NCERT Textbook: India's Cultural Roots | Indian Polity for UPSC CSE PDF Download

 Page 1


105
7 ? India’s Cultural Roots
India’s Cultural Roots
CHAPTER
7
 
That which cannot be stolen; that which cannot be 
confiscated by rulers; … that which is not a burden as it 
does not weigh anything; that which, though it is used, 
only grows every day — that is the greatest wealth of all, 
the wealth of true knowledge.”
— Subha?hita (Wise Saying)
1. What are the Vedas?  
What is their message?
2. What new schools of thought 
emerged in India in the 1
st 
millennium BCE? What are  
their core principles?
3. What is the contribution of folk and 
tribal traditions to Indian culture?
The Big 
Questions
A rishi (from Hampi, Karnataka) | The Buddha  
(from Bhutan) | Mahavira (from Bihar)
7-100724_v10A.indd   105 7-100724_v10A.indd   105 11-Jul-24   4:24:47 PM 11-Jul-24   4:24:47 PM
Page 2


105
7 ? India’s Cultural Roots
India’s Cultural Roots
CHAPTER
7
 
That which cannot be stolen; that which cannot be 
confiscated by rulers; … that which is not a burden as it 
does not weigh anything; that which, though it is used, 
only grows every day — that is the greatest wealth of all, 
the wealth of true knowledge.”
— Subha?hita (Wise Saying)
1. What are the Vedas?  
What is their message?
2. What new schools of thought 
emerged in India in the 1
st 
millennium BCE? What are  
their core principles?
3. What is the contribution of folk and 
tribal traditions to Indian culture?
The Big 
Questions
A rishi (from Hampi, Karnataka) | The Buddha  
(from Bhutan) | Mahavira (from Bihar)
7-100724_v10A.indd   105 7-100724_v10A.indd   105 11-Jul-24   4:24:47 PM 11-Jul-24   4:24:47 PM
106
Exploring Society: India and Beyond  
Our Cultural Heritage and Knowledge Traditions
Indian culture, by any estimate, is several millenniums old. 
Like any ancient tree, it has many roots and many branches. 
The roots nurture a common trunk. And from the trunk 
emerge many branches, which are different manifestations 
of Indian culture, yet united by a common trunk.
Some of these branches are about art, literature, science, 
medicine, religion, the art of governance, martial arts, and 
so on. There are also ‘schools of thought’, by which we mean 
groups of thinkers or spiritual seekers who share similar 
ideas about human life, the world, etc.
Many archaeologists and scholars have pointed out that 
some of India’s cultural roots go all the way to the Indus 
or Harappan or Sindhu-Sarasvati civilisation (which we 
visit in Chapter 6). Later on, over time, hundreds of schools 
of thought emerged in India. We will see here a few early 
schools, which have shaped India into a country with a 
unique personality. By understanding them and their roots, 
we can understand ‘India, that is Bharat’ better.
The Vedas and Vedic Culture
a. What are the Vedas? 
The word “Veda” comes from the Sanskrit vid which 
means ‘knowledge’ (hence vidya, for instance). We briefly 
mentioned the ?ig Veda in earlier chapters. In fact, there 
are four Vedas — the ?ig Veda, the Yajur Veda, the Sama 
Veda and the Atharva Veda. They are the most ancient texts 
of India, and indeed among the most ancient in the world. 
The Vedas consist of thousands of hymns — prayers in the 
form of poems and songs — that were recited orally, not 
written. Those hymns were composed in the Sapta Sindhava 
region (which we visit in Chapter 5). It is difficult to say 
when exactly the ?ig Veda, the most ancient of the four, 
was composed; experts have proposed dates ranging from 
Spiritual: 
Concerned 
with the spirit 
or soul (atman 
in Sanskrit and 
many Indian 
languages). 
Spirituality is 
the search for a 
deeper or higher 
dimension 
beyond 
our current 
personality.
Seeker:
Someone who 
seeks the truths 
of this world. 
This could 
be a sage, a 
saint, a yogi, a 
philosopher, etc.
7-100724_v10A.indd   106 7-100724_v10A.indd   106 11-Jul-24   4:24:47 PM 11-Jul-24   4:24:47 PM
Page 3


