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Mallory Institutes Copenhagen Studies in Indo - European Publications Encyclopedia of Indo - European Culture The Horse, the Wheel and Language Journal of Indo - European Studies Indogermanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch Indo - European Etymological Dictionary Map of North India in the late Vedic period. The location of shakhas is labeled in green ; the Thar Desert is dark yellow. The historical Vedic religion ( also known as Vedism, Brahmanism, Vedic Brahmanism, and ancient Hinduism ) was the religion of the Indo - Aryans of northern India during the Vedic period. It is one of the historical elements from which modern Hinduism emerged, although significantly different from it. The Vedic liturgy is conserved in the mantra portion of the four Vedas, which are compiled in Sanskrit. The religious practices centered on a clergy administering rites. The complex Vedic rituals of Śrauta continue in coastal Andhra. Scholars consider the Vedic religion to have been a composite of the religions of the Indo - Aryans, `` a syncretic mixture of old Central Asian and new Indo - European elements '', which borrowed `` distinctive religious beliefs and practices '' from the Bactria -- Margiana culture, and the remnants of the Harappan culture of the Indus Valley. Contents 1 Origins 2 Textual history 3 Characteristics 3.1 Rituals 3.2 Pantheon 3.3 Philosophy 3.4 Ethics -- satya and rta 4 Post-Vedic religions 4.1 Post-Vedic Hinduism 4.1. 1 Vedanta 4.1. 2 Bhakti 4.1. 3 Interpretations of Vedic Mantras in Hinduism 4.2 Sramana tradition 5 See also 6 Notes 7 References 7.1 Citations 7.2 Sources Origins Main articles : Indo - Aryans, Indo - Aryan migrations, and Vedic period See also : Indo - European migrations, Proto - Indo - European religion, and Proto - Indo - Iranian religion The Vedic religion was the religion of the Indo - Aryans, and existed in northern India from c. 1750 -- 500 BCE. The Indo - Aryans were a branch of the Indo - European language family, which originated in the Kurgan culture of the Central Asian steppes. The commonly proposed period of earlier Vedic age is dated back to 2nd millennium BCE. The Vedic beliefs and practices of the pre-classical era were closely related to the hypothesised Proto - Indo - European religion, and the Indo - Iranian religion. According to Anthony, the Old Indic religion probably emerged among Indo - European immigrants in the contact zone between the Zeravshan River ( present - day Uzbekistan ) and ( present - day ) Iran. It was `` a syncretic mixture of old Central Asian and new Indo - European elements '', which borrowed `` distinctive religious beliefs and practices '' from the Bactria -- Margiana Culture ( BMAC ). At least 383 non-Indo - European words were borrowed from this culture, including the god Indra and the ritual drink Soma. According to Anthony, Many of the qualities of Indo - Iranian god of might / victory, Verethraghna, were transferred to the adopted god Indra, who became the central deity of the developing Old Indic culture. Indra was the subject of 250 hymns, a quarter of the Rig Veda. He was associated more than any other deity with Soma, a stimulant drug ( perhaps derived from Ephedra ) probably borrowed from the BMAC religion. His rise to prominence was a peculiar trait of the Old Indic speakers. Spread of IE - languages Indo - European languages c. 3500 BCE Indo - European languages c. 2500 BCE Indo - European languages c. 1500 BCE Indo - European languages c. 500 BCE Indo - European languages c. 500 CE Indo - Aryan migration The Yamna culture, 3500 - 2000 BC Scheme of Indo - European migrations from c. 4000 -- 1000 BCE according to the Kurgan hypothesis. The magenta area corresponds to the assumed Urheimat ( Samara culture, Sredny Stog culture ). The red area corresponds to the area which may have been settled by Indo - European - speaking peoples up to c. 2500 BCE ; the orange area to 1000 BCE. ( Christopher I. Beckwith ( 2009 ), Empires of the Silk Road, Oxford University Press, p. 30 ) Map of the approximate maximal extent of the Andronovo culture. The formative Sintashta - Petrovka culture is shown in darker red. The location of the earliest spoke - wheeled chariot finds is indicated in purple. Adjacent and overlapping cultures ( Afanasevo culture, Srubna culture, BMAC ) are shown in green. Archaeological cultures associated with Indo - Iranian migrations ( after EIEC ). The Andronovo, BMAC and Yaz cultures have often been associated with Indo - Iranian migrations. The GGC, Cemetery H, Copper Hoard and PGW cultures are candidates for cultures associated with Indo - Aryan movements. Early Vedic Period The oldest inscriptions in Old Indic, the language of the Rig Veda, are found not in northwestern India and Pakistan, but in northern Syria, the location of the Mitanni kingdom. The Mitanni kings took Old Indic throne names, and Old Indic technical terms were used for horse - riding and chariot - driving. The Old Indic term r'ta, meaning `` cosmic order and truth '', the central concept