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84 T HEMES IN INDIAN H ISTORY But what is the significance of this monument? ➲ Discuss... Why was the mound built and what did it contain? Compare what Shahjehan Why is there a stone railing around it? Who built Begum described with what the complex or paid for its construction? When was you see in Fig. 4.3. What it “discovered”? There is a fascinating story that we similarities and differences do can uncover at Sanchi for which we must combine information from texts, sculpture, architecture and you notice? inscriptions. Let us begin by exploring the background of the early Buddhist tradition. 2. The Background: Sacrifices and Debates The mid-first millennium BCE is often regarded as a Source 1 A prayer to Agni turning point in world history: it saw the emergence of thinkers such as Zarathustra in Iran, Kong Zi in China, Socrates, Plato and Aristotle in Greece, and Here are two verses from the Mahavira and Gautama Buddha, among many Rigveda invoking Agni, the god others, in India. They tried to understand the of fire, often identified with the sacrificial fire, into which mysteries of existence and the relationship between offerings were made so as to human beings and the cosmic order. This was also reach the other deities: the time when new kingdoms and cities were developing and social and economic life was changing Bring, O strong one, this in a variety of ways in the Ganga valley (Chapters 2 sacrifice of ours to the gods, and 3). These thinkers attempted to understand O wise one, as a liberal giver.these developments as well. Bestow on us, O priest, abundant food. Agni, obtain, 2.1 The sacrificial tradition by sacrificing, mighty wealth There were several pre-existing traditions of thought, for us. religious belief and practice, including the early Vedic tradition, known from the Rigveda, compiled between Procure, O Agni, for ever c.1500 and 1000 BCE. The Rigveda consists of hymns to him who prays to you (the gift of) nourishment, the in praise of a variety of deities, especially Agni, Indra wonderful cow. May a son be and Soma. Many of these hymns were chanted when sacrifices were performed, where people prayed for ours, offspring that continues cattle, sons, good health, long life, etc. our line … At first, sacrifices were performed collectively. Verses such as these were Later (c. 1000 BCE-500 BCE onwards) some were composed in a special kind of performed by the heads of households for the well- Sanskrit, known as Vedic being of the domestic unit. More elaborate sacrifices, Sanskrit. They were taught such as the rajasuya and ashvamedha, were orally to men belonging to priestly families. performed by chiefs and kings who depended on Brahmana priests to conduct the ritual. 2.2 New questions ➲ List the objectives of Many ideas found in the Upanishads (c. sixth century the sacrifice. BCE onwards) show that people were curious about the meaning of life, the possibility of life after death, Reprint 2026-27