Q. Which of the following statements with regard to Later Vedic society is/are correct?
1.Child marriage and Sati were codified and enforced across all sections of society.
2.Female scholars like Gargi and Maitreyi actively participated in advanced philosophical debates.
3.Groups like the Chandala, Nishada, and Shabara emerged on the margins of society, marking the early stages of untouchability.
Select the answer using the code given below:
Answer: B
Notes:
Detailed Explanation:
- Statement 1 is incorrect: While isolated textual references to child marriage and widow immolation appear, they were not dominant or universally enforced social practices in the Later Vedic era.
- Statement 2 is correct: Elite women continued to achieve intellectual distinction; notably, Gargi Vachaknavi challenged the sage Yajnavalkya in a famous debate recorded in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad.
- Statement 3 is correct: Occupational specialization and rigid Varna boundaries led to the marginalization of indigenous groups such as the Chandalas, Nishadas, and Shabaras.
