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The religion of early Vedic Aryans was primarily of
  • a)
    Bhakti
  • b)
    Image worship and Yajnas
  • c)
    Worship of nature and Yajnas
  • d)
    Worship of nature and Bhakti
Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer?
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The religion of early Vedic Aryans was primarily ofa)Bhaktib)Image wor...
The most important sources for the study of Vedic Religion are the Vedas and Upanishads. We gain good knowledge of the Vedic Religion from the Vedas. The Vedic literature known as the Vedas, are basically religious books which the Hindus have considered as their sacred scripture.
The term Veda is derived from the term ‘Vid’ which means knowledge. There are four Vedas as follows:
  • Rig Veda,
  • Atharva Veda,
  • Sama Veda, and
  • Yajur Veda
Apart from the Vedas, all the Brahmanas, Aranyakas and Upanishads were written sometimes between 1000 to 600 B.C.
Rig Veda (oldest Veda): The oldest Veda is the Rig Veda, which is rather the oldest religious book of the world. It was completed approximately by four thousand B.C. Probably between the period of 1500 to 1000 B.C. It contains 1028 hymns that speak much of the religious ideas and outlooks of the early Aryan people in India, man’s environment and his surroundings induced him to discover his religion.
Nature worship in Vedas: The Vedic religion of Rig Vedic age revealed a close affinity between the human being and the nature surrounding him. The Vedic people used to worship various forms of natural phenomenon. The early Vedic aryan looked with awe and curiosity to the natural events around him like the fire, storm, thunder or even the scorching sun-rays. They didn’t know to control them, neither could understand why they happen. Naturally they imposed some divine characters on these natural events and began to call them gods. They worshipped these gods which were both male and female though the number of male gods was much more than those of the goddesses.
Simple religion: The religion of Rig Veda was essentially simple, though there were many gods, because the hymns were the product of a long period of priestly efforts and also represented the deities of various tribes. Most of the devotional objects were personified natural phenomena.
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The religion of early Vedic Aryans was primarily ofa)Bhaktib)Image wor...
Religion of early Vedic Aryans:
The religion of early Vedic Aryans was primarily based on the worship of nature and Yajnas. This can be understood through the following points:

Worship of Nature:
- The early Vedic Aryans worshipped various natural elements such as fire (Agni), sun (Surya), earth (Prithvi), wind (Vayu), etc.
- They believed in the divine presence in nature and considered these elements as deities.

Yajnas:
- Yajnas were elaborate rituals performed by the Aryans to appease the gods and seek their blessings.
- These rituals involved offerings of ghee, grains, and other items into the sacred fire while chanting Vedic hymns.
- Yajnas were seen as a way to establish a connection with the gods and maintain cosmic order.

Role of priests:
- The priests, known as Brahmins, played a significant role in conducting Yajnas and interpreting the sacred texts (Vedas).
- They were considered as intermediaries between the people and the gods, facilitating communication through rituals.

Transition towards Bhakti:
- While the early Vedic religion focused on nature worship and Yajnas, the later Vedic period witnessed the emergence of Bhakti, a devotional form of worship.
- Bhakti emphasized a personal and emotional connection with the divine, shifting the focus from elaborate rituals to heartfelt devotion.
In conclusion, the religion of early Vedic Aryans was characterized by the worship of nature and Yajnas, which laid the foundation for the development of Bhakti in later periods.
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PassageThe worship of female deities associated with fertility and childbirth, considered protectresses of children with the power to ward off disease, is an important aspect of popular religious practice all over India today. In the early historical period, such functions were associated with yakshis. Colossal stone images of Yakshis of this period have been found at many places. While the large stone statues of yakshas and yakshis indicate the prevalence of community worship in the public domain, the many smaller stone and terracotta images indicate that they were worshipped in a private, domestic context as well. In the Mathura area, colossal images of yakshas and yakshis disappear around the turn of the millennium, but the small statues are still found in large numbers, indicating their continuing importance as objects of worship in the domestic sphere. The worship of serpents—nagas and nagis (or naginis)—was another important aspect of religious worship that cut across religious boundaries. The nagas and nagis were associated with water and fertility. Like the yakshas and yakshis, they too were originally the focus of exclusive worship, but were in course of time absorbed into the dominant religions. Colossal naga figures belonging to the early centuries CE have been found in many places. Their imposing nature and the technical finesse of their carving make it amply clear that they do not represent a simple folk or village cult.With reference to the above passage, consider the following statements. Yakshis were supposed to be related to female fertility. Shaivism includes the worship of serpents.Which of the statements given above is/are incorrect?

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The religion of early Vedic Aryans was primarily ofa)Bhaktib)Image worship and Yajnasc)Worship of nature and Yajnasd)Worship of nature and BhaktiCorrect answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer?
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