(* don’t worry about too many terms to remember, just go through them once)
| Features |
Early Vedic Period |
Later Vedic Period |
| Nature of Worship |
- There was no temple or idol worship
They practiced primitive animism (worshipped forces of nature such as wind, rain, water, etc.) |
- Idolatry became prominent
- Sacrifices became more elaborate and important
- Brahmans gained in importance and they maintained their supremacy
- They performed yajnas such as Ashvamedha, Vajapeya, etc. to establish their authority over the chiefs and their territory
|
| Male Gods |
- Indra (most important): God of thunder/rain
- Agni: God of fire
- Varuna: God of water
- Soma: God of plants
- Yama: God of death
- Pushan: God of jungle paths, herdsmen, and cattle
- Vishnu: Benevolent god
- Marutas: god of storm
Ashvins: twin god of war and fertility |
- Indra and Agni lost importance and Prajapati (god of creation) emerged supreme
- Vishnu, Rudra (previously minor god) became prominent
- Division in the class of deities appeared e.g. Pushan (god of cattle) became the god of Shudras
|
| Female God |
- Savitri: Solar deity
- Aditi: Goddess of eternity
- Prithvi: Earth Goddess
- Nirrti: Goddess of death
- Usha: Goddess of dawn
|
 |
| Demi-gods |
- Gandharvas (divine musicians)
- Apsaras (Mistress of God)
- Vishwadevas (Intermediate Deities)
Aryaman (Guardian of compacts and marriages) |
