Indian Literature Study Flashcards

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering terms, authors, characters, periods, books, Parvas, and Kandas from the lecture notes on Indian Literature.

Sanskrit

The main classical language used in many early Hindu religious and literary texts.

Vedic Period

The period from 1500 B.C to 500 B.C associated with the Vedas, composed primarily in Vedic Sanskrit and transmitted orally before being written down.

Vedas

The oldest sacred texts of Hinduism, written in Sanskrit around 1500–500 BCE, containing hymns, rituals, religious teachings, and philosophical ideas.

Rigveda

The Veda containing hymns.

Yajurveda

The Veda containing rituals.

Samaveda

The Veda containing chants.

Atharvaveda

The Veda containing spells and topics related to daily life.

Upanishads

Philosophical and spiritual texts focusing on spiritual knowledge and the nature of reality that helped establish the foundation of Hindu philosophy.

Epic Period

The period from 500 BCE–200 CE characterized by long, grand narratives combining myth, history, and moral lessons.

Bhagavad Gita

A 700-verse section of the Mahabharata presented as a dialogue between Prince Arjuna and Lord Krishna exploring dharma, karma yoga, bhakti yoga, and jnana yoga.

Puranas

Texts that preserve Hindu myths, religious customs, traditions, and lineages, making Hindu teachings accessible to a wider audience.

Bhakti Movement

A medieval movement that inspired devotional poetry emphasizing love, faith, and devotion to God using regional and vernacular languages.

Rabindranath Tagore

A Bengali poet, novelist, painter, and playwright who became the first Asian and non-European Nobel Prize winner in Literature in 1913.

Vyasa / Vedavyasa

A sage in Hindu tradition who compiled the Vedas, authored the Mahabharata, and contributed to the Puranas.

Valmiki

Honored as 'Adikavi' (the first poet), he gave the world the epic Ramayana.

Kalidasa

A classical Sanskrit poet and dramatist compared to Shakespeare, famous for Shakuntala, Meghaduta, and Raghuvamsha.

Kabir

A 15th-century mystic poet in the Bhakti movement widely known for his dohaas (couplets) encouraging direct devotion to God.

Panchatantra

A collection of animal fables written in prose and verse teaching practical wisdom, moral conduct, and political insight (Neeti Shastra).

Mitra Bheda

The first Tantra of the Panchatantra ('The Loss of Friends'), which explores how friendships are broken through conflicts, misunderstandings, and disagreements.

Mitra Samprapti

The second Tantra of the Panchatantra ('The Winning of Friends'), which explores how to make new friends, regain lost friendships, and form beneficial alliances.

Kakolukiyam

The third Tantra of the Panchatantra ('Of Crows and Owls'), which focuses on rivalry between groups and strategy, intelligence, and diplomacy.

Labdha Pranasham

The fourth Tantra of the Panchatantra ('Loss of Gains'), which explores how carelessness, greed, or poor judgment lead to losing what was gained.

Aparikshita Karakam

The fifth Tantra of the Panchatantra ('Rash Deeds'), which focuses on the consequences of hasty, careless, or ill-considered actions.

Dharma

A major concept in Hindu tradition meaning righteous duty, moral responsibility, and doing what is right.

Yudhishthira

The eldest Pandava and son of Dharma, known for truthfulness, justice, and sense of duty.

Bhima

The second Pandava and son of Vayu, known for great physical strength; he kills Duryodhana in a mace duel.

Arjuna

The third Pandava and son of Indra, a great archer and friend of Krishna who receives the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita.

Nakula

The fourth Pandava and son of the Ashvins, known for his handsome appearance, horse skills, and swordsmanship.

Sahadeva

The youngest Pandava and Nakula's twin, known for his wisdom, intelligence, and knowledge.

Draupadi

Daughter of King Drupada and wife of all five Pandavas; her public humiliation during the dice game is a major cause of conflict.

Duryodhana

The eldest Kaurava and main rival of the Pandavas who refuses to share the kingdom and is defeated by Bhima in a mace duel.

Dushasana

Duryodhana's brother who participates in the humiliation of Draupadi during the dice game and is eventually killed by Bhima.

Krishna

A major figure in the Mahabharata who serves as Arjuna's charioteer and guide, giving him the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita.

Karna

The firstborn son of Kunti raised by a charioteer family, known for generosity and loyalty to Duryodhana, killed by Arjuna.

Bhishma

Respected elder of the Kuru dynasty who took a vow of celibacy, served as Kaurava commander, and lay on a bed of arrows until his death.

Drona

The teacher and military instructor of both the Pandavas and Kauravas who becomes Kaurava commander after Bhishma falls.

Ashwatthama

Son of Drona who launches a night attack on the sleeping Pandava camp after the war, described in Sauptika Parva.

Dhritarashtra

The blind king of Hastinapura, father of the Kauravas, and elder brother of Pandu.

Gandhari

Wife of Dhritarashtra and mother of the Kauravas, who blindfolded herself and eventually cursed Krishna for the destruction of her sons.

Kunti

Mother of Yudhishthira, Bhima, Arjuna, and biological mother of Karna whose secret identity creates tragic conflict.

