1 30 HISTORY OF TUE PANJAB.
2 qher civilization. with the arts of spinning and weaving and of working in leather. They
3 bad among them smiths, carpenters, carriage-makers, ship-builders, gold-
4 smiths and other artisans. They possessed some knowledge of navigation ;
5 they had physicians among them who understood the healing properties
6 of herbs, of which mention is made in the Vedic hymns. Frequent mention
7 is made of drinking-houses and of dice, of musicians and of dancers. Gaily-
8 attired females, with “their hair in four knots,” and dressed in “ beautiful
9 garments,” were coveted. Yet monogamy seems to have been the rule,
10 and a prince had to content himself with one wife. A maiden could choose
11 Social customs. her husband. She was accounted happy “because she could make choice
12 of a husband in the nation.” The marriage ceremony was looked upon with
13 solemnity. ‘The husband and wife are described as “rulers of the house.”
14 The contrast between the social customs and usages of the ancient
15 Aryas and the Hindus of the present day is in some instances striking.
16 Woman enjoyed a higher social status in Vedic times than that now accorded
17 her. She was termed “the light of the dwelling.” She had the privilege
18 of acquiring knowledge, and some of the most eloquent hymns in the
19 Vedas are attributed to female authors, ladies and queens. Child-marriage,
20 although not absolutely prohibited, was not encouraged. Distinctions of
21 Vistinction ofeaste caste were unknown, and Brahminism represented a profession, not a dis-
22 BESHOWE: tinct caste. The Brahminical office, indeed, comprehended a variety of
23 avocations, and the members of the fraternity performed military duties,
24 carried on mercantile business, or engaged in agriculture at pleasure. The
25 Thetrideas of futuro Vedas did not teach the doctrine of the transmigration of souls. It was
26 His firmly believed that the dead went to the regions of heaven to rejoin there
27 the heroes who had gone before them, to live with friends who’ dwelt in
28 eternal bliss, and to behold their parents, wives, and children. “Enter
29 on the old path in which our forefathers have gone; go to our forefathers;
30 there abide with Yama in the highest heaven and prosper among the
31 people of Yama;* depart thou, depart thou to the world of righteous-
32 ness; meet the ancients, meet Yama.” Such was the Vedic farewell to
33 the dead, An invocation to the god Agni says: “Let him, O Agni, rejoin
34 the fathers, for he drew near to thee with the libations of sacrifice.” Yama
35 is then invoked: “Surround him, Yama, with thy protection against
36 the hounds who watch for thee, the guardians of thy path, and give him
37 And of the next health and a painless life.” The next world is described as “imperishable,
38 orks unchangeable, where there is eternal life and splendour, where is the sanc-
39 tuary of heaven, where the great waters flow, where there is ambrosia
40 (amrita) with peace, joy and delight, and where all wishes and desires are
41 fulfilled.” The Hindu Philosophy of successive purgations of the spirit in
42 bide Sa of existeuce, till it is absorbed into the essence of the deity,
43 s are unknown in Vedic times. This belief was held by the Druids of
44 = Wiewantg tea gat eee s aa and by the priests of ancient Egypt.
45 “ual Bp te ‘le of hk aes i ae of sdti, of the burning of a widow on the funeral
46 oes ge ter Husband, was not sanctioned by the Vedas. On the contrary,
47 a widow was exhorted « to return to the world of life,” as she had done her
48 ane duty to her husband. Unlike the Hindus of the present day, the ancient
49 eee aa poe oa a oe as an article of food. There were atone time
50 uct eating gals and Deeteating worshippers” Aga the god of fi,
51 gaura and gavdya "Grease ae 300 buffaloes.” ‘The haunts of
52 : £ of cows) are mentioned, whither Indra has
53 * Yama is believed to have been the
54 imunortal. Having seen the way to th
55 5 : first man who, passing through death, became
56 Bea suite,
57 € next world, he conducts people there and acts for them
58 Sri Satguru J agjit Singh Ji eLibrary NamdhariElibrary@ gmail.com