of the Rig Veda, was also employed in the Mitanni kingdom. Old Indic gods, including Indra, were also known in the Mitanni kingdom. The Vedic religion of the later Vedic period co-existed with local religions, such as the Yaksha cults, and was itself the product of `` a composite of the Indo - Aryan and Harappan cultures and civilizations ''. David Gordon White cites three other mainstream scholars who `` have emphatically demonstrated '' that Vedic religion is partially derived from the Indus Valley Civilizations. The religion of the Indo - Aryans was further developed when they migrated into the Ganges Plain after c. 1100 BCE and became settled farmers, further syncretising with the native cultures of northern India. Textual History Texts dating to the Vedic period, composed in Vedic Sanskrit, are mainly the four Vedic Samhitas, but the Brahmanas, Aranyakas and some of the older Upanishads ( Bṛhadāraṇyaka, Chāndogya, Jaiminiya Upanishad Brahmana ) are also placed in this period. The Vedas record the liturgy connected with the rituals and sacrifices performed by the 16 or 17 Śrauta priests and the purohitas. According to traditional views, the hymns of the Rigveda and other Vedic hymns were divinely revealed to the rishis, who were considered to be seers or `` hearers '' ( Śruti means `` what is heard '' ) of the Veda, rather than `` authors ''. In addition the Vedas are said to be `` apauraṣaya '', a Sanskrit word meaning `` uncreated by man '' and which further reveals their eternal non-changing status. Characteristics See also : Proto - Indo - Iranian religion Rituals Main articles : Yajurveda and yajna A Śrauta yajna being performed in South India The mode of worship was worship of the elements like fire and rivers, worship of heroic gods like Indra, chanting of hymns and performance of sacrifices. The priests performed the solemn rituals for the noblemen ( Kshatriyas ) and wealthy commoners Vaishyas. People prayed for abundance of children, rain, cattle ( wealth ), long life and an afterlife in the heavenly world of the ancestors. This mode of worship has been preserved even today in Hinduism, which involves recitations from the Vedas by a purohita ( priest ), for prosperity, wealth and general well - being. However, the primacy of Vedic deities has been seconded to the deities of Puranic literature. Specific rituals and sacrifices of the Vedic religion include, among others : The Soma rituals, which involved the extraction, utility and consumption of Soma : The Agnistoma or Soma sacrifice Fire rituals involving oblations ( havir ) : The Agnihotra or oblation to Agni, a sun charm The Agnicayana, the sophisticated ritual of piling the fire altar The new and full moon as well as the Seasonal ( Cāturmāsya ) sacrifices The royal consecration ( Rajasuya ) sacrifice The Ashvamedha or a Yajna dedicated to the glory, wellbeing and prosperity of the Rashtra the nation or empire The Purushamedha The rituals and charms referred to in the Atharvaveda are concerned with medicine and healing practices. The Hindu rites of cremation are seen since the Rigvedic period ; while they are attested from early times in the Cemetery H culture, there is a late Rigvedic reference invoking forefathers `` both cremated ( agnidagdhá - ) and uncremated ( ánagnidagdha - ) ''. ( RV 10.15. 14 ) Pantheon Main article : Rigvedic deities Though a large number of devatas are named in the Rig Veda, only 33 devas are counted, eleven each of earth, space and heaven. The Vedic pantheon knows two classes, Devas and Asuras. The Devas ( Mitra, Varuna, Aryaman, Bhaga, Amsa, etc. ) are deities of cosmic and social order, from the universe and kingdoms down to the individual. The Rigveda is a collection of hymns to various deities, most notably heroic Indra, Agni the sacrificial fire and messenger of the gods, and Soma, the deified sacred drink of the Indo - Iranians. Also prominent is Varuna ( often paired with Mitra ) and the group of `` All - gods '', the Vishvadevas. Philosophy See also philosophers of Vedic age Vedic philosophy primarily begins with the later part of the Rigveda, which was compiled before 1100 BCE. Most of the philosophy of the Rigveda is contained in the sections Purusha sukta and Nasadiya sukta. Major philosophers of this era were Rishis Narayana, Kanva, Rishaba, Vamadeva, and Angiras. Ethics -- satya and ṛta See also : Asha Ethics in the Vedas are based on the concepts of satya and ṛta. Satya is the principle of integration rooted in the Absolute, whereas ṛta is the expression of satya, which regulates and coordinates the operation of the universe and everything within it. Panikkar remarks : Ṛta is the ultimate foundation of everything ; it is `` the supreme '', although this is not to be understood in a static sense (... ) It is the expression of the primordial dynamism that is inherent in everything... '' The term is inherited from the Proto - Indo - Iranian religion, the religion of the Indo - Iranian peoples prior to the earliest Vedic ( Indo - Aryan ) and Zoroastrian ( Iranian ) scriptures. Asha ( aša ) is the Avestan language