5: The Early Vedic Religion and the Afterlife

This episode looks at the ancient Vedic Religion, the ancestor of modern Hinduism which developed in northwestern India in the second millennium BCE. We talk about its concept of reincarnation, which takes place in other worlds rather than in this one, and the different factors that might influence into which world one is reborn. We also discuss the various hypotheses about the origins of the Vedic Religion, including its connection to the mysterious Indus Valley Civilization, whose writing remains undeciphered.This episode was originally recorded in August of 2025 for The End of the World with Michael and Stu.