HINDU

LITERATURE
 OBJECTIVES:
• Identify facts and figures on India
• Discuss India’s system of government
• Trace its history since 1947 to present
• Find pleasure in discussing the general view of the
Indian Literature
• Appreciate the great Epics of India , Mahabharata,
and Ramayana
• Study the life and writings of India’s great wirters
 Introduction
Hindu literature ranges from abstract philosophical texts such as the Brahmanas
and the Upaniṣads, through epic poems including the Mahabharata and the
Ramayaṇa, to the popular stories known as Puraṇas glorifying individual deities.
 INDIA
• Second most populous nation after China and worlds 7th largest country
located in South Asia

• About 3,000 km (1,865 mi) wide shorelines about 7000 km (4,350 mi)
along Bay of Bengal

• India’s land frontier is shared with Pakistan on the west; With China
(Tibet), Nepal, and Bhutan on the north ; and with Bangladesh and Burma
on the east.

• India and Bharat are both offical names.

• Indias civilization grew up in the Indus Valley 4000 to 2500 B.C.

 Divided into three topographic region:
• Himalayan Mountain system on the North

• Northern plain, drained by the Indus, Ganges and

Bramaputra rivers in North Central India.

• Peninsular India in the South

 4 MAJOR LANGUAGE
1. Indo- Arab – branch of the Indo-European group

2. Dravidian language group

3. Hindi – the fourth most widely spooken langauge in

the world

4. Indo-Aryan language
 PEOPLE

1. The Turk-Iranian:
These types of people are found in the Frontier
Province and Beluchistan. These parts now
belong to Pakistan.
2. Indo-Aryan:

This racial type is found among the

Eastern Part of Punjab, Rajasthan and
Kashmir.
3. Scytho-Dravidian:

Scytho-Dravidian is a mixed racial type of Scythians and Dravidians.

People, having this racial ancestry are said to be found in Saurashtra,
Coorg and hilly tracts of Madhya Pradesh
4. Aryo-Dravidian:
This racial type is found in Uttar Pradesh. Rajasthan and
Bihar. They are the product of inter-marriages between the
Indo-Aryans and the Dravidians.
5. The Mongol-Dravidians:

In the population of Bengal and Orissa this racial type is most

prominent. Bengali Brahmins and Kayasthas form the largest
percentage. This racial type has come into existence as a result of
intermixture of Mongolians and Dravidians while some element of
Indo-Aryan race is also found.
6. The Mongoloid:

This racial type stretches from Nepal and Assam to Burma.

7. The Dravidian:

This racial type is found in Southern India, particularly south of M.P,

Chotnagpur, Madras and Hyderabad. The Santhals of Chotnagpur represent this
type. They have dark complexion, dark eyes, short stature, long head and broad
nose.
The Dravidian race, as mentioned by Risley, like the Aryan, is a linguistic group
and pots a racial group, says Majumdar.
 4 MAJOR RELIGION IN INDIA
• Hinduism – adherent to the proscription againts violence toward living thing can
escape from the cycle of “ Rebirth” and the doctrine also form a basis for
vegetarian

• Jainism – Non-violence is a core religious duty and followed so strictly .

• Buddhism – Non-violence is manifest in the Budhhas empahsis on compassion and

is part of the faith’s moral codes

• Sikhism - Sikhs are meant to uphold the values of honesty, compassion,

generosity, humility, integrity, service, and spirituality on a daily basis.
 THE CASTE SYSTEM
Indian Caste System – major social system that groups people
according to birth

Braahmins – priest, the highes caste

Kshatriyas – warriors and kings
Vaishyas – merchants
Shudras – manual labourers

Dalits or untouchabloes – they have been traditionally task such as

cleaning streets and working with human, animal corpses and
waste. Also know as Harijans.
 EDUCATION
• 1950-1988 – India’s literacy was doubled

• Literacy is higher on man than woman

• Free and opne

• 8 years in primary
• 2 years in low primary
• 2 year upper secondary
• Compulsory in 6-14 years old
• University are large with cluster of affiliated colleges
GOVERNMENT
• Federal System with a parliamentary form of
government.