term ( corresponding to Vedic Sanskrit ṛta ) for a concept of cardinal importance to Zoroastrian theology and doctrine. Conformity with ṛta would enable progress whereas its violation would lead to punishment. The term Dharma was already used in Brahmanical thought, where it was conceived as an aspect of ṛta. The concept of yajñā `` sacrifice '' is also enunciated in the Purusha Sukta, where reaching the Absolute itself is considered a transcendent sacrifice when viewed from the point of view of the individual. Post-vedic religions Main articles : Indian religions and History of Hinduism The Vedic period is held to have ended around 500 BC. The period after the Vedic religion, between 800 BCE and 200 BCE, is the formative period for Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism. According to Michaels, the period between 500 BCE and 200 BCE is a time of `` ascetic reformism ''. Muesse discerns a longer period of change, namely between 800 BCE and 200 BCE, which he calls the `` Classical Period '' :... this was a time when traditional religious practices and beliefs were reassessed. The brahmins and the rituals they performed no longer enjoyed the same prestige they had in the Vedic period ``. According to Muesse, some of the fundamental concepts of Hinduism, namely karma, reincarnation and `` personal enlightenment and transformation '', which did not exist in the Vedic religion, developed between 800 BCE and 200 BCE : Indian philosophers came to regard the human as an immortal soul encased in a perishable body and bound by action, or karma, to a cycle of endless existences. In most areas of South - Central Asia, the Vedic religion gradually metamorphosed into the various schools of Hinduism, which further evolved into Puranic Hinduism. Up to the late 19th century, the Nuristanis of Afghanistan observed a primitive form of Hinduism until they were forcibly converted to Islam under the rule of Abdur Rahman Khan. However, aspects of the historical Vedic religion survived in other corners of the Indian subcontinent, such as Kerala, where the Nambudiri Brahmins continue the ancient Śrauta rituals. The Kalash people residing in northwest Pakistan also continue to practice a form of ancient Hinduism. Post-vedic Hinduism Main articles : Hinduism and History of Hinduism According to Rajbali Pandey, the Hindu samskaras... go back to a hoary antiquity. The Vedas, the Brahmanas, the Grhyasutras, the Dharmasutras, the Smritis and other treatises describe the rites, ceremonies and customs. The worshipping rituals developed in such a way that A formal distinction was maintained between Śrauta rites ( rites using the Vedic hymns ), which were necessarily performed by priests, and Griha ( `` domestic '' ) rites, performed by the Aryan householder himself ; but both the latter and the former were subject to priestly influence. Some domestic rites became almost indistinguishable from the priestly Śrauta sacrifices ; and, even where older ceremonies were retained, they were usually interwoven with elements of the priestly ritual. Vedanta Vedic religion was followed by Upanishads which gradually evolved into Vedanta, which is regarded by some as the primary institution of Hinduism. Vedanta considers itself `` the purpose or goal ( end ) of the Vedas. '' The philosophy of Vedanta ( lit. `` The end of the Vedas '' ), transformed the Vedic worldview to monistic one. This led to the development of tantric metaphysics and gave rise to new forms of yoga, such as jnana yoga and bhakti yoga. There are some conservative schools which continue portions of the historical Vedic religion largely unchanged. ( see Śrauta, Nambudiri ). Of the continuation of the Vedic tradition in a newer sense, Jeaneane D. Fowler writes the following : `` Despite the radically different nature of the Upanishads in relation to the Vedas it has to be remembered that the material of both form the Veda or `` knowledge '' which is sruti literature. So the Upanishads develop the ideas of the Vedas beyond their ritual formalism and should not be seen as isolated from them. The fact that the Vedas that are more particularly emphasized in the Vedanta : the efficacy of the Vedic ritual is not rejected, it is just that there is a search for the Reality that informs it. '' Bhakti According to German Professor Axel Michaels, the Vedic gods declined but did not disappear, and local cults were assimilated into the Vedic - brahmanic pantheon, which changed into the Hindu pantheon. Deities arose that were not mentioned or barely mentioned in the Vedas, especially Shiva and Vishnu, and gave rise to Shaivism and Vaishnavism. Interpretations of Vedic mantras in Hinduism The various Hindu schools and traditions give various interpretations of the Vedic hymns. Mīmāṃsā philosophers argue that there was no need to postulate a maker for the world, just as there was no need for an author to compose the Vedas or a god to validate the rituals. Mīmāṃsā argues that the gods named in the Vedas have no existence apart from the mantras that speak their names. To that regard, the power of the mantras is what is seen as the power of gods. Adi Shankara, an 8th - century CE philosopher who unified and established the main currents of thought in Hinduism, interpreted Vedas as being nondualist or monist. However, the Arya Samaj New religious movement holds the view that the Vedic mantras tend to monotheism. Even the earlier Mandalas of Rig Veda ( books 1 and 9 ) contains hymns which are thought to resemble monotheism. Often quoted isolated pada 1.164. 