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Pre-Vedic society refers to the Rigvedic society where the society was egalitarian. In the Rig Vedic period, the social system was based on cooperation and participation. At this time the society was not patriarchal despite being patriarchal, daughters were treated like sons and there was equality in education and rights, while by the later Vedic period, inequalities began to arise in the society.

The basis of the Rigvedic society was the family in which the father or elder brother was the lord of the family. The father took full care of the family’s grief and happiness. The Rigvedic society was initially devoid of class discrimination. All people had equal social prestige. All the people of this time were called Aryas. In the Rig Vedic period, the term Varna was used in the sense of color, but sometimes it is also used in the sense of occupation.

At the beginning of the Rigvedic society three varnas are mentioned which were called Brahma, Kshatra, Vishu. Later, a fourth Varna named Shudra was born into the society. The Shudra varna is mentioned for the first time in the Purusha Sukta of the tenth mandala of the Rigveda. In the Purusha Sukta, the origin of the four varnas was told from a great man. Till now the varna was not based on birth, but it was based on business as a sage in the Rigveda says, “I am a poet, my father is a Vaidya and my mother grinds food.” Therefore, it can be said that the Varna system in the Rigvedic society was based on karma, which eventually appears in a narrow form.

The Rigvedic social structure begins to break down in the later Vedic period. Now the varna system was determined not on the basis of karma but on the basis of birth. The birth-based varna system promoted social complexity. This complex social system created mutual distinctions and divided the society into two classes ‘Suvidha Bhogi’ and ‘Suvidha Vikas’. The facilitator created the social structure in such a way that the production surplus could remain in favor of the two upper classes.

The Chaturvarna system was established in the later Vedic period. In this, Brahmins and Kshatriyas became established as privileged varnas. The best place in the society was that of a Brahmin. The Brahmin established himself in a high place through the process of yajna and chanting. After the Brahmin, the place of Kshatriyas used to come. During this period, when iron equipment was encouraged as war weapons, the position of the Kshatriyas became stronger and in the name of security, this varna claimed a portion of the production surplus.

At this time the third class was the Vaishya class who existed as the sole producer and taxpayer which is called unsubbalikrita in the Shatapatha Brahmin. These three varnas were placed in the category of Dwij, these three varnas were given the right of Upanayana rites. There was a varna Shudra separated from these three varnas, its responsibility was to serve the above three varnas. In the Purusha Sukta of the tenth mandala of the Rigveda, an attempt was made to provide a religious ceremonial basis to the division of varna.

In the later Vedic period, the social condition of women declined comparatively, now the entry of women in social organizations like Sabha and Samiti was forbidden. In the later Vedic text Etreva Brahmin, sons are considered as the protector of the family and daughters are the cause of sorrow. Similarly, in Maitreyi Samhita, women were counted among the three major evils along with dhut and liqueur. In the Taittiriya Samhita, the woman is also considered inferior to the Shudra. The entry of women into social life gradually decreased. The religious rights of women also started to vary.

The concept of gotra developed in post-Vedic society, which is an aspect of social change. The word gotra originated from the word Gotha, meaning those whose cows were tied together were considered to be of a community, then people of a tribe started to be considered of equal blood relation and from here the concept of gotra continued to develop and egalitarian society. Partition went on which is reflected today in its complex form.

In conclusion, there were religious, political, and economic changes due to the changes in the society of the post-Vedic period compared to the pre-Vedic society, which changed the egalitarian nature of the society according to time and needs.