• The Parliament consist of two houses:

The Raiya Sabha (Council of States)

The Lok Sabha ( House of the People)
Indian National Congress , the party most identified
remained control of the government.

November 1989 Election- Discontent with India's

leadership causes congress to loss its par;iamentary

1991 Election - P.V Narasimha Rao, succeeded Rajiv

Gandhi as party leader and becamse prime minister in June
of 1991
HISTORY
• August 15, 1947 – History of India began as a soverign state when
the subcontinenet was partitioned into two state, India and
Pakistan.

• Nationalist leader Jawaharlal Nehru assued the prime minister and

in 1947 and held the post untill 1964.

• The new government succeeded in integrating more than 500

princely states into new nation and absorbed the empire in 1962
by taking over Portuguese, Goa, Daman, and Diu and the French
territtories of Pondicherry , Karikal, Mahe , and Yanam.
• 1962- Territorial disputes with China escalated into a brief
boarder war, however the Nehru government was unable to
promote cordial relations with its neighbor ,Pakistan.

• Nehru was succeeded as prime mineter by Congress Party

leader Lal Bahadur Shastri.

• 1996 – Shortly after a peace treaty ending a second war

with Pakistan over Kashmir was signed, Shastri suddenly
died.
• Gandhi a strong nationalist was more realistic than her father about the nature
of Indian Society and grew popularity with working classes and small farmers.

• Relations of India and the United States reached a low point.

• India Supported East Pakistan.

• 1974 – India exploded its first nuclear.

• 1975 – Sikkim became a state of India.

• 1975- Gandhi persuaded President Kafhrudin Ali Ahmed to ivoke state of

emergency .
• March 1977 – Gandhi called new election to legitimized the powers she
had taken under the emergency.

• The Janata Party won control the Lok Sabha

• Mojari Desai, long time opponent of Gandh becamse prime minister

which the same year President Ahmed died. And Neelman Sanjavi Reddy
was elected as President.

• July 1979 – The janata party almost break apart and Desai reassigned as
prime minister.

• Charan Signgh resigned in August but headed a caretaker government

untill January 1980.
• November 1989 Elections – Congress – 1 lost its parliamentary majority,
Gandhi resigned and the National Front , led by V.P Singh, formed a
minority government.

• November 7, 1990 – Internal power struggles led to Singh’s resignation and

was succeeded by Janata Dal dissident Chandra Shekhar.

• May-June 1991 – During new elections Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated , his
successor as Congress-1 leader was P.V Narasimha Rao.

• 1996 – The country was shaken when the Bureau of Investigation charge 24
politicians for accepting bribes from business men in exchange for favors.
LITERATURE
• Sanskrit Literature – Oral Tradition produced the Vedic
Holy Text

• Mahabharata and Ramayana – two great books of Hindu

Literature

• 400 B.C – PANINI produced his Sanskrit grammar

• Middle Ages Sankrit – used in religious context by priesthood

• The history of Indian literature falls into two periods:

1. The Vedic Period ( 1500 BC to 200 B.C) – writings are made up

principally of religious and lyric poetry.

2. The Sankrit Period ( 200 B.C) – distinction – epic, lyric and didactic
poetry; drama, fairy tales, fables, romance and philosophy
RELIGIOUS
WORKS
Poetry
• The Rig Veda ( The Knowledge of Hymn and Praise )
- Consits of 10, 552 verses used by the Hotri priest.
- Focus on pleasing the principal Gods Indra , Agni, Surga
and Varuna through ritual sacrifices.