46 of the Rig Veda states ( trans. Griffith ) : Indraṃ mitraṃ varuṇamaghnimāhuratho divyaḥ sa suparṇo gharutmān, ekaṃ sad viprā bahudhā vadantyaghniṃ yamaṃ mātariśvānamāhuḥ `` They call him Indra, Mitra, Varuṇa, Agni, and he is heavenly nobly - winged Garutmān. To what is One, sages give many a title they call it Agni, Yama, Mātariśvan ``. Moreover, the verses of 10.129 and 10.130, deal with the one being ( Ékam sát ). The verse 10.129. 7 further confirms this ( trans. Griffith ) : iyám vísṛṣṭiḥ yátaḥ ābabhūva / yádi vā dadhé yádi vā ná / yáḥ asya ádhyakṣaḥ paramé vyóman / sáḥ aṅgá veda yádi vā ná véda `` He, the first origin of this creation, whether he formed it all or did not, He who surveys it all from his highest heaven, he verily knows it, or perhaps even he does not '' Śramaṇa tradition Main articles : Śramaṇa, Jainism, and Buddhism The non-Vedic śramaṇa traditions existed alongside Brahmanism. These were not direct outgrowths of Vedism, but movements with mutual influences with Brahmanical traditions, reflecting `` the cosmology and anthropology of a much older, pre-Aryan upper class of northeastern India ''. Jainism and Buddhism evolved out of the Shramana tradition. There are Jaina references to 22 prehistoric tirthankaras. In this view, Jainism peaked at the time of Mahavira ( traditionally put in the 6th Century BCE ). Buddhism, traditionally put from c. 500 BCE, declined in India over the 5th to 12th centuries in favor of Puranic Hinduism and Islam. See also Wikisource has the text of the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica article Brahmanism. Iranian mythology Proto - Indo - Iranian religion Proto - Indo - European religion Rishikesh Complex of Ruru Kshetra -- Vedic ritual site in Nepal Vedas A Vedic Word Concordance Vedic mythology Vedic period Vedic priesthood Zoroastrianism Notes Jump up ^ The term ancient Hinduism is also applied, but not appropriate. In the 19th century the term `` Hinduism '' was restricted to `` living Hinduism '', with its emphasis on Bhakti. Under the influence of the Neo-Hinduistic reform movements, which emphasised the Vedic heritage, and the growing awareness of the continuity of certain elements, the term `` ancient Hinduism '' has been applied by some to the Vedic period. Nevertheless, the period between 800 BCE and 200 BCE sees fundamental changes, which result in `` Hinduism ''. Other incorrect terms are Brahmanism and Vedic Brahmanism. The Encyclopædia Britannica of 2005 uses all of `` Vedism '', `` Vedic Brahmanism '' and `` Brahmanism '', but reserves `` Vedism '' for the earliest stage, predating the Brahmana period, and defines `` Brahmanism '' as `` religion of ancient India that evolved out of Vedism. It takes its name both from the predominant position of its priestly class, the Brahmans, and from the increasing speculation about, and importance given to, Brahman, the supreme power. '' ( 1 ) Jump up ^ Stephanie W. Jamison and Michael Witzel, Vedic Hinduism, 1992, ``... to call this period Vedic Hinduism is a contradiction in terms since Vedic religion is very different from what we generally call Hindu religion -- at least as much as Old Hebrew religion is from medieval and modern Christian religion. However, Vedic religion is treatable as a predecessor of Hinduism ''. Jump up ^ Michaels : `` They called themselves arya ( '' Aryans, '' literally `` the hospitable, '' from the Vedic arya, `` homey, the hospitable '' ) but even in the Rgveda, arya denotes a cultural and linguistic boundary and not only a racial one. '' Jump up ^ There is no exact dating possible for the beginning of the Vedic period. Witzel mentions a range between 1900 and 1400 BCE. Flood mentions 1500 BCE. Jump up ^ The Aryan migration theory has been challenged by some researchers, due to a lack of archaeological evidence and signs of cultural continuity, hypothesizing instead a slow process of acculturation or transformation. Nevertheless, linguistic and archaeological data clearly show a cultural change after 1750 BCE, with the linguistic and religious data clearly showing links with Indo - European languages and religion. According to Singh, `` The dominant view is that the Indo - Aryans came to the subcontinent as immigrants. '' Jump up ^ The Indo - Aryans were pastoralists who migrated into north - western India after the collapse of the Indus Valley Civilization, bringing with them their language and religion. They were closely related to the Indo - Aryans who founded Mitanni kingdom in northern Syria ( c. 1500 -- 1300 BCE ). Both groups were rooted in the Andronovo - culture in the Bactria - Margiana era, in