The Sarasvatî, a sacred river in Vedic culture, played a central role in the spiritual, social and economic life of the civilization of the 7 rivers. Glorified as a goddess, the Sarasvati was venerated in the Vedic texts, notably in the Rig Veda, where she symbolized knowledge, purity and abundance. She was also an axis of life for the populations who lived on her banks, notably the Pûrus, a Vedic federation from which the Bharatas came. This last name is also at the origin of the modern name of India, « Bharat ».
The Purus were settled on both sides of the Sarasvati, which shows the importance of this river for the organization of their communities. It allowed agriculture, trade and also served as a setting for religious rituals. Many Vedic ceremonies took place near its banks, and the Sarasvati was evoked for its creative and protective force.
Yet, around 1900 BCE, the river began to dry up, marking a turning point for this civilization. Geological studies have shown that earthquakes caused changes in the Sarasvati’s main tributaries, including the Yamuna and Sutlej, which changed their course. This deprived the Sarasvati of its flow, gradually causing it to dry up.
The drying up of the Sarasvati was a fatal blow to the civilization of the seven rivers. Without this river, the towns and villages that had grown up around it had to be abandoned or relocated, and the agricultural and commercial way of life was greatly disrupted. This contributed to the decline of this civilization, which had already suffered other environmental and social challenges.
Today, the mystery of the Sarasvati continues to fascinate researchers and archaeologists, who are trying to understand its exact role in the ancient history of India and the precise reasons for its drying up. But it is clear that this river was much more than a simple waterway: it was the heart of the civilization of the 7 rivers, a civilization that deeply marked Vedic culture and Indian history.
Le Rig Veda 
Laisser un commentaire