LPW 02 Lesson 3: Indian Literature

Indian Literature

• Oral literature and written literature (appeared in India around 16th century during British colonization).

• The roots of Indian Literature may be traced to the Hindu Writings.

Hinduism Ideology

• Belief in reincarnation (cycle of being born)

- Brahma (The Creator, creation, knowledge and Vedas)

- Vishnu (The Preserver, protect humans and to restore order to the world)

- Shiva (The Destroyer, destroys to recreate and transform the universe)

• Three supreme Hindu deities (Hindu triumvirate or trimurti)

Brahma

(The Creator, creation, knowledge and Vedas)

Vishnu

(The Preserver, protect humans and to restore order to the world)

Shiva

(The Destroyer, destroys to recreate and transform the universe)

- Dharma (appropriate living)

- Artha (pursuit of material gain by lawful means)

- Karma (accumulation of good will)

- Moksha (ultimate liberation from desires)

Four goals in life:

Dharma

(appropriate living)

Artha

(pursuit of material gain by lawful means)

Karma

(accumulation of good will)

Moksha

(ultimate liberation from desires)

Sanskrit

• (means perfected)- sacred language of Hinduism, start of oral literature by Aryans

Vedas

• written in Sanskrit language which gave birth to literary words as early as 1500 BCE

- Rig Veda

- Yajur Veda (Prayer Book)

- Sama Veda (Book of Chants)

- Atharva Veda (Book of Spells)

Rig Veda

• Pre-Hindu Vedic religion

• Oldest of vedas

• Hymns of supreme sacred knowledge

• Regarded as divinely inspired or heard directly from the gods

The Upanishads

• Sitting at the feet of the teacher

• consisted of a group of sketches, illustrations, explanations, and critical comments on the religious thought suggested the hymns of Rig-Veda

• most important doctrine is the existence of single supreme being, the Brahman, and its union with the Atman or self

Ramayana (by Valkimi)

- about Rama, the reincarnation of the creator god Vishnu

Mahabharata (by Vyasal)

- about Krishna - God of heavens, fire, lightning, storms (8th reincarnation of Vishnu)

- Brahman - scholars and priests

- Kshatriya - warriors

- Vaisya - merchants

- Sudra - laborers

- Classical Literature

• Literature was nurtured by caste system

Kalidasa

• Considered as the genius writer in classical period

• greatest writer of plays (Shakuntala)

Raghuvamsa

(epic poem)

Meghaduta

(lyric poem about separated lovers)

Shakuntala

(poetic drama about love)

Panchatantra (Five books)

- oldest extant collection of fables in Sanskrit literature

- originally intended to instruct a young prince in the conduct that would ensure his worldly success

The Dhammapada (Way of Truth)

- Anthology of Buddhist teaching in aphoristic style

Medieval Literature

• Hindu movement

• Devotional poems to Hindu gods and goddesses

Bengali Literature

• Colonial to independence period of India

• Buddhist hymns from the 8th century

• Gitanjali (Song of Offerings) by Rabindranath Tagore

Rabindranath Tagore

Indian poet and dramatist

Prem Chand

Indian author known for modern Hindustani literature.

Raja Rao

Indian novelist, known for 'The Serpent and the Rope'.

R.K. Narayan

A Horse and Two Goats