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Question 17 of 72 · Vedic Period
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The details of the royal consecration (coronation) ceremony are described in which Vedic text?

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Answer: Option C — Aitareya Brahmana

Detailed Solution

The Aitareya Brahmana, attached to the Rigveda, describes the rituals of royal consecration (coronation) in detail.

About the Aitareya Brahmana:

  • It is one of the two Brahmanas of the Rigveda (the other is the Kaushitaki or Shankhayana Brahmana).
  • It is traditionally attributed to the sage Mahidasa Aitareya.
  • It has 40 adhyayas (chapters), divided into 8 "panchikas" (groups of five).
  • It explains the meaning and procedures of various sacrifices, especially the soma sacrifice.

Coronation rituals in the Aitareya Brahmana:

  • It describes the "Aindra Mahabhisheka", the great consecration modelled on that of the god Indra, and lists ancient kings who were consecrated in this way.
  • It mentions the oath taken by the king at the time of consecration, promising not to harm his people.
  • It also describes the "Punarabhisheka" (re-consecration).
  • It contains political ideas about kingship, including the story that the gods chose Indra as their king because they needed a leader to win against the demons.
  • It mentions different types of rulers in different directions, such as "Samrat" in the east, "Svarat" in the west, and "Virat" in the north.
  • It also contains the story of Shunahshepa, a boy who was to be sacrificed but was saved by praying to the gods.

Royal rituals of the later Vedic period:

  • "Rajasuya": a sacrifice for the consecration of a king, which was believed to give him supreme power.
  • "Vajapeya": a sacrifice including a chariot race, in which the king won against his kinsmen.

About Brahmanas:

  • Brahmanas are prose texts attached to the Vedas, which explain the rituals and their meaning.
  • Examples: Aitareya and Kaushitaki (Rigveda); Shatapatha and Taittiriya (Yajurveda); Panchavimsha (Samaveda).

Why not the other options?

  • ✗The Gopatha Brahmana is attached to another Veda.
  • ✗The Chandogya and Kena Upanishads are philosophical texts.

Quick tip

Remember: coronation rituals (Aindra Mahabhisheka) = Aitareya Brahmana (Rigveda; attributed to Mahidasa Aitareya); Rajasuya, Vajapeya and Ashvamedha = royal sacrifices.

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Vedic Period — Preparation

This question tests your understanding of Vedic Period, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.

The Vedic period followed the arrival of the Indo-Aryans and is divided into the Early (Rig Vedic) and Later Vedic ages. This topic covers the four Vedas, the Brahmanas, Aranyakas and Upanishads, Vedic society, polity, economy and religion, and the rivers and gods mentioned in Vedic texts. Exams often ask which Veda deals with what (the Sama Veda with music, the Atharva Veda with charms and medicine), the most important Rig Vedic god (Indra), and Vedic assemblies such as the Sabha and Samiti. Note how society changed from the Early to the Later Vedic age, especially the rise of the varna system and the growth of kingship. Practise the Vedic period questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.

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