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There are distinct references to voyage by sea and shipwrecks. So far as the food is concerned it appears from the Vedas that these pious worshippers of nature-gods did use animal food. We have frequent allusions in the Vedas to the cooking of cows, buffaloes and bulls. There is mention of slaughter-houses where cows were killed, there are allusions to the sacrifices of horses, bulls and rams, the fermented juice of the soma plant was the intoxi. cating drink of these people and they go into ecstacy over the virtues and the exhilarating powers of soma. " O Soma ! there is nothing so bright as thou. When poured out thou welcomest all gods to bestow on them immortality.” The praiseworthy soma has from ancient times been the drink of the gods, he was milked from the bidden recesses of the sky, he was created for Indra and was extolled." "In that realm where there is perennial light, and where the heaven is placed, O Soma, lead me to that deathless and iinmortal realm. Flow thou for Indra." Such passages as these are to be found throughout the ninth book of the Rig-Veda.
With regard to the social status of the people, they led a very simple life. There were no castes in the modern sense in those times. There were indeed Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Sudras; but there were no iron-bound rules prohibiting one caste from all intercourse with the other. Truly
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