• The Sama Veda

- Consits of 2,000 verses
- Chanted in fixed melodies by the adhvaryu priest.
Poetry
• The Yajur Veda ( Wisdom of the Sacrifical Formulas)
- Used by the Udgatri priest
- Contains brief prose to accompany the ritual acts

• The Atharva Veda ( Wisdom of the Sacrifical Formulas)

- Focus on Adoring the Gods and performing the
Liturgy of sacrifce
Prose
• The Brahamanas
– Commentaries on the Vedic hymns and religious
rites, these are possibly the earliest pieces of Indo –
European prose

- prose text that discuss the solemn sacrificial rituals as

well as the commitment on their meaning, composed by
Hindu priest
Prose
• The Upanishads (Upa- (near), ni- (down), sad (to sit): sitting near the
teacher)

- Composed by a group of sages who questioned the usefulness of

ritual religion

- Consists of 108 dialogues between teachers and their students about

the individual soul’s unity

- India’s oldest philosophical treaties and form the foundation of

major schools of Hindu philosophy 
Prose
The Sutra

- is a written work in the belief systems

of Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism  which is
understood to accurately preserve important teachings of
the respective faiths and guide an adherent on the path
from ignorance and entrapment in the endless cycle of
rebirth and death (samsara) toward spiritual liberation.
SECULAR
WORKS
Epics
• The Mahabharata

- Longest poem in the world about 2,000 lines

nearly eight times as long as the Iliad and the
Odyssey combined.

- The story is about the battle of one family over

a Kingdom in Northern India

- The Bhagavad Gita is contained in the

Mahabharata. It is a dialogue between Krishna
and and the hero Arjuna
Characters
Yudhishtra - The eldest of the Pandava brothers, Yudhisthira is their
leader as both king and commander in battle. 

Arjuna - One of the Pandavas brothers, Arjuna is dubbed the "wealth-

winner." He is the greatest warrior of all the brothers, having been
trained by his future military opponent Drona.

Karna - Karna is technically the oldest of the Pandava brothers, but

was raised by adoptive parents, and therefore does not consider himself
part of the family. 
Dhritarashtra - The blind king of Hastinapur who believes his
blindness is a curse upon him, he gives birth to 100 sons who are
demons incarnate. The most powerful of these sons is Duryodhana, who
leads the 100 brothers into war against the Pandavas.

Draupadi - The wife of the five Pandava brothers, Draupadi is a

celebrated princess who is widely regarded as the most beautiful woman
in the world. 
Duryodhana -The leader of 100 demon brothers who are
all born of the blind king Dhritarashtra, Duryodhana is
portrayed as living in flagrant violation of dharma. 

Bhima -The strongest of the Pandavas, Bhima is often the

brother who kills the brothers' greatest enemies and
protectors them from their most skilled aggressors. 
Krsna - The god who assists the Pandavas throughout the story, Krsna
helps them understand their dharma as rulers and fighters in the war,
and constantly reassures them that any violent act they have trepidation
about is mandated by faith.

Drona- At the time of the story, Drona is an 85-year-old man who

fights like a 16-year-old. Even though he fights on behalf of
Duryodhana, he shares a close bond with the Pandavas, having trained
Arjuna as a warrior.

Vyasa- As depicted in the story, Vyasa is the narrator of the entirety of

the Mahabharata epic, dictating the tale to Ganesha. 
Epics
• The Ramayana

- Ramayana was written in 3rd century B.C and

tells the story of Rama, and his wife Sita.
- Rama and Sita are generally seen as ideal
examples of great manly heroism and wifely
devotion

- Reciting the Ramayana is considered a

religious act, and scenes from the epic are
portrayed throught India and South Asia
 Characters:
Rama - The son of King Dasaratha and Queen Kausalya, Rama is the
prince of Ayodya. He is an avatara of Vishnu, the Blue God and the
sustainer of worlds. He is also a virtuous, strong, and just man in his
own right. He is married to Sita, whom he loves deeply. He has a strong
bond with his brother Lakshmana as well.

