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Topic Sources and Tools of Historical Reconstruction:: Class Lecture Prepared by Jamuna Subba Department of History
Topic Sources and Tools of Historical Reconstruction:: Class Lecture Prepared by Jamuna Subba Department of History
Jamuna Subba
Department of History
TOPIC
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Religious _________________ Secular
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Brahamanical Buddhist Jain ↓
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Chronicles Biographical Grammar and Politics Dramas and poetry Scientific works
The ancient Indian literature is mostly religious in nature.
The Puranic and Epic literature are considered as history by Indians, but it
contains no definite dates for events and kingdoms. The effort of history
writing was shown by a large number of inscriptions, coins, and local
chronicles. The principles of history are preserved in the Puranas and Epics.
The Puranas and epics narrate the genealogies of kings and their
achievements. But they are not arranged in a chronological order.
The Vedic literature contains mainly the four Vedas i.e. Rigveda, Yajurveda,
Samaveda, and Atharvanaveda. The Vedic literature is in a different language
called as the Vedic language. Its vocabulary contains a wide range of meaning
and is different in grammatical usages. It has a definite mode of pronunciation
in which emphasis changes the meaning entirely. The Vedas give reliable
information about the culture and civilization of the Vedic period, but do not
reveal the political history. Six Vedangas are the important limbs of Vedas.
They were evolved for the proper understanding of the Vedas. The Vedangas
are: 1. Siksha (Phonetics)
2. Kalpa (Rituals)
3. Vyakarna (Grammar)
4. Nirukta (Etymology)
6.Jyotisha (Astronomy).
Vedanga has been written in the precepts (sutra) form. This is a very precise
and exact form of expression in prose, which was developed by the scholars of
ancient India.
The Dharmasutras and the Smritis were the rules and regulations for the
general public and the rulers. It can be equated with the constitution and the
law books of the modern concept of polity and society. For example,
Manusmriti. Dharmashastras were compiled between 600 and 200 B.C.
Bhasa and Sudraka are other poets who have written plays based on historical
events.
4. Navasahasankacharita of Padmagupta
5. Bhojaprabandha of Billal
6. Priihvirajacharit of Chandbardai
Rajatarangini, written by Kalhana, is the best form of history writing valued by
modern historians. His critical method of historical research and impartial
treatment of the historical facts have earned him a great respect among the
modern historians.
The Jain and the Buddhist literature had been written in Prakrit and Pali
languages. Early Jain literature is mostly written in Prakrit language. Prakrit
language was a form of Sanskrit language. Pali language was a form of Prakrit
language which was used in Magadha. Most of the early Buddhist literature is
written in Pali language. Pali language reached to Sri Lanka through some of
the Buddhist monks where it is a living language. Ashokan edicts had been
written in Pali language. Mahavira and Buddha are considered as the historical
personalities (equivalent to the God). They have created Jain and Buddhist
religious ideology respectively.
BUDDHIST LITERATURE:
There are Pali,Chinese, and Tibetan versions of the Tipitaka. The Tipitaka
consists of three books-
1.Sutta,
2.Vinaya ,
3.Abhidhamma
The Sutta pitaka contains the Buddha’s discourses on various doctrinal issues
in dialogue form.
The vinay pitaka has rules for monks and nuns f the Sangha.
The Buddhist books are called as Jataka stories. They have been given some
historical importance because they are related with the previous births of the
Buddha. There are more than 550 such stories.
JAIN LITERATURE:
The sacred books of Jains are collectively known as the Siddhanta or Agama.
The language of the earliest texts is an eastern dialect of Prakrit known as
Ardha-Magadhi. The Jains monastic order came to be divided into the
Shvetambara and Digambara schools, perhaps in about the 3rd century ce. The
Shevetambera canon includes the 12Anga, 12 Upanagas,10 Painnnas,6 Cheda
Sutta,4 Mulla sutta and number of individual texts such as the Nandi Sutta and
Anugodhra.
SANGAM LITERATURE
The Sangam literature is in the form of short and long poems consisting
30,000 lines of poetry, which arranged in two main groups i.e.
Patinenkilkanakku and the Pattupattu. It describes many kings and dynasties of
South India. The Sangam was the poetic compilation by a group of poets of
different times mainly supported by chiefs and kings. The Sangam literature
was composed by a large number of poets in praise of their kings. Some kings
and events mentioned are also supported by the inscriptions. The Sangam
literature generally describes events up to the 4th century A.D.