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Key terms in ancient India -
put all terms and meanings below in this manner.
Key terms in ancient India -
put all terms and meanings below in this manner.
Advent of the Aryans/Early Rig Vedic Age
|
Terms |
Meanings |
|
Avesta |
oldest text in the Iranian Language |
|
Naditarna |
Another name for River Saraswati, called the best of the rivers in the Rig Veda. |
|
Dasa/Dasyus |
indigenous inhabitants of India during Aryan migration |
|
Gavisthi |
Term for war/search for cows in Rig Veda |
|
Panchjana |
Aryans were divided into 5 tribes called Panchjana |
|
Ayas |
terms used for metals- copper/bronze in Rig Veda |
|
Samudra |
collection of water |
|
Rajan |
a kind of chief during Rig Vedic age |
|
Samiti/Sabha/Vidatha/Gana |
tribal or clan based assemblies |
|
Purohita |
head priest |
|
Bali |
voluntary offerings by people to the tribal chief |
|
Prajapati |
the officer who enjoyed authority over a large land or pasture ground. |
|
Kula |
Family |
|
Kulapas |
head of a family |
|
Gramanis |
head of the fighting hordes |
|
Vrajapati |
when the units settled after wars, the Gramini became head of the village,with course of time he came to be identified as Vrajapati. |
|
Vrata/Gana/Grama/Sardha |
Different tribal groups |
|
Jana |
tribe |
|
Griha |
family |
|
Kula |
family |
|
Purandara/Indra |
breaker of forts/ warlord |
|
Agni |
Fire God |
|
Varuna |
Water God |
|
Soma |
God of plants |
|
Aditi,Usha |
deities,denoting dawn. |
|
Kula |
family |
|
Kulapa |
head of the family |
|
Grama |
village |
|
Gramini |
head of the village |
|
Vis |
the clan |
|
Vispati |
head of the clan |
|
Jana |
the people |
|
Gopa/Gopati |
head of the Jana |
|
Rashtra |
territory/country |
|
Rajan |
head of the rashtra |
|
Senani |
army chief |
|
Purcharishnu |
moving fort made for fighting a war |
|
Kshira |
pakamodanam– grain cooked with milk |
|
Aghanya |
used for cow,meaning ‘not to be killed’ |
|
Sura and Soma |
alcoholic drinks |
Later Vedic Phase
|
Terms |
Meanings |
|
Shyam/Krishna Ayas |
Iron |
|
Shatapatha Brahman |
text talks about ploughing ritual |
|
Vrihi |
rice in Vedic texts |
|
Vis |
common people |
|
Rajasuya yajna |
sacrifice ritual meant to confer supreme power to the King |
|
Ashwamedha yajna |
unquestioned control over an area in which the royal horse ran uninterrupted |
|
Sangrihitri |
officer for collection of taxes and tributes |
|
Vis/Vaishya |
refractory people/common people |
|
Rajanyas |
close kinsmen of the King |
|
Upanayana |
investiture with the scared thread of 3 varnas according to the Vedic Texts |
|
Rathakar |
chariot maker |
|
Gotra |
Cowpen/place where cattle belonging to the whole clan are ekpt.Later it meant descent from a common ancestor |
|
Goghna |
a guest or someone who was fed on cattle. |
|
Yajna |
sacrifice rituals |
|
Yajmana |
one who performed Yajna |
Official Positions in Later Vedic age
|
Terms |
Meanings |
|
Purohita |
the priest |
|
Mahishi |
the queen |
|
Yuvraja |
crown prince |
|
Suta/Sarathi |
charioteer |
|
Senani |
General |
|
Gramani |
head of village |
|
Kshata |
gateman/chamberlain |
|
Sangrahitri |
treasurer |
|
Bhagadudha |
collector of taxes |
|
Akshavapa |
courier |
|
Palagala |
friend of king – mnemonics- Kings Pal |
|
Govikarta |
head of forest department |
|
Ganas |
corporations of merchants |
|
Sreshtins |
aldermen |
Teritorial States and the First Magadha Empire
|
Terms |
Meanings |
|
Janapada |
territory to which one belonged |
|
Ekarat |
title of Mahapadma Nanda- the sole soveregin who destroyed all other ruling princes |