present northern Afghanistan, and related to the Indo - Iranians, from which they split - off around 1800 -- 1600 BCE. Their roots go back further to the Sintashta culture, with funeral sacrifices which show close parallels to the sacrificial funeral rites of the Rig Veda. The immigrations consisted probably of small groups of people. Jonathan Mark Kenoyer notes that `` there is no archaeological or biological evidence for invasions or mass migrations into the Indus Valley between the end of the Harappan phase, about 1900 B.C. and the beginning of the Early Historic period around 600 B.C. '' For an overview of the current relevant research, see : Michael Witzel ( 2001 ), `` Autochthonous Aryans ? The Evidence from Old Indian and Iranian Texts '', in Electronic Journal of Vedic Studies ( EJVS ) 7 - 3, pp 1 - 93 Shereen Ratnagar ( 2008 ), `` The Aryan homeland debate in India '', in Kohl, PL, M Kozelsky and N Ben - Yehuda ( Eds ) Selective remembrances : archaeology in the construction, commemoration, and consecration of national pasts, pp 349 - 378 Suraj Bhan ( 2002 ), `` Aryanization of the Indus Civilization '' in Panikkar, KN, Byres, TJ and Patnaik, U ( Eds ), The Making of History, pp 41 - 55. Anthony, David W. ( 2007 ), The Horse The Wheel And Language. How Bronze - Age Riders From the Eurasian Steppes Shaped The Modern World, Princeton University Press Jump up ^ Some writers and archaeologists have opposed the notion of a migration of Indo - Aryans into India. Edwin Bryant used the term `` Indo - Aryan Controversy '' for an oversight of the Indo - Aryan Migration theory, and some of its opponents. These ideas are outside the academic mainstream. Mallory and Adams note that two types of models `` enjoy significant international currency, '' namely the Anatolian hypothesis, and a migration out of the Eurasian steppes. According to Upinder Singh, `` The original homeland of the Indo - Europeans and Indo - Aryans is the subject of continuing debate among philologists, linguists, historians, archaeologists, and others. The dominant view is that the Indo - Aryams came to the subcontinent as immigrants. Another view, advocated mainly by some Indian scholars, is that they were indigenous to the subcontinent. '' An overview of the `` Indigenist position '' can be obtained from * Bryant, Edwin F. ; Patton, Laurie L., eds. ( 2005 ), The Indo - Aryan Controversy : Evidence and inference in Indian history, London : Routledge, ISBN 0 - 7007 - 1463 - 4 See also Indigenous Aryans Jump up ^ According to Michaels, the period between 200 BCE and 1100 CE is the time of `` classical Hinduism '', since there is `` a turning point between the Vedic religion and Hindu religions ''. Jump up ^ Although the concept of reincarnation originated during the time of the Shramanic reforms and the composition of the Upanishads, according to Georg Feuerstein the Rig - Vedic rishis believed in reincarnation and karma. Jump up ^ Cromwell : `` Alongside Brahmanism was the non-Aryan Shramanic culture with its roots going back to prehistoric times. '' Jump up ^ Y. Masih ( 2000 ) In : A Comparative Study of Religions, Motilal Banarsidass Publ : Delhi, ISBN 81 - 208 - 0815 - 0 Page 18. `` There is no evidence to show that Jainism and Buddhism ever subscribed to Vedic sacrifices, vedic deities or caste. They are parallel or native religions of India and have contributed to much to ( sic ) the growth of even classical Hinduism of the present times. '' Jump up ^ P.S. Jaini, ( 1979 ), The Jaina Path to Purification, Motilal Banarsidass, Delhi, p. 169 `` Jainas themselves have no memory of a time when they fell within the Vedic fold. Any theory that attempts to link the two traditions, moreover fails to appreciate rather distinctive and very non-Vedic character of Jaina cosmology, soul theory, karmic doctrine and atheism '' References Citations ^ Jump up to : Stietencron 2005, p. 231. ^ Jump up to : Smart 2003. ^ Jump up to : Michaels 2004. ^ Jump up to : Muesse 2003. ^ Jump up to : Samuel 2010. Jump up ^ `` The Four Vedas ''. About dot Com. Retrieved 7 November 2012. Jump up ^ Geoffrey Samuel. The Origins of Yoga and Tantra : Indic Religions to the Thirteenth Century. Cambridge University. p. 113. Jump up ^ Knipe 2015, p. 1 - 50. ^ Jump up to : Anthony 2007, p. 462. ^ Jump up to : Beckwith 2009, p. 32. ^ Jump up to : White, David Gordon ( 2003 ). Kiss of the Yogini. Chicago : University of Chicago Press. p. 28. ISBN 0 - 226 - 89483 - 5. Jump up ^ Singh 2008, p. 185. ^ Jump up to : Michaels 2004, p. 33. Jump up ^ Michaels 2004, p. 32 - 36. Jump up ^ Witzel 1995, p. 3 - 4. Jump up ^ Flood 1996, p. 21. ^ Jump up to : Anthony 2007. ^ Jump up to : Witzel 1995. ^ Jump up to : Flood 1996, p. 30 - 35. Jump up ^ Hiltebeitel 2007, p. 5. ^ Jump up to : Singh 2008, p. 186. Jump up ^ Flood 1996, p. 33. Jump up ^ Samuel 2010, p. 53 - 56. Jump up ^ Flood 1996, p. 30. Jump up ^ Hiltebeitel 2007, p. 5 - 7. ^ Jump up to : Anthony 2007, p. 454. Jump up ^ Anthony 2007, p. 410 - 411. Jump up ^ Anthony 2007, p. 408. Jump up ^ Anthony 2007, p. 375, 408 - 411. Jump up ^ Kenoyer, M., 1998. Ancient Cities of the Indus Valley Civilization, p. 174. Oxford : Oxford University Press. Jump up ^ Bryant 2001. Jump up ^ Bryant, Edwin. 