Sita - Sita's father, King Janak, found her lying in a furrow on sanctified
ground and decided to raise her as his daughter. She marries Rama, and
loves him so much that she follows him into exile.
Ravana - Ravana is a rakshasa who performed penance for the God
Siva for many years, and in return received a great blessing from the
God: he cannot be killed by any God, demon, or other divine being.

Lakshmana
Son of King Dasaratha, and brother of Rama. He is deeply devoted to
his brother, whom he follows through many dangerous adventures and
quests.

King Dasaratha - King of Ayodhya, father of Rama, Lakshmana,

Bharata, and Shatrughna. 
Dramas
• The Toy Clay Cart

The story follows the fortunes of a rich and beautiful courtesan,

Vasantasena, who falls in love with the handsome Charudatta, a
former merchant who is now penniless. Although Charudatta is
happily married, he is deeply drawn to Vasantasena. The two embark
on a love affair that leads to some terrible complications and
shocking reversals of fortune-involving violent crime as well as
political rebellion-before matters are ingeniously resolved.
Dramas
• Sakuntala or The Fatal Ring

Raja Dushyanta is out hunting in a nearby forest happens

upon an attractive maiden, named Shakuntala, and instantly
falls in love with her. He gives Shakuntala his ring as a
symbol of his affection and commitment to marry. But upon

his return to the kingdom, the Raja has an attack of amnesia.

Tales
• The Jatakas

- Imaginatgive legends concerning

the 550 biorths of Buddha and his
early life , supposedly relate by
himself

- Many are fables, and most are

didactic folklore
 The Mosquito and the Carpenter
Once on a time when Brahmadatta was reigning in Benares, the
Bodhisatta gained his livelihood as a trader. In these days in a border
village in Kasi there dwelt a number of carpenters. And it chanced that
one of them, a bald gray-haired man, was planing away at some wood
with his head glistening like a copper bowl, when a mosquito settled on
his scalp and stung him with its dart like sting.

Said the carpenter to his son, who was seated hard by, "My boy, there's
a mosquito stinging me on the head. Do drive it away."
"Hold still then father," said the son. "One blow will settle it.“

(At that very time the Bodhisatta had reached that village in the way of
trade, and was sitting in the carpenter's shop.)

"Rid me of it!" cried the father.

"All right, father," answered the son, who was behind the old man's
back, and, raising a sharp ax on high with intent to kill only the
mosquito, he cleft his father's head in two. So the old man fell dead on
the spot.
Thought the Bodhisatta, who had been an eye witness of the whole
scene, "Better than such a friend is an enemy with sense, whom fear of
men's vengeance will deter from killing a man." And he recited these
lines:

Sense-lacking friends are worse than foes with sense;

Witness the son that sought the gnat to slay,
But cleft, poor fool, his father's skull in two.So saying, the Bodhisatta
rose up and departed, passing away in after days to fare according to his
deserts. And as for the carpenter, his body was burned by his kinsfolk.
Tales

• The Panchantantra or “ Five Books”

- The Panchatantra is an ancient

Indian collection of interrelated
animal fables in Sanskrit verse and
prose, arranged within a frame story
 The Foolish Friend
A king, while visiting his wives' apartments, took a monkey from a
neighboring stable for a pet. He kept him constantly close at hand for
his amusement, for as it is said, parrots, partridges, doves, rams,
monkeys, and such creatures are a king's natural companions.

It goes without saying that the monkey, fed on the various dishes that
the king gave him, grew large and was given respect by all who
surrounded the king. Indeed, the king, due to his love and exceeding
trust of the monkey, even gave him a sword to carry.
In the vicinity of the palace the king had a grove artfully planted with many
trees of various sorts. Early in the springtime the king noticed how beautiful the
grove was. Its blossoms exuded a magnificent fragrance, while swarms of bees
sang praise to the god of love. Thus overcome by love, he entered the grove
with his favorite wife. He ordered all his servants to wait for him at the
entrance.

