RELIGION IN LATER VEDIC PERIOD

RELIGION IN LATER VEDIC PERIOD

In the later Vedic period, important changes took place in religious life. Rituals and formulae became prominent m the cult of sacrifice. Prajapati, the creator, became supreme among gods. Some of the minor gods of the Rigvedic period (e.g., Vishnu and Rudra) became important in the later Vedic period. Signs of idolatry also appeared. Some of the social orders came to have their own deities, e.g., Pushan, responsible for well-being of the cattle, became the god of the shudras. Though prayers still formed part of worship, they no longer were valued for placating the gods. Sacrifices However, towards the end of the period began a strong reaction against priestly domination and sacrificial cults and rituals with the composition of the Upanishads which valued right belief and knowledge more than anything else.