2001. The Indo - Aryan Controversy, p. 342 Jump up ^ Bryant 2005. Jump up ^ Mallory & Adams 2006, p. 460 - 461. Jump up ^ Pletcher, Kenneth ( 2010 ). The History of India. Britannica Educational Publishing. p. 60. Jump up ^ Roger D. Woodard ( 18 August 2006 ). Indo - European Sacred Space : Vedic and Roman Cult. University of Illinois Press. pp. 242 --. ISBN 978 - 0 - 252 - 09295 - 4. Jump up ^ Beckwith 2009. Jump up ^ Anthony 2007, p. 454 - 455. ^ Jump up to : Anthony 2007, p. 49. Jump up ^ Anthony 2007, p. 50. Jump up ^ Flood 2008, p. 68. Jump up ^ Melton & Baumann 2010, p. 1412. Jump up ^ Basham 1989, p. 74 - 75. Jump up ^ White 2006, p. 28. Jump up ^ Samuel 2010, p. 48 - 51, 61 - 93. Jump up ^ Hiltebeitel 2007, p. 8 - 10. Jump up ^ Prasoon, ( Prof. ) Shrikant. Indian Scriptures. Pustak Mahal ( 11 August 2010 ). Ch. 2, Vedang, Kalp. ISBN 978 - 81 - 223 - 1007 - 8. Jump up ^ Ralph Thomas Hotchkin Griffith, The Texts of the White Yajurveda. Translated with a Popular Commentary ( 1899 ), 1987 reprint : Munshiram Manoharlal, New Delhi, ISBN 81 - 215 - 0047 - 8. Jump up ^ Bloomfield Maurice. Hymns of the Atharva Veda. Kessinger Publishing ( 1 June 2004 ). P. 1 - 8. ISBN 1419125087. Jump up ^ Singhal, K. C ; Gupta, Roshan. The Ancient History of India, Vedic Period : A New Interpretation. Atlantic Publishers and Distributors. ISBN 8126902868. P. 150. Jump up ^ `` Botany of Haoma '', from Encyclopædia Iranica. Accessed 15 June 2012 Jump up ^ Renou, Louis. L'Inde Classique, vol. 1, p. 328, Librairie d'Ameriqe et d'Orient. Paris 1947, reprinted 1985. ISBN 2 - 7200 - 1035 - 9. Jump up ^ Oberlies ( 1998 : 155 ) gives an estimate of 1100 BC for the youngest hymns in book 10. Estimates for a terminus post quem of the earliest hymns are more uncertain. Oberlies ( p. 158 ) based on ' cumulative evidence ' sets wide range of 1700 -- 1100 Jump up ^ Krishnananda. Swami. A Short History of Religious and Philosophic Thought in India, Divine Life Society. p. 18 - 19. Jump up ^ P. 285 Indian sociology through Ghurye, a dictionary By S. Devadas Pillai Jump up ^ Krishnananda. Swami. A Short History of Religious and Philosophic Thought in India, Divine Life Society. p. 21 Jump up ^ Holdrege ( 2004 : 215 ) Jump up ^ Panikkar 2001 : 350 -- 351 Jump up ^ Duchesne - Guillemin 1963, p. 46. Jump up ^ Day, Terence P. ( 1982 ). The Conception of Punishment in Early Indian Literature. Ontario : Wilfrid Laurier University Press. P. 42 - 45. ISBN 0 - 919812 - 15 - 5. Jump up ^ The Purusha Sukta in Daily Invocations by Swami Krishnananda Jump up ^ Flood 1996, p. 82, 224 -- 49. Jump up ^ Michaels 2004, p. 36. Jump up ^ Michaels 2004, p. 38. Jump up ^ Muesse 2011, p. 115. Jump up ^ ( Page 169 ) The Yoga Tradition By Georg Feuerstein Jump up ^ Muesse 2003, p. 14. Jump up ^ Swami Krishnananda, A Short History of Religious and Philosophic Thought in India, Divine Life Society. p. 42 Jump up ^ Minahan, James B. ( 10 February 2014 ). Ethnic Groups of North, East, and Central Asia : An Encyclopedia. ABC - CLIO. p. 205. ISBN 9781610690188. Living in the high mountain valleys, the Nuristani retained their ancient culture and their religion, a form of ancient Hinduism with many customs and rituals developed locally. Certain deities were revered only by one tribe or community, but one deity was universally worshipped by all Nuristani as the Creator, the Hindu god Yama Raja, called imr'o or imra by the Nuristani tribes. Jump up ^ Barrington, Nicholas ; Kendrick, Joseph T. ; Schlagintweit, Reinhard ( 18 April 2006 ). A Passage to Nuristan : Exploring the Mysterious Afghan Hinterland. I.B. Tauris. p. 111. ISBN 9781845111755. Prominent sites include Hadda, near Jalalabad, but Buddhism never seems to have penetrated the remote valleys of Nuristan, where the people continued to practice an early form of polytheistic Hinduism. Jump up ^ Weiss, Mitch ; Maurer, Kevin ( 31 December 2012 ). No Way Out : A Story of Valor in the Mountains of Afghanistan. Berkley Caliber. p. 299. ISBN 9780425253403. Up until the late nineteenth century, many Nuristanis practiced a primitive form of Hinduism. It was the last area in Afghanistan to convert to Islam -- and the conversion was accomplished by the sword. Jump up ^ West, Barbara A. ( 19 May 2010 ). Encyclopedia of the Peoples of Asia and Oceania. Infobase Publishing. p. 357. ISBN 9781438119137. The Kalasha are a unique people living in just three valleys near Chitral, Pakistan, the capital of North - West Frontier Province, which borders Afghanistan. Unlike their neighbors in the Hindu Kush Mountains on both the Afghani and Pakistani sides of the border the Kalasha have not converted to Islam. During the mid-20th century a few Kalasha villages in Pakistan were forcibly converted to this dominant religion, but the people fought the conversion and once official pressure was removed the vast majority continued to practice their own religion. Their religion is a form of Hinduism that recognizes many gods and spirits... given their Indo - Aryan language,... the religion of the Kalasha is much more closely aligned to the Hinduism of their Indian neighbors that to the religion of Alexander the Great and his armies. Jump up ^ Bezhan, Frud ( 19 April 2017 ). `` Pakistan 's Forgotten Pagans Get Their Due ''. Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty. Retrieved 31 July 2017. About half of the Kalash practice a form of ancient Hinduism infused with old pagan and animist beliefs. Jump up ^ Pandey, Rajbali, `` Hindu Samskaras '' ( Motilal Banarasidass Publ., 1969 ) Jump up ^ Hopkins, Thomas J., The Hindu Religious Tradition ( Belmont : Dickenson Publications, 1971 ), 15 Jump up ^ Robert E. Hume, Professor Emeritus of History of Religions at the Union Theological Seminary, wrote in Random House 's The American College Dictionary ( 1966 ) : `` It ( Vedānta ) is concerned with the end of the Vedas, both chronologically and teleologically. '' Jump up ^ `` Patanjali 's Yoga Darsana -- The Hatha Yoga Tradition, '' InfoRefuge. Jump up ^ Kelkar, Siddharth. UNESCO 's leg - up for city Veda research Archived 6 October 2012 at the Wayback Machine... Express India. Retrieved 16 June 2012. Jump up ^ P. 46 Perspectives of Reality : An Introduction to the Philosophy of Hinduism By Jeaneane D. Fowler Jump up ^ Michaels 2004, p. 40. Jump up ^ Neville, Robert. Religious ruth. p. 51. Jump up ^ Coward, Harold. The perfectibility of human nature in eastern and western thought. p. 114. Jump up ^ Johannes de Kruijf and Ajaya Sahoo ( 2014 ), Indian Transnationalism Online : New Perspectives on Diaspora, ISBN 978 - 1 - 4724 - 1913 - 2, page 105, Quote : `` In other words, according to Adi Shankara 's argument, the philosophy of Advaita Vedanta stood over and above all other forms of Hinduism and encapsulated them. This then united Hinduism ; (... ) Another of Adi Shankara 's important undertakings which contributed to the unification of Hinduism was his founding of a number of monastic centers. '' Jump up ^ Sharma, Chandradhar ( 1962 ). `` Chronological Summary of History of Indian Philosophy ''. Indian Philosophy : A Critical Survey. New York : Barnes & Noble. p. vi. Jump up ^ Light of Truth by Swami Dayanand Saraswati, Chapter 7 Jump up ^ Macdonell, Arthur Anthony. Vedic Mythology. Forgotten Books ( 23 May 2012 ). P. 17. ISBN 1440094365. ^ Jump up to : S. Cromwell Crawford, review of L.M. Joshi, Brahmanism, Buddhism and Hinduism, Philosophy East and West ( 1972 ) Jump up ^ Dr. Kalghatgi, T.G. 1988 In : Study of Jainism, Prakrit Bharti Academy, Jaipur Jump up ^ Zimmer 1989, p. 217. Jump up ^ Svarghese, Alexander P. 2008. India : History, Religion, Vision And Contribution To The World. p. 259 - 60. Jump up ^ Helmuth von Glasenapp, Shridhar B. Shrotri. 1999. Jainism : an Indian religion of salvation. P. 24. `` Thus not only nothing, from the philosophical and the historical point of view, comes in the way of the supposition that Jainism was established by Parsva around 800 BCE, but it is rather confirmed in everything that we know of the spiritual life of that period. '' Jump up ^ Dundas, Paul. 2002. The Jains. P. 17. `` Jainism, then, was in origin merely one component of a north Indian ascetic culture that flourished in the Ganges basin from around the eighth or seventh centuries BCE. '' Jump up ^ `` Buddhism ''. ( 2009 ). In Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 26 November 2009, from Encyclopædia Britannica Online Library Edition. Jump up ^ P. 78 - 83 Freeing the Buddha : Diversity on a Sacred Path -- large Scale Concerns By Brian Ruhe Jump up ^ P. 110 A text book of the history of Theravāda Buddhism by K.T.S. Sarao, University of Delhi. Dept. of Buddhist Studies Sources Published sources Anthony, David W. ( 2007 ), The Horse The Wheel And Language. How Bronze - Age Riders From the Eurasian Steppes Shaped The Modern World, Princeton University Press Basham, Arthur Llewellyn ( 1989 ), The Origins and Development of Classical Hinduism, Oxford University Press Bryant, Edwin ( 2001 ), The Quest for the Origins of Vedic Culture : The Indo - Aryan Migration Debate, oxford University Press Bryant, Edwin ; Patton, Laurie, eds. ( 2005 ), Indo - Aryan Controversy : Evidence and Inference in Indian History, Routledge Flood, Gavin D. ( 1996 ), An Introduction to Hinduism, Cambridge University Press Flood, Gavin ( 2008 ), The Blackwell Companion to Hinduism, John Wiley & Sons Hiltebeitel, Alf ( 2002 ), Hinduism. In : Joseph Kitagawa, `` The Religious Traditions of Asia : Religion, History, and Culture '', Routledge Hiltebeitel, Alf ( 2007 ), Hinduism. In : Joseph Kitagawa, `` The Religious Traditions of Asia : Religion, History, and Culture ''. Digital printing 2007, Routledge Jamison, Stephanie W. ( 2006 ). `` The Indo - Aryan controversy : Evidence and inference in Indian history ( Book review ) '' ( PDF ). Journal of Indo - European Studies. 