105
7 ? India’s Cultural Roots
India’s Cultural Roots
CHAPTER
7
 
That which cannot be stolen; that which cannot be 
confiscated by rulers; … that which is not a burden as it 
does not weigh anything; that which, though it is used, 
only grows every day — that is the greatest wealth of all, 
the wealth of true knowledge.”
— Subha?hita (Wise Saying)
1. What are the Vedas?  
What is their message?
2. What new schools of thought 
emerged in India in the 1
st 
millennium BCE? What are  
their core principles?
3. What is the contribution of folk and 
tribal traditions to Indian culture?
The Big 
Questions
A rishi (from Hampi, Karnataka) | The Buddha  
(from Bhutan) | Mahavira (from Bihar)
7-100724_v10A.indd   105 7-100724_v10A.indd   105 11-Jul-24   4:24:47 PM 11-Jul-24   4:24:47 PM
106
Exploring Society: India and Beyond  
Our Cultural Heritage and Knowledge Traditions
Indian culture, by any estimate, is several millenniums old. 
Like any ancient tree, it has many roots and many branches. 
The roots nurture a common trunk. And from the trunk 
emerge many branches, which are different manifestations 
of Indian culture, yet united by a common trunk.
Some of these branches are about art, literature, science, 
medicine, religion, the art of governance, martial arts, and 
so on. There are also ‘schools of thought’, by which we mean 
groups of thinkers or spiritual seekers who share similar 
ideas about human life, the world, etc.
Many archaeologists and scholars have pointed out that 
some of India’s cultural roots go all the way to the Indus 
or Harappan or Sindhu-Sarasvati civilisation (which we 
visit in Chapter 6). Later on, over time, hundreds of schools 
of thought emerged in India. We will see here a few early 
schools, which have shaped India into a country with a 
unique personality. By understanding them and their roots, 
we can understand ‘India, that is Bharat’ better.
The Vedas and Vedic Culture
a. What are the Vedas? 
The word “Veda” comes from the Sanskrit vid which 
means ‘knowledge’ (hence vidya, for instance). We briefly 
mentioned the ?ig Veda in earlier chapters. In fact, there 
are four Vedas — the ?ig Veda, the Yajur Veda, the Sama 
Veda and the Atharva Veda. They are the most ancient texts 
of India, and indeed among the most ancient in the world. 
The Vedas consist of thousands of hymns — prayers in the 
form of poems and songs — that were recited orally, not 
written. Those hymns were composed in the Sapta Sindhava 
region (which we visit in Chapter 5). It is difficult to say 
when exactly the ?ig Veda, the most ancient of the four, 
was composed; experts have proposed dates ranging from 
Spiritual: 
Concerned 
with the spirit 
or soul (atman 
in Sanskrit and 
many Indian 
languages). 
Spirituality is 
the search for a 
deeper or higher 
dimension 
beyond 
our current 
personality.
Seeker:
Someone who 
seeks the truths 
of this world. 
This could 
be a sage, a 
saint, a yogi, a 
philosopher, etc.
7-100724_v10A.indd   106 7-100724_v10A.indd   106 11-Jul-24   4:24:47 PM 11-Jul-24   4:24:47 PM
107
7 ? India’s Cultural Roots
UNESCO: 
UNESCO 
stands for 
‘United Nations 
Educational, 
Scientific 
and Cultural 
Organization’. 
It promotes 
dialogue 
between 
people and 
nations 
through 
education, 
science and 
culture.
Cosmos: 
The world or 
the universe as 
an ordered and 
harmonious 
system.
the 5
th
 to the 2
nd
 millennium BCE. So, for anything between 
100 and 200 generations, these texts have been committed 
to memory through rigorous training and passed on orally 
with hardly any alterations! 
    DON’T MISS OUT
This meticulous transmission over thousands of years 
explains why, in 2008, UNESCO recognised Vedic chanting as ‘a 
masterpiece of the oral and intangible heritage of humanity’. 
The Vedic hymns were composed by rishis (male seers or 
sages) and rishikas (female ones) in an early form of the 
Sanskrit language. They were addressed in poetical form 
to many deities (gods or goddesses), such as Indra, Agni, 
Varu?a, Mitra, Sarasvati, U?has, and many more. Together 
with the seers, these deities sustained ?itam, or truth and 
order in human life and in the ‘cosmos’.
The early rishis and rishikas saw those gods and goddesses 
as one, not separate beings. As one famous hymn puts it, 
ekam sat vipra bahudha vadanti ...
 The Existent [that is, the supreme reality] is one, 
but sages give it many names.
In this worldview, some values were especially important, 
beginning with ‘Truth’, which was often another name for 
God. The last mantras (verses) of the ?ig Veda  also call for 
unity among people:
Worldview: 
A certain 
view or 
under-
standing of 
the world, its 
origin, or its 
workings.
7-100724_v10A.indd   107 7-100724_v10A.indd   107 11-Jul-24   4:24:49 PM 11-Jul-24   4:24:49 PM
Page 4


