Ancient Indian literary Sources of History Part I

Ancient Indian literary sources form the bedrock of historical, cultural, and religious studies in the Indian subcontinent. These sources, composed over millennia, encompass diverse genres such as religious scriptures, epics, philosophical treatises, historical chronicles, and scientific texts. Broadly, they can be categorized into Vedic, non-Vedic, and regional literatures.

The Vedic corpus, comprising the Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samaveda, and Atharvaveda, along with the associated Brahmanas, Aranyakas, and Upanishads, represents the earliest religious and philosophical traditions. The Mahabharata and Ramayana, the great epics, provide insights into social, ethical, and political life. The Puranas serve as encyclopedic records of mythology, cosmology, and genealogies of kings and sages.

Non-Vedic traditions include Buddhist and Jain texts such as the Tripitaka and Agamas, which document religious philosophies and historical events. The Arthashastra by Kautilya, Manusmriti, and Rajatarangini by Kalhana contribute to political, legal, and historiographical traditions. Tamil Sangam literature, particularly texts like Tolkappiyam and Pattuppāṭṭu, sheds light on early South Indian society.

Scientific treatises such as Sushruta Samhita (medicine), Aryabhatiya (astronomy), and Natya Shastra (dramatics) showcase India's advancements in various fields. These literary sources, written in Sanskrit, Prakrit, Tamil, and other languages, remain invaluable for understanding India's ancient heritage. Their study continues to shape historical and archaeological interpretations of Indian civilization.

1. Ancient Indian Literary Sources -Gurvendra Kushwaha UGC Research Fellow, Department of Ancient Indian History, Culture and Archaeology, Deccan College Post-Graduate and Research Institute, (Deemed to be University)

2. Introduction Historiography is a progressive science, in the sense that it seeks to provide constantly expanding and deepening insights into a course of events which is itself progressive (Carr 1961, 124). The history of historical writing in ancient India has not been studied. So we need to trace the evolution of historiographical tradition in ancient India. Ancient India had a very rich tradition of historiography from the Vedic age to the twelfth century. The tradition was maintained by Indians through literature constantly.

3. Introduction

4. The Itihas Purana Tradition Itihas -Purana are actual traditional history. Antiquity- Vedic period. Earliest reference of Purana- Rigveda. These traditions were emerged in early Vedic period while written records appeared much later. This tradition was reflected in the writings of Vedic, Epics, Puranic, Buddhist and Jain literature.

5. The Vedic Tradition The earliest literary work of historical value. It is divided in 10 Mandala. These Mandalas were preserved by Brahmanas from generation to generation. Krishna Dvaipayana (Son of Parashar) composed and compiled and classified into Samhitas in the beginning of Dwapar age.

6. The Epic Tradition: Ramayana Valmiki: पुरातन इतिहास K. K. Dasgupta: Historical Biography of India- rejected. Geneology of Ayodhya, Videha, Vaishali and Kampilya . Name of the towns. Throw light on urban life, rights and duties of the king, nature and functions of the state, administration of Justice, war and politics etc.

7. The Epic Tradition: Mahabharata Composed by Vyas after 3 year after the end of Bharat war. It contains the historical information of lunar dynasties i.e., Bharat, Kuru of Hastinapur, Panchal, Andhak Vrishni, Boja , Haihaya, Yadava of Mathura and Dwarka, Kashi, Magadh, Naga. It also informs urban life, caste system, position of nobles, slaves and womens , marriage and sati etc.

8. The Puranic Tradition It deserve special attention. Veda Vyas is designated ‘ इतिहासकर्ता ’ by Umashankar Dixit because Puranas contains some historical subjects. Kautilya , पौराणिक , सूत, मागध Vinternitz , पौराणिक, ऐतिहासिक V S Pathak , सूत connected with भृगु , अंगिरस , कश्यप , contributions of सूत

9. The Puranic Tradition सूत : they gives excessive praise on great kings and heroes of the past while writing or singing about their deeds. But did not get recognition. The सूत gradually lost imprtance . Pargiter classified ancient Indian historical tradition in two: 1. Brahmanic : Who does not deal with history. 2. Kshatriya: Who deal with the history. (later presereved in Puranic tradition)

10. Subjects of the Puranas सर्गश्च प्रतिसर्गश्च वंशो मन्वन्तराणि च। वंशानुचरितं चैव पुराणं पञ्चलक्षणम् ॥ (Vishnu Purana 3.6.24) सर्गः srsti siddhantas (theories of creation) starting from Brahma (primary creation) प्रतिसर्गः srsti siddhantas starting from the first beings created by Brahma (secondary creation) वंशः Genealogy of devatas, rshis , rajas and maharajas मन्वन्तराणि Cosmic cycles of time, origin and lineages of people, creatures in the world during the time of one Manu वंशानुचरितम् Legends and anecdotes of various rajas, maharajas and chakravartis .

11. Important Puranas Out of the five the two वंश and मन्वंतर are purely historical subjects. Out of the eighteen main Puranas, the six are very important from a historical point of view. J F Fleet: “The ancient H indus could write short historical compositions concise and to the point but limited in extent. The historical chapters of Puranas are based on ancient archives.”

12. Matsya Purana One of the Early Purana. Historical records available in the puranas about kingdoms and dynasties covers from king Manu Vaivasvata down to the times of Prithviraj Chauhana This Purana contains the accounts of major dynasties of early historical period. Ten kings of Bimbisarian and Shaishunaga dynasty including Bimbisara , Ajatshatru , Udayin , Shishunaga and others. It is clearly stated in this Purana that it was Kautilya , who uprooted the Nandas and installed Chandragupta Maurya on the throne of Magadha. And this is historically established fact Compiled with new additions towards the end of the reign of king यज्ञश्री सातकर्णी of Satvahana dynasty.

13. Vayu Purana Dynastic history up to the beginning of the Gupta period. The historical reliability of the Puranic accounts of the kingdoms and dynasties with genealogies of the Koshala and Vaishali This Puran a have the information of Nine Nanda rulers including Mahapadmananda and his eight successors. In this Purana it is mentioned that ten kings of the Maurya dynasty to have ruled for 137 years. The ten rulers of Shunga dynasty are said to have ruled for 112 years.

14. Vishnu Purana E J Rapson: “The descriptions of ancient monarchs are essentially historical. “ Dynastic history up to the beginning of the Gupta period. The Purana contain some information about the rule of the Naga dynasties of Vidisha, Kantipuri and Mathura. The information contained of the Vakataka is very meagre but authentic.

15. Some other important Puranas

16. Other aspects of Puranas The other aspects of ancient Indian history is also recorded in the puranas. The Puranas also informs us the foundations, planning, and naming the towns and cities. It also throw light on the nature of urban settlement including Hastinapur, Indraprasth , Ahichchhatra , Kampilya , Mathura, Ujjain, Virat, Ayodhya and Vaishali etc. The archaeological evidences also throw light on the antiquity of towns there. Those cities are associated with PGW and NBPW phases of cultures. R. Morton Smith: “…the Purana makes a good historical sense consistent with the idea of archaeology.”

17. References Carr. E. H. 1961. What is History? . London: Palgrave Macmillion . Singh, G. P. 2017. Ancient Indian Historiography Sources and Interpretation . New Delhi: D. K. Printworld . Jayaswal, K. P. 1981. Hindu Polity . New Delhi: Vishvabharti Publications. Raychaudhari , H. C. 1972. Political History of Ancient India . Calcutta: University of Calcutta Press. Sen, S. P. 1979. Historical Biography in Indian Literature . Calcutta: Institute of Historical Studies.

18. Thank You!