Consider the following statements regarding the early Vedic society and economy: 1. Pastoralism was the mainstay of the early Vedic economy, with cattle serving as the primary unit of wealth and exchange. 2. The society was thoroughly egalitarian, with absolute absence of occupational specialization or social stratification. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

💡 Solution & Explanation

The first statement is correct because early Vedic tribes were primarily pastoralists who measured affluence in cattle heads, as evidenced by terms like gavishti meaning search for cows. The second statement is incorrect because although rigid hereditary caste barriers had not solidified, early Vedic society already exhibited basic occupational differentiation involving priests, warriors, and common cultivators. This laid the foundation for the fourfold Varna order that became rigid in the later Vedic period.