LITERATURE in Ancient India

 

Religion

 

The literary traditions of ancient India are vast, diverse, and profound. They span a wide range of genres, languages, and religious backgrounds. Here's a brief overview:

  1. Vedic Literature (c. 1500 – 500 BCE):

    • Rigveda: The oldest of the Vedas, it's a collection of over 1,000 hymns dedicated to various deities.
    • Samaveda, Yajurveda, and Atharvaveda: These are the other three Vedas, each with its own unique focus on chants, liturgy, and spells.
    • Brahmanas: Prose texts that provide explanations for the rituals detailed in the Vedas.
    • Aranyakas and Upanishads: Philosophical texts that contemplate the inner meaning of sacrifices and explore metaphysical questions, respectively.

  2. Epics:

    • Ramayana: Attributed to the sage Valmiki, this epic narrates the life of Prince Rama, his wife Sita, and his loyal devotee Hanuman.
    • Mahabharata: One of the world's longest epics, it recounts the Kurukshetra war and the fates of the Kaurava and Pandava princes. Within this epic is the Bhagavad Gita, a spiritual and philosophical dialogue between Prince Arjuna and Lord Krishna.

  3. Puranas: These are ancient narratives that detail the histories of the universe from creation to destruction, genealogies of kings, heroes, sages, and demigods, and folk tales.

  4. Classical Sanskrit Literature (c. 500 BCE – 1000 CE):

    • Kavya: This refers to a broad category of classical Sanskrit poetic literature, exemplified by the works of poets like Kalidasa. His works such as "Abhijnana Shakuntalam" and "Raghuvamsa" are celebrated.
    • Drama and Theatre: Indian theatrical tradition thrived during this period. Bhasa, Shudraka, and Vishakhadatta were some of the notable playwrights.
    • Grammar and Linguistics: Panini's "Ashtadhyayi" is a foundational text for Sanskrit grammar.

  5. Pali and Prakrit Literature:

    • These languages were spoken by the common people and were used extensively in Jain and Buddhist scriptures.
    • Jataka Tales: Stories of the previous lives of the Buddha, in both human and animal form.
    • Jain texts, such as the Acaranga Sutra, were written in Ardhamagadhi Prakrit.

  6. Tamil Literature:

    • The Sangam Literature is a collection of poems and songs that provide insights into the social, political, and economic conditions of ancient Tamilakam (modern-day Tamil Nadu and Kerala).
    • Works like Tolkappiyam (a treatise on grammar) and epics like Silappathikaram and Manimekalai are notable.