105
7 ? India’s Cultural Roots
India’s Cultural Roots
CHAPTER
7
 
That which cannot be stolen; that which cannot be 
confiscated by rulers; … that which is not a burden as it 
does not weigh anything; that which, though it is used, 
only grows every day — that is the greatest wealth of all, 
the wealth of true knowledge.”
— Subha?hita (Wise Saying)
1. What are the Vedas?  
What is their message?
2. What new schools of thought 
emerged in India in the 1
st 
millennium BCE? What are  
their core principles?
3. What is the contribution of folk and 
tribal traditions to Indian culture?
The Big 
Questions
A rishi (from Hampi, Karnataka) | The Buddha  
(from Bhutan) | Mahavira (from Bihar)
7-100724_v10A.indd   105 7-100724_v10A.indd   105 11-Jul-24   4:24:47 PM 11-Jul-24   4:24:47 PM
106
Exploring Society: India and Beyond  
Our Cultural Heritage and Knowledge Traditions
Indian culture, by any estimate, is several millenniums old. 
Like any ancient tree, it has many roots and many branches. 
The roots nurture a common trunk. And from the trunk 
emerge many branches, which are different manifestations 
of Indian culture, yet united by a common trunk.
Some of these branches are about art, literature, science, 
medicine, religion, the art of governance, martial arts, and 
so on. There are also ‘schools of thought’, by which we mean 
groups of thinkers or spiritual seekers who share similar 
ideas about human life, the world, etc.
Many archaeologists and scholars have pointed out that 
some of India’s cultural roots go all the way to the Indus 
or Harappan or Sindhu-Sarasvati civilisation (which we 
visit in Chapter 6). Later on, over time, hundreds of schools 
of thought emerged in India. We will see here a few early 
schools, which have shaped India into a country with a 
unique personality. By understanding them and their roots, 
we can understand ‘India, that is Bharat’ better.
The Vedas and Vedic Culture
a. What are the Vedas? 
The word “Veda” comes from the Sanskrit vid which 
means ‘knowledge’ (hence vidya, for instance). We briefly 
mentioned the ?ig Veda in earlier chapters. In fact, there 
are four Vedas — the ?ig Veda, the Yajur Veda, the Sama 
Veda and the Atharva Veda. They are the most ancient texts 
of India, and indeed among the most ancient in the world. 
The Vedas consist of thousands of hymns — prayers in the 
form of poems and songs — that were recited orally, not 
written. Those hymns were composed in the Sapta Sindhava 
region (which we visit in Chapter 5). It is difficult to say 
when exactly the ?ig Veda, the most ancient of the four, 
was composed; experts have proposed dates ranging from 
Spiritual: 
Concerned 
with the spirit 
or soul (atman 
in Sanskrit and 
many Indian 
languages). 
Spirituality is 
the search for a 
deeper or higher 
dimension 
beyond 
our current 
personality.
Seeker:
Someone who 
seeks the truths 
of this world. 
This could 
be a sage, a 
saint, a yogi, a 
philosopher, etc.
7-100724_v10A.indd   106 7-100724_v10A.indd   106 11-Jul-24   4:24:47 PM 11-Jul-24   4:24:47 PM
107
7 ? India’s Cultural Roots
UNESCO: 
UNESCO 
stands for 
‘United Nations 
Educational, 
Scientific 
and Cultural 
Organization’. 
It promotes 
dialogue 
between 
people and 
nations 
through 
education, 
science and 
culture.
Cosmos: 
The world or 
the universe as 
an ordered and 
harmonious 
system.
the 5
th
 to the 2
nd
 millennium BCE. So, for anything between 
100 and 200 generations, these texts have been committed 
to memory through rigorous training and passed on orally 
with hardly any alterations! 
    DON’T MISS OUT
This meticulous transmission over thousands of years 
explains why, in 2008, UNESCO recognised Vedic chanting as ‘a 
masterpiece of the oral and intangible heritage of humanity’. 
The Vedic hymns were composed by rishis (male seers or 
sages) and rishikas (female ones) in an early form of the 
Sanskrit language. They were addressed in poetical form 
to many deities (gods or goddesses), such as Indra, Agni, 
Varu?a, Mitra, Sarasvati, U?has, and many more. Together 
with the seers, these deities sustained ?itam, or truth and 
order in human life and in the ‘cosmos’.
The early rishis and rishikas saw those gods and goddesses 
as one, not separate beings. As one famous hymn puts it, 
ekam sat vipra bahudha vadanti ...
 The Existent [that is, the supreme reality] is one, 
but sages give it many names.
In this worldview, some values were especially important, 
beginning with ‘Truth’, which was often another name for 
God. The last mantras (verses) of the ?ig Veda  also call for 
unity among people:
Worldview: 
A certain 
view or 
under-
standing of 
the world, its 
origin, or its 
workings.
7-100724_v10A.indd   107 7-100724_v10A.indd   107 11-Jul-24   4:24:49 PM 11-Jul-24   4:24:49 PM
108
Exploring Society: India and Beyond  
Our Cultural Heritage and Knowledge Traditions
b. Vedic society
Early Vedic society was organised in different janas or 
‘clans’, that is, larger groups of people. The ?ig Veda alone 
lists over 30 such janas — for instance, the Bharatas, the 
Purus, the Kurus, the Yadus, the Turvashas etc. Each clan 
was associated with a particular region of the northwest 
part of the Subcontinent.
 Come together, speak together; 
common be your mind, may your thoughts agree ... 
United be your purpose, united your heart ... 
may your thoughts be united, so all may agree!
1500 
BCE
1000 
BCE
500 
BCE
1 
CE
500 
CE
Births of  Buddha 
and Mahavira
Upanishads
Vedic schools of thought
7-100724_v10A.indd   108 7-100724_v10A.indd   108 11-Jul-24   4:24:51 PM 11-Jul-24   4:24:51 PM
Page 5