After having pleasantly strolling through and observing the grove, he grew tired
and said to his monkey, "I want to sleep a little while in this arbor of flowers.
Take care that nothing disturbs me!" Having said this, the king fell asleep.
Presently a bee, pursuing the aroma of the flowers, betel, and musk,
flew up and lit on his head. Seeing this, the monkey thought angrily,
"What is this? Am I to allow this common creature to bite the king
before my very eyes?"
With that he proceeded to drive it away.

However, in spite of the monkey's defense, the bee approached the king
again and again. Finally, blinded by anger, the monkey drew his sword
and struck down the bee with a single blow. However, the same blow
also split the king's head.
The queen, who was sleeping next to the king jumped up in terror.
Seeing the crime, she said, "Oh, oh, you foolish monkey! What have
you done to the king who placed such trust in you?“

The monkey explained how it had happened, but thereafter he was

shunned and scorned by everyone. Thus it is said, "Do not choose a fool
for a friend, for the king was killed by a monkey.“

And I say, "It is better to have a clever enemy than a foolish friend."
Tales

• The Hitopsheda or “ Books of

Good Counsels”

- A series of forty-three tales , of

hich twenty five , in four books
are from the Panchantantra
 THE INTELLIGENT JACKAL
There was once a ferocious lion who lived in a dense jungle.  One day,
he could not prey upon a single animal in spite of wandering around in
search of food the whole day. It was almost sunset, and the lion started
returning, even when, he was very hungry. On his way back, he saw a
big cave, and thought to himself,

“For sure some animal must be living in this big cave. Such a nice cave
cannot be empty, someone has to be there. At sunset, which ever animal
lives here, is bound to return. So, I shall hide myself inside the cave and
wait for my dinner to arrive.”
 The cave was home to a jackal, who arrived, a little while after the lion
had hidden himself inside. But while entering he noticed the footprints
of the lion leading into the cave, but could not find any footprint
coming out. 

    He thought, “If a lion has indeed entered the cave, I will be dead as
soon as I enter. But, how can I, be sure? There is no reason for me to
stay away from my home if there is no lion inside. I must find out a way
to confirm if the lion is still inside.” 
The jackal thought of a plan, and while standing in front of the cave, began to
shout, “Hello Cave! Hello Cave! Can I come inside?” For a few moments, he
waited in silence and shouted again, “Hello Cave! Have you forgotten our
understanding of all these years? I always wait for your reply before I enter.
Why are you silent today? I shall then go to some other cave if you do not
reply.” 

    Upon hearing this, the lion thought, “The cave must reply to the jackal when
he returns at sunset. It is, because I am inside, the cave is not replying today. So,
I must invite the jackal on behalf of the cave, or the jackal will go away.” 
So, the lion replied from inside the cave, “Hello Jackal, you
may enter. It is safe inside.” But the reply was frightening
due to the echo from the walls of the cave. The jackal at
once knew that the lion was waiting for him to enter and
make a meal out of him. He ran off, as fast as he could to
save himself. 
Tales
• The Sukasaptati or “
Seventy Stories of a
Parrot”

- A frame work series of

fairy Tales .
Lyrics
• Kalidasa

famous for a large number of poems of sentiment

example is the Maghaduta

Meghaduta (literally meaning "cloud messenger") is a

lyric poem written by Kalidasa, considered to be one of
the greatest Sanskrit poets in India. A short poem of only
111 stanzas, it is one of Kalidasa's most illustrious
works.
 The Cloud Messenger

Yaksha, or divine attendant on Kubera, god of wealth, is exiled for a year from
his home in the Himalayas. As he dwells on a peak in the Vindhya range, half
India separates him from his young bride.

  On Rama's shady peak where hermits roam,

Mid streams by Sita's bathing sanctified,
  An erring Yaksha made his hapless home,
Doomed by his master humbly to abide,
And spend a long, long year of absence from his bride.
Lyrics
• Jayaveda

- Author of the Gitagovinda

“ Cowheard Song” a
semidramatic lyric
concerning the love making
of Krishna
POETS
Rabindranath Tagore