The Brahman priestly class had lost much of its prestige, suggesting that the religion of the Vedas with its worship of natural phenomena no longer had as much appeal as in earlier times. The intellectual classes of the period were interested in the Upanishadic philosophy, which identified àtman (individual soul) with brahman (cosmic principle). They could no longer be satisfied with seemingly primitive religious beliefs that deified natural phenomena. In addition, the Aryans had come into contact with Dravidian religion and had been influenced by it. All of these factors helped create an environment conducive to the development ofnew religious beliefs.