105
7 ? India’s Cultural Roots
India’s Cultural Roots
CHAPTER
7
 
That which cannot be stolen; that which cannot be 
confiscated by rulers; … that which is not a burden as it 
does not weigh anything; that which, though it is used, 
only grows every day — that is the greatest wealth of all, 
the wealth of true knowledge.”
— Subha?hita (Wise Saying)
1. What are the Vedas?  
What is their message?
2. What new schools of thought 
emerged in India in the 1
st 
millennium BCE? What are  
their core principles?
3. What is the contribution of folk and 
tribal traditions to Indian culture?
The Big 
Questions
A rishi (from Hampi, Karnataka) | The Buddha  
(from Bhutan) | Mahavira (from Bihar)
7-100724_v10A.indd   105 7-100724_v10A.indd   105 11-Jul-24   4:24:47 PM 11-Jul-24   4:24:47 PM
106
Exploring Society: India and Beyond  
Our Cultural Heritage and Knowledge Traditions
Indian culture, by any estimate, is several millenniums old. 
Like any ancient tree, it has many roots and many branches. 
The roots nurture a common trunk. And from the trunk 
emerge many branches, which are different manifestations 
of Indian culture, yet united by a common trunk.
Some of these branches are about art, literature, science, 
medicine, religion, the art of governance, martial arts, and 
so on. There are also ‘schools of thought’, by which we mean 
groups of thinkers or spiritual seekers who share similar 
ideas about human life, the world, etc.
Many archaeologists and scholars have pointed out that 
some of India’s cultural roots go all the way to the Indus 
or Harappan or Sindhu-Sarasvati civilisation (which we 
visit in Chapter 6). Later on, over time, hundreds of schools 
of thought emerged in India. We will see here a few early 
schools, which have shaped India into a country with a 
unique personality. By understanding them and their roots, 
we can understand ‘India, that is Bharat’ better.
The Vedas and Vedic Culture
a. What are the Vedas? 
The word “Veda” comes from the Sanskrit vid which 
means ‘knowledge’ (hence vidya, for instance). We briefly 
mentioned the ?ig Veda in earlier chapters. In fact, there 
are four Vedas — the ?ig Veda, the Yajur Veda, the Sama 
Veda and the Atharva Veda. They are the most ancient texts 
of India, and indeed among the most ancient in the world. 
The Vedas consist of thousands of hymns — prayers in the 
form of poems and songs — that were recited orally, not 
written. Those hymns were composed in the Sapta Sindhava 
region (which we visit in Chapter 5). It is difficult to say 
when exactly the ?ig Veda, the most ancient of the four, 
was composed; experts have proposed dates ranging from 
Spiritual: 
Concerned 
with the spirit 
or soul (atman 
in Sanskrit and 
many Indian 
languages). 
Spirituality is 
the search for a 
deeper or higher 
dimension 
beyond 
our current 
personality.
Seeker:
Someone who 
seeks the truths 
of this world. 
This could 
be a sage, a 
saint, a yogi, a 
philosopher, etc.
7-100724_v10A.indd   106 7-100724_v10A.indd   106 11-Jul-24   4:24:47 PM 11-Jul-24   4:24:47 PM
107
7 ? India’s Cultural Roots
UNESCO: 
UNESCO 
stands for 
‘United Nations 
Educational, 
Scientific 
and Cultural 
Organization’. 
It promotes 
dialogue 
between 
people and 
nations 
through 
education, 
science and 
culture.
Cosmos: 
The world or 
the universe as 
an ordered and 
harmonious 
system.
the 5
th
 to the 2
nd
 millennium BCE. So, for anything between 
100 and 200 generations, these texts have been committed 
to memory through rigorous training and passed on orally 
with hardly any alterations! 
    DON’T MISS OUT
This meticulous transmission over thousands of years 
explains why, in 2008, UNESCO recognised Vedic chanting as ‘a 
