Religious Life of Aryans in Rigvedic Period

The Rigveda is basically a religious text. Hence a clear idea about the religious beliefs and practices of the Aryans is developed from the Rigveda. The characteristics of the religion and religious life of the Rigvedic Aryans are as follows –

Main Characteristics

Religious beliefs: The religious beliefs of the Vedic age were based on the Vedas. This Vedas-based religion was known as Vedic religion in India. The Rigvedic Aryans believed in primitive omniscience and the existence of life everywhere. They also believed that a person’s soul goes to the “Pitralok“.

Existence of God everywhere: During the Rigvedic period, the Aryans attributed divinity to all the conscious and unconscious objects and natural forces and scenes of the universe, such as solar and lunar eclipses, full moons, new moons, sunrises, sunsets and tides.

Practice of nature worship: The people of the Vedic age mainly believed in nature worship. Various natural forces were imagined as gods.

Predominance of male deities: In the Rigvedic religion, male deities predominated, while female deities were inferior in number and importance. Among the celestial gods of the Rigvedic Aryans, the oldest god is Dyu and the goddess is Prithvi.

Idolism and Monotheism: Although the Aryans worshipped many gods and goddesses, they were not pagans but believed in monotheism.

Gods and Goddesses

• The predominance of male gods can be seen in the Rigveda.
• The oldest of the golden gods was Dyu (father of the gods).
• The goddess of motherhood was Prithvi.
• The god of storms was Marut.
• The god of flood was Rudra.
• The emperor of the kingdom of heaven was Varuna.
• The worshipped deity of Somaras is Soma.
• In the Rigveda, about 200 hymns are dedicated to the god Agni.
• The third mandala of the Rigveda is credited with Savitri.
• Goddess of Eternity, Mother of Gods.
• According to Vedic culture, the first deity was Aditi.
• The goddess of dawn was Usha.
• The Goddess of Fertility was Sinivali.

Classification of gods according to their location:

• Dyuloka or gods of the sky – Dyu, Varun, Mitra, Surya, Vighna;
• Antariksha or gods of the atmosphere – Indra, Parjanya, Rudra, Marut;
• Bhuloka or gods of the earth – Agni and Soma.

Classification of gods according to the number of hymns:

The Rigveda does not dedicate an equal number of hymns to all the gods. The order of deities, in terms of the number of hymns dedicated, is as follows:

1. Indra: As the god of war, he protects the gods from demons. As the god of weather, he protects the earth by bringing rain and light to the earth.
2. Agni: Maintains the connection between gods and humans. Agni is worshipped in sacrifices.
3. Varuna: Guardian of virtue and sin and the god who maintains the order of the universe.
4. Soma: He is the god of the intoxicating vine called Soma

Info: The greatest god was Indra. About 250 hymns are dedicated to him in the Rigveda.

Religious Rituals

• The religious ceremonies of the Vedic age were mainly centered on sacrifices. The priests were responsible for observing all kinds of religious rules.
• Agni was considered as the top of the gods. There was a practice of offering ‘Ghritahuti‘ in the sacrificial fire for the gods. This is still one of the main parts of Brahmanical religion.
• Among the religious sacrifices of the Vedic age, the Rajasuya, Asvamedha, Vajpaya, Agnihotra etc. were particularly notable.

Info: There is no mention of temples or idol worship anywhere in the Rigveda.

Sacrifices:

One of the main features of the religion of the Rigvedic Aryans was the practice of sacrifice. Animals were sacrificed on the occasion of the yajna. The importance of the priests increased gradually. The exclusive right to conduct the yajna was in the hands of the Brahmin priests.

Info: Animal ritual killing and meat consumption were observed, except for cows. Because cows were believed Aghnya. Aghnya means “not to be killed“.

Various sacrifices of the Aryan era

Rajasuya Yagna: The king performed Rajasuya Yagna to gain absolute power.

Ashwamedha Yagna: This sacrifice meant that the king would have unquestionable control over all the regions where the king’s horse could run without restriction. If a horse was blocked in a region, then the king of that region would fight with the ‘soldiers’ who came with the horse. If the king who performed the Ashwamedha Yajna won the war, his sovereignty in that region would be established and as a result, the royal honor would increase.

Vajapeya Yajna: Vajapeya Yajna was held to increase the power and prestige of the king. The king would perform the Vajapeya or chariot race, where the royal horse-drawn chariot would race against his caste to win the race.

Five daily yajnas

A family had to perform five yajnas every day to pay off the debt to the gods. These were:

1. Brahma Yajna or Rishi Yajna: Reading the Vedas and performing evening worship every day.
2. Pitri Yajna: Getting a son to continue the lineage and paying respect to the ancestors. Taking care of parents was also a part of Pitri Yajna.
3. Daiva yagna or Agnihotra Yajna: Daiva Yajna was performed through a fire offering. The gods like Agni, Indra, Soma, Prajapati etc. are part of this yagna. According to Smriti Shastra, through the Dev Yajna, a person can go to heaven after death.
4. Narayana Yajna or Atithi Yajna: When a person such as a beggar or a saint or anyone else, comes to a householder as a guest, that householder will welcome him, respect him, and provide him with food and shelter.
5. Bhoot Yajna: According to this Yajna, a person will give a part of his food to a fire, dog, crow, or leper, and only then will he take food himself.

Apart from the five daily yagnas, 3 yajnas are mentioned for special occasions-

1. Pak yajna or Pakayajna: Cooked food was offered in the yagna.
2. Havir Yajna: Ghrita was offered in the fire.
3. Soma Yajna: Soma juice was offered in the fire of the yajna and Soma juice was drunk.