34 : 255 -- 261. Kak, Subhash ( 2005 ), `` Vedic astronomy and early Indian chronology '', in Bryant, Edwin ; Patton, Laurie, Indo - Aryan Controversy : Evidence and Inference in Indian History, Routledge King, Richard ( 1999 ), Orientalism and Religion : Post-Colonial Theory, India and `` The Mystic East '', Routledge Knipe, David M. ( 2015 ), Vedic Voices : Intimate Narratives of a Living Andhra Tradition, Oxford : Oxford University Press Mallory ; Adams ( 2006 ), The Oxford Introduction to Proto - Indo - European and the Proto - Indo - European World, Oxford University Press Melton, Gordon J. ; Baumann, Martin ( 2010 ), Religions of the World : A Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Beliefs and Practices ( 6 volumes ), ABC - CLIO Michaels, Axel ( 2004 ), Hinduism. Past and present, Princeton, New Jersey : Princeton University Press Muesse, Mark William ( 2003 ), Great World Religions : Hinduism Samuel, Geoffrey ( 2010 ), The Origins of Yoga and Tantra. Indic Religions to the Thirteenth Century, Cambridge University Press Singh, Upinder ( 2008 ), A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India : From the Stone Age to the 12th Century, Pearson Education India, ISBN 978 - 81 - 317 - 1120 - 0 Smart, Ninian ( 2003 ), Godsdiensten van de wereld ( The World 's religions ), Kampen : Uitgeverij Kok Von Stietencron, Heinrich ( 2005 ), Hindu Myth, Hindu History : Religion, Art, and Politics, Orient Blackswan White, David Gordon ( 2006 ), Kiss of the Yogini : `` Tantric Sex '' in its South Asian Contexts, University of Chicago Press Witzel, Michael ( 1995 ), `` Early Sanskritization : Origin and Development of the Kuru state '' ( PDF ), EJVS, vol. 1 ( no. 4 ( 1995 ) ), archived from the original ( PDF ) on 11 June 2007 Zimmer, Heinrich ( 1989 ), Pholosophies of India, Princeton University Press Web sources Jump up ^ Encyclopædia Britannica, yaksha Hinduism topics Glossary Philosophy Concepts Brahman Om Ishvara Atman Maya Karma Samsara Purusharthas Dharma Artha Kama Moksha Niti Ahimsa Asteya Aparigraha Brahmacharya Satya Dāna Damah Dayā Akrodha Schools Astika : Samkhya Yoga Nyaya Vaisheshika Mimamsa Vedanta Dvaita Advaita Vishishtadvaita Nastika : Charvaka Texts Classification Śruti Smriti Vedas Rigveda Yajurveda Samaveda Atharvaveda Divisions Samhita Brahmana Aranyaka Upanishad Upanishads Aitareya Kaushitaki Brihadaranyaka Isha Taittiriya Katha Maitri Shvetashvatara Chandogya Kena Mundaka Mandukya Prashna Upavedas Ayurveda Dhanurveda Gandharvaveda Sthapatyaveda Vedanga Shiksha Chandas Vyakarana Nirukta Kalpa Jyotisha Other Bhagavad Gita Agamas Itihasas Ramayana Mahabharata Puranas Minor Upanishads Artha Shastra Dharma Shastra Manusmriti Nāradasmṛti Yājñavalkya Smṛti Sutras Stotras Subhashita Tantras Yoga Vasistha Yoga Sutras of Patanjali Deities Trimurti Brahma Vishnu Shiva Ishvara Devi Deva Saraswati Lakshmi Parvati Shakti Durga Kali Ganesha Kartikeya Rama Krishna Hanuman Prajapati Rudra Indra Agni Dyaus Bhumi Varuna Vayu Practices Worship Temple Murti Puja Bhakti Japa Bhajana Naivedhya Yajna Homa Tapa Dhyana Tirthadana Sanskaras Garbhadhana Pumsavana Simantonayana Jatakarma Namakarana Nishkramana Annaprashana Chudakarana Karnavedha Vidyarambha Upanayana Keshanta Ritushuddhi Samavartana Vivaha Antyeshti Varnashrama Varna Brahmin Kshatriya Vaishya Shudra Ashrama Brahmacharya Grihastha Vanaprastha Sanyassa Festivals Diwali Holi Shivaratri Raksha Bandhan Navaratri Durga Puja Ramlila Vijayadashami ( Dasara ) Ganesh Chaturthi Rama Navami Janmashtami Onam Pongal Makar Sankranti New Year Bihu Gudi Padwa Pahela Baishakh Puthandu Vaisakhi Vishu Ugadi Kumbha Mela Ratha Yatra Teej Vasant Panchami Others Other Svādhyāya Namaste Related Hindu Denominations Law Calendar Criticism Gurus, saints, philosophers Hindu studies Iconography Mythology Nationalism Hindutva Persecution Pilgrimage sites Glossary Hinduism by country Category Portal Hindu deities and texts Gods Trimurti Brahma Vishnu Rama Krishna Shiva Ganesha Kartikeya Hanuman Indra Surya more Goddesses Tridevi Saraswati Lakshmi Sita Radha Parvati Sati Kali Adi Parashakti Mahavidya Durga Shakti Navadurga Matrikas more Texts Vedas Rig Sama Yajur Atharva Upanishads Puranas Ramayana Mahabharata Bhagavad Gita Yoga Sutras of Patanjali more Hinduism Hindu mythology Indian philosophy Topics Atheism Atomism Idealism Logic Monotheism Vedic philosophy Āstika Hindu : Samkhya Nyaya Vaisheshika Yoga Mīmāṃsā Vedanta Acintya bheda abheda Advaita Bhedabheda Dvaita Dvaitadvaita Shuddhadvaita Vishishtadvaita Shaiva Pratyabhijña Pashupata Shaivism Shaiva Siddhanta Nāstika Ājīvika Ajñana Cārvāka Jain Anekantavada Syādvāda Buddhist philosophy and Early Buddhist schools Śūnyatā Madhyamaka Yogacara Sautrāntika Svatantrika Texts Abhinavabharati Arthashastra Bhagavad Gita Bhagavata Purana Brahma Sutra Buddhist texts Dharmashastra Hindu texts Jain Agamas Kamasutra Mimamsa Sutras All 108 texts Principal Nyāya Sūtras Nyayakusumanjali Panchadasi Samkhyapravachana Sutra Shiva Sutras Tarka - Sangraha Tattvacintāmaṇi Upanishads Minor Vaiśeṣika Sūtra Vedangas Vedas Yoga Sutras of Patanjali Yoga Vasistha More... 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Question: a myth about purusha a god of the vedic religion provided the basis for
Answer: Hinduism