2. Asato Ma Sad Gamaya
Tamaso Ma Jyotir Gamaya
Mrityor Ma Amritam Gamaya
Om Shanti Shanti Shanti.
Lead Us From the Unreal To Real,
Lead Us From Darkness To Light,
Lead Us From Death To Immortality,
Aum (the universal sound of God)
Let There Be Peace Peace Peace.
CLICK: LISTEN TO SOME RENDITIONS OF THIS CHANT.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16. INDUS RIVER VALLEY CIVILIZATION
1. Indus River Valley Civilization spanned the years 3300
to 1300BCE.
2. In the absence of a translatable script, discovery and
study of Harappan cities pushed archaeology to its
limits. It was a great success for the field.
3. The cities were complex for its time. They
manufactured bronze, were ruled over by a priestly
class, and had a well-developed drainage and sewage
system (the first for its time).
20. THE VEDIC AGE : The Aryan People
In 1780, William Jones noticed a deep similarity
between Sanskrit and Latin.
Meaning Sanskrit Latin
three trayas tres
seven sapta septem
father pitar pater
mother matar mater
snake sarpa serpens
king raja regem
god devas divus
The Aryans are credited with the spread, and most likely origin, of
the Indo-European languages.
21. THE VEDIC AGE : The Aryan People
Aryan social structure
1. The Aryans had two basic divisions:
noble and common.
2. The non-Aryans comprised a third: the
Dasas (or Dravidian).
3. A raja ruled over a society with the
assistance of a Chief Priest and a circle
of other ritualists.
4. By the Brahmanic Era (1000 – 500BCE),
the priests gained enormous power and
influence.
23. THE VEDIC AGE: The Caste System
The caste system is a ritual or spiritual hierarchy (and
may not represent economic or physical or reality).
Only the upper three castes can participate in social,
political, and religious life.
The Brahmin were often at an advantage with their claim
to exclusive knowledge of sacred texts.
24. THE VEDIC AGE: The Caste System
Thus, a large segment of society
was far removed from political
and religious life.
Brahmin performed rituals and
spoke about the gods, but these
meant nothing to the ordinary
person.
There was a need for social justice and a path
for the ordinary person to achieve salvation.
This was the ethos of Indian religion.
