Brief Summary
This video explores the rich history of Indian literature, starting with the ancient texts in Sanskrit, Pali, Prakrit, and Dravidian languages. It covers the Vedas, Upanishads, Puranas, and epics like the Ramayana and Mahabharata, as well as non-religious works. The video also discusses the development of Dravidian languages and their literature, highlighting key texts and figures.
- Literature reflects society and helps understand the past.
- Sanskrit is the foundation of many Indo-Aryan languages.
- Vedas are the oldest texts, divided into four types: Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samaveda, and Atharvaveda.
- Upanishads focus on philosophical questions and are part of Vedanta.
- Puranas tell stories of gods and are written in simple language.
- Ramayana and Mahabharata are important epics.
- Pali and Prakrit languages were used for Buddhist and Jain texts.
- Tamil is the oldest Dravidian language with Sangam literature.
Introduction to Indian Literature
Literature serves as a mirror to society, reflecting its conditions and allowing insight into the past and the perspectives of ancestors. This understanding aids in comprehending the present culture and society, and even predicting future events. India's literary tradition is one of the world's oldest, with the Vedas in Sanskrit forming the foundation of Sanatan Dharma and Indian civilization. Ancient India produced both religious and non-religious literature, with dramas by Kalidasa being translated into Hindi. This literary history forms an unbroken chain connecting the present to the past, with the video focusing on Sanskrit, Pali, Prakrit, and Dravidian languages.
Sanskrit Literature
Sanskrit, one of the world's oldest languages, began developing in the Vedic Age around 1500 BC and is considered the Mother of All Indo-Arian Languages. Its influence is evident in Prakrit, Pali, Dravidian languages, and modern languages like Hindi, Bengali, and Arabic. Sanskrit literature includes the Vedas, Upanishads, Puranas, and non-religious texts like Kautilya's Arthashastra and Kalidasa's Abhijnana Shakuntalam.
The Vedas
The Vedas, meaning knowledge, are considered divine and eternal in Sanatan Dharma, treating the universe as one family. Written between 3000 BC and 1000 BC and orally transmitted for a long time, they were compiled in written form around 600 BC. The four major types are Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samaveda, and Atharvaveda. The Rigveda, the oldest, contains 1028 Sanskrit hymns based on life, death, creation, and sacrifice, dedicated to gods like Indra, Agni, Varuna, and female deities like Usha and Prithvi. Society during the Rigveda was mostly nature worshippers.
Yajurveda, Samaveda and Atharvaveda
The Yajurveda focuses on mantras and rituals for sacrifice, serving as a guidebook for sages conducting sacrificial rituals. The Samaveda contains 1875 hymns arranged as musical ragas and raginis, known as the Book of Chant, proving that Indian music developed in the Vedic Age. The Atharva Veda, also known as the Brahma Veda, deals with peace and prosperity in daily life and methods for treating ailments using mantras and kriyas, sometimes being referred to as a book of black magic.
Vedangas and Brahmanas
To understand the Vedas, scholars defined the six Vedangas: Shiksha (Education), Nirukta (Atomic Verses), Matrix in Sanskrit Grammar, Jyotisha (Astronomy), and Vyakarana (Grammar). Panini's Ashta Adhyaya, written around 400 BC, defines Sanskrit grammar rules. Commentaries called Brahmanas provide detailed explanations of Vedic mantras, divided into Brahmanas (explanations of Vedic rituals) and Aranyakas (abstract topics like soul, birth, and death). The final part of Aranyakas, the Upanishads, address philosophical questions. The Vedas developed over ages with sages adding to them, and many commentaries were later accepted as part of the Vedas.
Upanishads
The Upanishads, also called Vedanta, represent the Guru-disciple tradition, with disciples acquiring knowledge in the presence of their Guru. Written in Sanskrit, they are the last part of the Vedas and deal with philosophical questions like life, death, and salvation. Although 200 Upanishads have been written, 108 of them are popular. They focus on propagating knowledge and right beliefs. Popular Upanishads include Kathopanishad, Mundaka Upanishad, and Shveta Ashvata Upanishad. Satyameva Jayate is enshrined in the National Elam of India.
Puranas
The Puranas tell the story of the universe from its formation to its destruction, focusing on the Hindu trinity of Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahesh. The 18 Puranas each tell the story of an important god and explain philosophical and religious concepts. Written in simple language and story form, they became popular among the common people. The popularity of the Puranas led to the creation of Upapuranas, or minor Puranas, which also tell stories of important deities.
