| Nature of Worship |
- There was no temple or idol worship
They practiced primitive animism(worshipped forces of nature such as wind, rain, water, etc.) |
- Idol worship is prominent
- Sacrificesbecame more elaborateand important
- Brahmans gained in importance and they maintained their supremacy
- They performed yajnas (rituals) such as Ashvamedha, Vajapeya, etc. to establish their authority over the chiefs and their territory
|
| Male Gods |
- Indra (most important): God of thunder/rain
- Agni: God of fire
- Varuna: God of water
- Soma: God of plants
- Yama: God of death
- Pushan: God of jungle paths, herdsmen, and cattle
- Vishnu: Benevolent god
- Marutas: god of storm
Ashvins: twin god of war and fertility |
- Indra and Agni lost importance and Prajapati (god of creation) emerged supreme
- Vishnu, Rudra(previously minor god) became prominent
- Division in the class of deities appeared e.g. Pushan (god of cattle) became the god of Shudras
|