|
Jaladurga |
water fort- Pataliputra in this case. |
State and Varna Society in the Age of Buddha
| Terms |
meaning |
Vessas |
monasterymonasterymonasterymonasterymonasterymonasterymonasterymonastery |
|
Nishka/Satmana |
coins/prestige objects made of metals |
|
Bhojaka |
village headmen |
|
Gahaptis |
merchant streets |
|
Mahamatras |
higher officials in the court |
|
Mantrin |
minister |
|
Senanayak |
commander |
|
Gramabhojaka/Gramani/Gramika |
a class of officers in the kingdom |
|
Balisadhakas |
different titles for village headmen |
|
Shaulkika/Shulkadhyaksha |
officers appointed to collect compulsory payments- earlier voluntary payments were called Bali. |
|
Parishad- small body similar to Samitis/sabhas |
toll officers who collected customs from traders |
|
Bhandagarika |
treasurer |
|
Gramabhojaka/Gramani/Gramika |
a class of officers in the kingdom |
The Age of The Mauryas
|
Terms |
Meaning |
|
Bherighosha |
policy of physical occupation |
|
Dhammaghosha |
policy of cultural conquest |
|
Rajukas |
officers vested with authority to reward or punish people as per policy of Dharma |
|
Sangiti |
Buddhist council |
|
Bhaga |
royal share of the produce |
|
Dhammamahamatra |
officer of Ashoka for propagating Dharma among social groups |
Significance of the Mauryan Rule
|
Terms |
Meaning |
|
Dharmapravartaka |
King/ promulgator of the social order |
|
Tirthas |
important functionaries in the administration |
|
Pana |
silver coin equal to 3/4 th of a tola |
|
Adhyakshas |
27 superintendents mostly to regulate the economic activities of the state |
|
Samaharta |
highest officer in charge of the assessment of the taxation |
|
Sannidhata |
chief custodian of the state treasury and store house |
|
Dushtamatyas |
wicked bureaucrats |
Central Asian Contacts and Their Results
|
Terms |
Meaning |
|
doab |
land between two rivers |
|
Strategos |
military governors- system introduced by Greeks |
|
Avadanas |
texts composed during progress of Mahayana Buddhism |
|
Yavanika |
curtains borrowed from Greeks |
|
Yavana |
branch of Greeks known to ancient India |
|
Horashastra |
term for astrology/horoscope in Sanskrit |
|
Drachma |
greek word for Drama |
|
Osadhi |
plants |
|
Ausadhi |
medicines |
The Age of the Satvahanas
|
Terms |
meaning |
|
Gandhikas |
term for perfumer artisans,later came to connote all kinds of shopkeepers- Gandhi word originated from here. |
|
Ahara |
districts |
|
Amatyas |
officials |
|
Mahamatras |
officials |
|
Gaulmika |
administrator of rural areas who was also the head of a military regiment |
|
Kataka and Skandhavaras |
military camps and settlements which served as administrative centres so long as the king was there. |
|
Raja |
a king,first grade of feudatories- could issue coins |
|
Mahabhoja |
2nd grade of feudatories |
|
Senapati |
3rd grade of beneficiaries |
|
Chaityas |
sacred shrines.Buddhist temples |
|
Vihara |
monastery |
|
Gathasattasai/Gathasaptasati |
a Prakrit text attributed to Satvahana King Hala. |
The Dawn of History in the Deep South
|
Terms |
meaning |
|
Enadi |
title given to captains of the army in the Sangam age |
|
Vellalas |
Rich peasants under Cholas and Pandyas who also held civil and military offices- formed the 4th caste |
|
Kadaisiyar |
lowest class which did agricultural operations |
|
Pariyars |
agricultural labourers who also worked in animal skins and used them as mats. |
|
Murugan/Subramaniya |
chief local God worshipped by people of the hilly region |
|
Virarkal |
practice of raising hero stones |
|
Tolkkappiyam |
test dealing with grammar and poetics. |