masterpiece of the oral and intangible heritage of humanity’. 
The Vedic hymns were composed by rishis (male seers or 
sages) and rishikas (female ones) in an early form of the 
Sanskrit language. They were addressed in poetical form 
to many deities (gods or goddesses), such as Indra, Agni, 
Varu?a, Mitra, Sarasvati, U?has, and many more. Together 
with the seers, these deities sustained ?itam, or truth and 
order in human life and in the ‘cosmos’.
The early rishis and rishikas saw those gods and goddesses 
as one, not separate beings. As one famous hymn puts it, 
ekam sat vipra bahudha vadanti ...
 The Existent [that is, the supreme reality] is one, 
but sages give it many names.
In this worldview, some values were especially important, 
beginning with ‘Truth’, which was often another name for 
God. The last mantras (verses) of the ?ig Veda  also call for 
unity among people:
Worldview: 
A certain 
view or 
under-
standing of 
the world, its 
origin, or its 
workings.
7-100724_v10A.indd   107 7-100724_v10A.indd   107 11-Jul-24   4:24:49 PM 11-Jul-24   4:24:49 PM
108
Exploring Society: India and Beyond  
Our Cultural Heritage and Knowledge Traditions
b. Vedic society
Early Vedic society was organised in different janas or 
‘clans’, that is, larger groups of people. The ?ig Veda alone 
lists over 30 such janas — for instance, the Bharatas, the 
Purus, the Kurus, the Yadus, the Turvashas etc. Each clan 
was associated with a particular region of the northwest 
part of the Subcontinent.
 Come together, speak together; 
common be your mind, may your thoughts agree ... 
United be your purpose, united your heart ... 
may your thoughts be united, so all may agree!
1500 
BCE
1000 
BCE
500 
BCE
1 
CE
500 
CE
Births of  Buddha 
and Mahavira
Upanishads
Vedic schools of thought
7-100724_v10A.indd   108 7-100724_v10A.indd   108 11-Jul-24   4:24:51 PM 11-Jul-24   4:24:51 PM
109
7 ? India’s Cultural Roots
Healer: 
Someone who 
uses traditional 
practices to 
relieve or heal 
diseases.
Not much is known of how these janas governed their 
society. The Vedas only give us a few clues through words 
like raja (a king or ruler), sabha  and samiti, both of which 
refer to a collective gathering or assembly. 
Many professions are mentioned in the Vedic texts, such 
as agriculturist, weaver, potter, builder, carpenter, healer, 
dancer, barber, priest, etc. 
LET’S EXPLORE
Do you know the term for a society where people select their 
leaders? How do you think people can benefit from such a 
situation? What could happen if they live under leaders that 
they did not choose? (Hint: Think back to what you’re learning 
in the theme ‘Governance and Democracy’!) Write your thoughts 
in a paragraph of 100–150 words.
c. Vedic schools of thought
Vedic culture also developed many rituals (yajña, often 
read as ‘yagya’) directed towards various deities (gods or 
goddesses) for individual or collective benefit and wellbeing.
Daily rituals were generally in the form of prayers and 
offerings to Agni, the deity associated with fire, but those 
rituals became more and more complex in the course of 
time.
A group of texts known as ‘Upani?hads’ built upon Vedic 
concepts and introduced new ones, such as rebirth (taking 
birth again and again) and karma (our actions or their 
results). According to one school of thought, generally 
known as ‘Vedanta’, everything — human life, nature and 
the universe — is one divine essence called brahman (not 
to be confused with the god Brahma) or sometimes just tat 
(‘that’). Two well-known mantras express this in a simple 
but profound way:
7-100724_v10A.indd   109 7-100724_v10A.indd   109 11-Jul-24   4:24:52 PM 11-Jul-24   4:24:52 PM