Vidura

The wise counselor of the Kuru court known for his wisdom, honesty, and knowledge of dharma.

Shakuni

The maternal uncle of Duryodhana skilled at dice, who helps plot against the Pandavas and plays a key role in the dice game.

Abhimanyu

Son of Arjuna and Subhadra who enters the complex Chakravyuha formation during the war and is killed inside.

Ghatotkacha

Son of Bhima and Hidimbi who possesses supernatural abilities and is killed by Karna using the Vasavi Shakti weapon.

Shikhandi

A Pandava warrior used by Arjuna to defeat Bhishma because Bhishma refuses to fight him.

Dhrishtadyumna

Brother of Draupadi and son of Drupada who commands the Pandava army and kills Drona.

Balarama

Krishna's elder brother and expert in mace fighting who teaches both Bhima and Duryodhana and remains neutral in the war.

Adi Parva

The 1st Parva of the Mahabharata, focusing on origins, genealogy of royal families, and early lives of the Pandavas and Kauravas.

Sabha Parva

The 2nd Parva of the Mahabharata, focusing on the assembly hall, the Rajasuya sacrifice, the dice game, and Draupadi's humiliation.

Vana Parva / Aranyaka Parva

The 3rd Parva of the Mahabharata, focusing on the 12-year forest exile of the Pandavas.

Virata Parva

The 4th Parva of the Mahabharata, focusing on the 13th year of exile spent in disguise at King Virata's kingdom.

Udyoga Parva

The 5th Parva of the Mahabharata, focusing on war preparations and failed peace negotiations led by Krishna.

Bhishma Parva

The 6th Parva of the Mahabharata, describing the start of war, Bhishma as commander, and the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita.

Drona Parva

The 7th Parva of the Mahabharata, describing Drona as Kaurava commander and the death of Abhimanyu in the Chakravyuha.

Karna Parva

The 8th Parva of the Mahabharata, describing Karna as commander, his loyalty to Duryodhana, and his battle with Arjuna.

Shalya Parva

The 9th Parva of the Mahabharata, describing Shalya as commander and Bhima's defeat of Duryodhana in a mace duel.

Sauptika Parva

The 10th Parva of the Mahabharata, describing Ashwatthama's night attack and massacre of the sleeping Pandava camp.

Stri Parva

The 11th Parva of the Mahabharata, focusing on mourning women, human costs of war, and Gandhari's curse on Krishna.

Shanti Parva

The 12th Parva of the Mahabharata, where Bhishma teaches Yudhishthira about dharma, kingship, government, and morality.

Anushasana Parva

The 13th Parva of the Mahabharata, covering Bhishma's final instructions on duty and morality, ending with Bhishma's death.

Ashvamedhika Parva

The 14th Parva of the Mahabharata, focusing on Yudhishthira's horse sacrifice (Ashvamedha) and the Anugita.

Ashramavasika Parva

The 15th Parva of the Mahabharata, focusing on Dhritarashtra, Gandhari, and Kunti retiring to the forest and dying in a fire.

Mausala Parva

The 16th Parva of the Mahabharata, describing the internal conflict and destruction of the Yadava clan.

Mahaprasthanika Parva

The 17th Parva of the Mahabharata, describing the Pandavas' final journey and departure from worldly life.

Svargarohana Parva

The 18th and final Parva of the main Mahabharata, describing Yudhishthira's final test and the ascent to heaven.

Harivamsa

A supplemental section (Khila) to the Mahabharata containing additional stories, genealogy, and details about Krishna.

Bala Kanda

The 1st Kanda of the Ramayana, covering Rama's birth, childhood, Vishvamitra's adventures, and Rama and Sita's marriage.

Ayodhya Kanda

The 2nd Kanda of the Ramayana, covering Kaikeyi's demand for Rama's exile, Rama's 14-year departure, and Bharata's refusal to rule.

Aranya Kanda

The 3rd Kanda of the Ramayana, covering forest life, meeting Shurpanakha, and Sita's abduction by Ravana.

Kishkindha Kanda

The 4th Kanda of the Ramayana, covering Rama meeting Hanuman and Sugriva, defeating Vali, and gaining Vanara support.

Sundara Kanda

The 5th Kanda of the Ramayana, covering Hanuman crossing the ocean, finding Sita in Ashoka grove, and causing destruction in Lanka.

Yuddha Kanda

The 6th Kanda of the Ramayana, covering the battle against Ravana, Ravana's defeat, Sita's rescue, and return to Ayodhya.

Uttara Kanda

The 7th Kanda of the Ramayana, covering Rama's later reign, Sita's departure, birth of Lava and Kusha, and final events of Rama's life.

Gitanjali

A collection of devotional poems ('Song Offerings') by Rabindranath Tagore published in Bengali in 1910 and English in 1912.

Where the Mind is Without Fear

A famous poem in Gitanjali describing an ideal free country characterized by fearless minds, knowledge, truth, reason, and dignity.

The Last Bargain

A poem in Gitanjali where the speaker rejects material offers and accepts a child's offer of simple freedom.

The Golden Boat

A poem in Gitanjali using the imagery of a golden boat and harvested crops to reflect the temporary nature of material possessions.