Ramayana and Mahabharata
The Ramayana and the Mahabharata have become enshrined in the collective memory of Hindu society. The most popular version of the Ramayana is the one written by Valmiki, also called the Adi Kavya, with Valmiki considered the Adi Kavi. The Valmiki Ramayana is written in 24,000 verses, divided into seven parts called kands, depicting important events in the life of Lord Shri Ram and Mother Sita. The Ramayana represents the victory of good over evil and shows a practical path to achieve Dharma, Artha, Kama, and Moksha. The Mahabharata, like the Ramayana, has different versions, with the most important one written by Veda Vyasa. Initially containing 8,800 verses called Jaya, it expanded to 24,000 verses called Bharata, and its current form consists of 100,000 verses called the Mahabharata. The Mahabharata depicts the conflict between the Kauravas and the Pandavas, with Lord Krishna as the main narrator. The Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna's message to Arjuna before the war, speaks of Dharma, Karma, and Righteousness.
Non-Religious Sanskrit Literature
In addition to religious literature, many non-religious works were written in Sanskrit, including drama, poetry, prose, and scientific texts. Popular Sanskrit dramatists include Kalidasa, Sudraka, Vaishakh Datta, Bhava Bhooti, and Bhasha. Kalidasa's Abhigyan Shakuntalam tells the story of King Dushyanta and Shakuntala. Other works by Kalidasa include Vikram Vasya and Malavika Agni Mitra. Sanskrit poetry includes Kumar Sambhav, Raghuvansh, Meghdootam, and Ritu Sambhara by Kalidasa. Hari Sen wrote poems describing the bravery of Samudra Gupta.
Manusmriti and Arthashastra
Manusmriti is a Dharma Sutra traditional text that describes the roles of men and women in society, upholding a caste-based society and prescribing different punishments for different castes for the same crime, making it a controversial text. The Arthashastra of the Mauryan period, written by Chanakya or Vishnu Gupta, is important for understanding the social administration and economic conditions of the Mauryan period. Chanakya's teachings are still considered important for diplomacy and statecraft.
Pali and Prakrit Literature
In the post-Vedic era, literature was composed in Pali and Prakrit, making these languages prominent. Buddhist and Jain texts played a very important role, and both languages became the languages of the common people. Buddha delivered his sermons in Pali. The Tripitakas (Vinaya Pataka, Sutta Pataka, and Adham Pataka) were composed in Pali. Vinaya Pataka deals with the rules and regulations of daily life, Sutta Pataka deals with morality and Dhamma, and Dhamma Pataka deals with philosophy and metaphysics. The Jataka stories are the best example of Buddhist non-religious literature, compiling stories from Buddha's previous births. Jain Tirthankaras introduced their philosophy, using Prakrit language to spread the message. Anga, Upanga, and Parikrama are the most popular Jain texts, written in Prakrit.
Dravidian Literature
Dravidian literature includes the literature of Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada languages. Tamil is the oldest and closest to Sanskrit in terms of grammar and root words. Sangam literature, written between 300 BC and 300 AD, is an important part of Tamil literature, consisting of approximately 2,381 poems attributed to 473 poets. Sangam literature is divided into aham (inner field, focusing on love and sexual relations) and puram (outer field, based on social life, ethics, valor, and customs). The chorales of Thiruvalluvar discuss polity, governance, love, and morality, holding great significance in Tamil culture and known as the Tamil Vedas. The Tamil language also has two major epics: Silpad Karam and Mani Mekal I. Between the 9th and 12th centuries, the devotional saints Alvars and Nayanas enriched Tamil literature.
Malayalam, Telugu and Kannada Literature
Malayalam, spoken in present-day Kerala, originated in the 11th century and developed a rich corpus of literature within 400 years. Kautilya and Kokku Sasana are prominent figures in Malayalam literature. Telugu developed around the 10th to 11th centuries, with the Vijayanagara period considered the golden age of Telugu literature. Nachana Sumantha and Krishna Deva Raya composed famous works. The Eight Distinguished Scholars, or Ashta Digyas, were attached to the Vijayanagara court. Kannada literature also received patronage from Vijayanagara rulers. Jain scholars contributed to the growth of Kannada literature. Pampa, Pana, and Rana are the Three Gems of Kannada Literature. Pampa, known as the Father of Kannada Literature, composed Adi Purana and Vikrama Rajeev Vijaya Kuk. Kannada literature and language were influenced by the Chalukya and Rashtrakuta Kings.
Summary
Ancient Indian literature was initially dominated by Sanskrit, Prakrit, and Pali. Sanskrit is the oldest language in India, and the basic foundation literature of Sanatana Dharma is written in Sanskrit. Around 300 BC, the development of the Tamil language began in South India, one of the oldest Dravidian languages. The literature of other Dravidian languages (Kannada, Malayalam, and Telugu) began in the Ancient Period, with their golden period in the Middle Ages. In the Middle Ages, their union with Muslim rulers gave birth to the Urdu language. Apabhramsha, a form of Prakrit, gave birth to many modern Indo-Aryan languages, such as Hindi, Bengali, and Sanskrit.
