — General Knowledge · Q66Moderate
Example 1 · Ancient India · Vedic Age
At the banks of which of the following rivers was the Battle of Ten Kings fought in the Early Vedic Period ?
Parushni is the Ravi
The Battle of Ten Kings was fought on the Parushni, the modern Ravi. The Sarasvati, the Drishadvati and the Shutudri (Sutlej) are other Rig Vedic rivers.
Rice and wheat are later Vedic words
The Rig Veda names only yava (barley) and dhanya (grain). Vrihi and godhuma appear in the later Vedic texts, after settlement moved into the Ganga valley.
Concept 2 of 3: Hymns, goddesses and Upanishad stories
The Rig Veda has ten books (mandalas); the tenth is one of the latest and holds famous hymns on society and marriage. Each Vedic goddess has one job, and CDS swaps the jobs around in the options.
Definition
- The Purusha Sukta (Rig Veda 10.90) gives the origin of the four varnas.
- The Surya Sukta (Rig Veda 10.85) tells of the marriage of Surya, daughter of the Sun, and is the Vedic wedding hymn.
- Dana stutis are hymns in praise of gifts.
- Goddesses: Ushas is the dawn; Aditi the mother of the gods (the Adityas); Vak is speech; Sinivali grants children; Raka is the full moon.
- In the Upanishads, Shvetaketu questions his father Uddalaka Aruni (Chandogya Upanishad), and Nachiketa questions Yama, the god of death (Katha Upanishad). Both stories praise asking questions in search of knowledge.
| Name | What to remember |
|---|---|
| Purusha Sukta | Rig Veda 10.90: origin of the four varnas |
| Surya Sukta | Rig Veda 10.85: the wedding hymnQ CDS 2018 (I): the hymn of the 10th Mandala on marriage. |
| Ushas | Goddess of the dawn |
| Aditi | Mother of the gods |
| Vak | Goddess of speech |
| Sinivali | Goddess who grants children |
| Shvetaketu and Nachiketa | Upanishad seekers who asked questions to gain knowledgeQ |
Practice this conceptself-check · 4 quick reps
The same idea in a real exam question:
CDS · 2025 · CDS (I) 2025 — General Knowledge · Q44Hard
Example 2 · Ancient India · Vedic Age
Which one of the following statements about Rig Vedic goddesses is correct ?
Ushas is the dawn, not Aditi
Ushas is the goddess of the dawn. Aditi is the mother of the gods, and speech belongs to Vak, not Raka.
Surya Sukta for marriage, Purusha Sukta for varnas
The marriage hymn of the 10th Mandala is the Surya Sukta. The Purusha Sukta, also in the 10th Mandala, is about the origin of the four varnas.
Concept 3 of 3: The eight forms of marriage
The Dharmashastras listed eight ways a marriage could happen, from a father's formal gift of his daughter to a girl carried off by force. The first four were approved and the last four condemned.
Definition
- The law books list eight forms of marriage.
- Brahma, Daiva, Arsha and Prajapatya were the four approved forms.
- Asura: marriage by purchase. Gandharva: marriage by mutual love. Rakshasa: marriage by capture. Paishacha: marriage by seduction or trickery. These four were condemned.
| Form | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Brahma | The father gives his daughter to a learned man of good conduct |
| Daiva | The daughter is given to a priest during a sacrifice |
| Arsha | The groom gives the bride's father a cow and a bull |
| Prajapatya | The couple are blessed to follow dharma together |
| Asura | Marriage by purchase |
| Gandharva | Marriage by mutual love |
| Rakshasa | Marriage by capture |
| Paishacha | Marriage by seduction or trickery |
Practice this conceptself-check · 3 quick reps
The same idea in a real exam question:
CDS · 2016 · CDS (II) 2016 — General Knowledge · Q83Moderate
Example 3 · Ancient India · Vedic Age
Rakshasa type of marriage is
Asura buys, Rakshasa seizes
Asura marriage is by purchase; Rakshasa marriage is by capture, often in war; Paishacha is by seduction. CDS offers all three as options for one another.
Summary — formulas & gotchas at a glance
A revision cheat-sheet for the formulas and gotchas above. Click any concept name to jump back to its full explanation.
Reference tables (3)
Rig Vedic tribes, rivers and economy7 rows
| Vedic word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Rajan | Tribal chief and war leader, ruling a people, not a territoryQ |
| Parushni | The Ravi river |
| Shutudri | The Sutlej river |
| Vitasta | The Jhelum river |
| Yava | BarleyQ CDS 2024 (II): yava and dhanya were the Rig Vedic words for cereals. |
| Vrihi and godhuma | Rice and wheat, named in later Vedic texts |
| Ishukrit or ishukara | Arrow makerQ |
Hymns, goddesses and Upanishad stories7 rows
| Name | What to remember |
|---|---|
| Purusha Sukta | Rig Veda 10.90: origin of the four varnas |
| Surya Sukta | Rig Veda 10.85: the wedding hymnQ CDS 2018 (I): the hymn of the 10th Mandala on marriage. |
| Ushas | Goddess of the dawn |
| Aditi | Mother of the gods |
| Vak | Goddess of speech |
| Sinivali | Goddess who grants children |
| Shvetaketu and Nachiketa | Upanishad seekers who asked questions to gain knowledgeQ |
The eight forms of marriage8 rows
| Form | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Brahma | The father gives his daughter to a learned man of good conduct |
| Daiva | The daughter is given to a priest during a sacrifice |
| Arsha | The groom gives the bride's father a cow and a bull |
| Prajapatya | The couple are blessed to follow dharma together |
| Asura | Marriage by purchase |
| Gandharva | Marriage by mutual love |
| Rakshasa | Marriage by capture |
| Paishacha | Marriage by seduction or trickery |
Watch out for (5)
- Parushni is the Ravi→ Rig Vedic tribes, rivers and economy
- Rice and wheat are later Vedic words→ Rig Vedic tribes, rivers and economy
- Ushas is the dawn, not Aditi→ Hymns, goddesses and Upanishad stories
- Surya Sukta for marriage, Purusha Sukta for varnas→ Hymns, goddesses and Upanishad stories
- Asura buys, Rakshasa seizes→ The eight forms of marriage
Test yourself on Ancient India
20 past CDS questions from this chapter, timed at 20 minutes and marked the way the exam marks it. You see your score and every answer the moment you finish. Free to start.