INDIAN LITERATURE
Art and Culture
INTRODUCTION
• Indian civilization has produced rich literature covering religion, philosophy, science, polity and society.
• Indian literature is broadly classified into:
• Religious literature – Vedas, Upanishads, Epics, Puranas, Smritis
• Secular literature – Arthashastra, Rajatarangini, biographies, scientific texts
ANCIENT INDIAN LITERATURE
VEDIC LITERATURE
• ‘Veda’ derived from Sanskrit root ‘Vid’ meaning ‘to know’
• Considered divine revelations (Shruti) and eternal (Nitya)
• Compiled roughly between 1500–1000 BC
• Four Vedas:
• Rig Veda
• Yajur Veda
• Sama Veda
• Atharva Veda
• Each Veda has four components:
• Samhita
• Brahmana
• Aranyaka
• Upanishad
TYPES OF VEDIC LITERATURE
• Shruti Literature
• Vedas, Brahmanas, Aranyakas, Upanishads
• Smriti Literature
• Vedangas, Puranas, Itihasa, Upavedas, Shad Darshana, Dharmashastras
RIG VEDA
• Oldest Veda
• 1028 hymns divided into 10 Mandalas
• Family Mandalas – 2nd to 7th
• Chief deity – Indra
• Other deities – Agni, Varuna, Rudra, Vayu, Surya, Ashwini twins
• Gayatri Mantra – 3rd Mandala
• Associated Brahmanas:
• Aitareya Brahmana
• Kaushitaki Brahmana
YAJUR VEDA
• Ritualistic Veda
• Associated with Adhvaryu priests
• Two parts:
• Krishna Yajurveda (prose)
• Shukla Yajurveda (verse)
• Important texts:
• Taittiriya Brahmana
• Satapatha Brahmana
• Important Upanishads:
• Brihadaranyaka
• Isha
• Katha
• Svetasvatara
SAMA VEDA
• Veda of melodies
• Only about 75 original hymns
• Foundation of Indian classical music
• Important Brahmanas:
• Panchavimsha Brahmana
• Jaiminiya Brahmana
• Important Upanishads:
• Chhandogya
• Kena
ATHARVA VEDA
• Deals with daily life, medicine and magic
• Associated with Rishis Atharva and Angira
• Mentions treatment of diseases
• Important texts:
• Gopatha Brahmana
• Mundaka Upanishad (Satyameva Jayate)
UPAVEDAS
• Dhanurveda – Rigveda
• Shilpaveda – Yajurveda
• Gandharvaveda – Samaveda
• Ayurveda – Atharvaveda
VEDANGAS
• Nirukta – Etymology
• Vyakarana – Grammar
• Shiksha – Phonetics
• Chhanda – Metres
• Jyotisha – Astronomy
• Kalpa – Rituals
EPICS (ITIHASA)
RAMAYANA
• Written by Valmiki
• 24,000 verses
• 7 Kandas
• Theme – Victory of Dharma over Adharma
MAHABHARATA
• Written by Ved Vyasa
• About 1,00,000 verses
• 18 Parvas
• Includes Bhagavad Gita
PURANAS
• 18 Mahapuranas
• Narrate mythology, genealogy and cosmology
• Important Puranas:
• Vishnu
• Bhagavata
• Matsya
• Agni
• Written in story form for masses
SANSKRIT LITERATURE
• Drama – Bharata’s Natyashastra
• Poetry – Kalidasa, Bharavi, Magha, Jayadeva
• Law – Manusmriti
• Statecraft – Arthashastra (Kautilya)
• Science – Charaka Samhita, Sushruta Samhita, Aryabhatiya
BUDDHIST LITERATURE
• Written mainly in Pali
• Canonical literature – Tripitaka:
• Vinaya Pitaka
• Sutta Pitaka
• Abhidhamma Pitaka
• Non-canonical:
• Jatakas
• Buddhacharita – Ashvaghosha
• Other texts:
• Dipavamsa
• Mahavamsa
• Milinda Panho
JAIN LITERATURE
• Written in Prakrit and Ardha-Magadhi
• Canonical texts – Jain Agamas
• Svetambara accepts Agamas, Digambara rejects
• Important works:
• Kalpasutra – Bhadrabahu
• Tattvartha Sutra – Umaswati
• Shatkhandagama – Digambara
SANGAM LITERATURE
• Tamil literature (300 BC – 300 AD)
• Two themes:
• Aham – Love
• Puram – Valor and ethics
• Major collections:
• Ettuttokai
• Pattuppattu
• Important works:
• Tolkappiyam
• Silappadikaram
• Manimekalai
MEDIEVAL LITERATURE
PERSIAN LITERATURE
• Court language of Sultanate and Mughals
• Amir Khusrau – poetry
• Baburnama – Babur
• Akbarnama and Ain-i-Akbari – Abul Fazl
URDU LITERATURE
• Developed from Persian and Hindi
• Major poets:
• Mirza Ghalib
• Mir Taqi Mir
• Iqbal
HINDI LITERATURE
• Influenced by Bhakti movement
• Important poets:
• Kabir
• Tulsidas
• Surdas
• Mirabai
MODERN LITERATURE
• Nationalist themes
• Hindi writers:
• Bharatendu Harishchandra
• Premchand
• Nirala
• Harivansh Rai Bachchan
• Bengali writers:
• Bankim Chandra Chatterjee
• Rabindranath Tagore
• Marathi writers:
• Jnaneshwar
• Tukaram
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Subject: Art and Culture
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