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Vol. XXV, 2002
JAINISM A PROMINENT LIVING INDIGENOUS CULTURE 127
the process of expansion which would develop the whole universe by its theory of Advaita. Both these processes went on together for thousand of years influencing each other with the result that the absorbing power of the Aryan mind made it possible to evolve a synthesis wherein both become complimentary to each other and both became two aspects of the same composite culture.
Process of Synthesis
Indian culture has two trends the first one in Vedic and second one in
Śramanica. They are known as Aryan-Vedic culture and non-Aryan-Śramana culture. The composite culture of India is a form of synthesis and the process of synthesis were started with the emergence of Upanisada era, scholars assume it was a time period of about 800 B.C. and after. It is assumed that the social, economic and political interaction between Aryana settlers and their more advanced non-Aryan brothers, enriched their knowledge of the former. They began to interpret their Vedas in the light of this enhanced knowledge. At this stage, a recapitulation of periodic division of early Indian history would be of some interest to understand the long process of integration of the nonAryana cultures, 28
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The time period of integration of the two cultures may be estimated roughly to 3500 B.C. to 1500 B.C. and is considered to be the period of Indus valley civilization of non-Aryana races in India. This coincides with the Sumerian and Akkad civilizations of Middle east, prepared in about 2300 B.C. (They were also river valley civilizations) and Minoan civilization of Crete. Thus the period corresponding over two thousand years can be carved out for River valley civilization which spread over northern and western parts of India extending upto Saurastra in Gujarat. It is a story which is five to six thousand years ago.2
Aryana invasion of India dated approximately before 1500 B.C. i. e., about three to four thousand years ago from today, practically considered with the Hellenic invasion of Greece. They seem to have brought some portions of Rgveda and other Vedas with them. From 1500 B. C. to 800 B.C.
a period of about 700 years may be termed as Vedic and subsequent Brahmana period. Brāhmaṇas elaborate the rules and details for the employment of the mantras or hymns at various sacrificial rituals. As a result of which the priestly class, with sole and exclusive right of performing rituals gained much social prominence and virtually dominated the society. During this period the Aryans had completely settled and had fully vanquished the
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