Scholarly books on History of Sanskrit Literature
Itihaas, Literature
Sanskrit Sahitya Ka Itihaas : संस्कृत साहित्य का इतिहास
Sanskrit literature boasts a rich and extensive history, encompassing a wide range of genres, from religious scriptures to poetry, drama, and scientific treatises. Here is an overview of its historical development:
Vedic Period
Rigveda:
- The Rigveda is the oldest known Sanskrit text, consisting of hymns praising various deities. It forms the foundation of Vedic literature and is a crucial source of early Indian culture and religious practice.
Other Vedas:
- The Yajurveda, Samaveda, and Atharvaveda followed the Rigveda, each serving different ritualistic and ceremonial purposes. These texts, along with the Brahmanas (ritual commentaries), Aranyakas (forest treatises), and Upanishads (philosophical discussions), constitute the corpus of Vedic literature.
Epic Period
Mahabharata:
- Attributed to Vyasa, the Mahabharata is one of the longest epic poems in the world, narrating the story of the Kurukshetra War and the fate of the Kaurava and Pandava princes. It includes the Bhagavad Gita, a spiritual and philosophical dialogue between Prince Arjuna and Lord Krishna.
Ramayana:
- Composed by Valmiki, the Ramayana recounts the life and adventures of Prince Rama, his wife Sita, and his loyal companion Hanuman, focusing on themes of duty, righteousness, and devotion.
Classical Period (200 BCE–1100 CE)
Poetry and Drama:
- Classical Sanskrit literature saw the rise of eminent poets and playwrights such as Kalidasa, Bhavabhuti, and Bhasa. Kalidasa’s works, including “Shakuntala” and “Meghaduta,” are celebrated for their lyrical beauty and emotional depth.
Puranas:
- The Puranas are a genre of ancient texts that narrate the history of the universe, legends of gods and heroes, and cosmology. Prominent Puranas include the Vishnu Purana, Shiva Purana, and Bhagavata Purana.
Scientific and Technical Literature:
- This period also produced significant works in various fields, such as grammar (Panini’s Ashtadhyayi), mathematics and astronomy (Aryabhata’s Aryabhatiya), and medicine (Sushruta Samhita and Charaka Samhita).
Medieval Period (1100–1700 CE)
Bhakti and Devotional Literature:
- The medieval period saw the rise of the Bhakti movement, which emphasized personal devotion to deities like Vishnu and Shiva. Poets like Jayadeva, Tulsidas, and Surdas composed devotional hymns and songs in Sanskrit and regional languages.
Philosophical Texts:
- Philosophical debates and commentaries flourished, with works by scholars such as Shankaracharya, Ramanuja, and Madhvacharya, who expounded on Vedanta and other schools of Indian philosophy.
Modern Period (1700 CE–Present)
Revival and Contemporary Literature:
- The British colonial period saw a renewed interest in Sanskrit studies, both in India and abroad. Institutions like the Asiatic Society played a role in the preservation and study of Sanskrit texts.
- In contemporary times, Sanskrit literature continues to be studied and appreciated, with new works being composed and ancient texts being translated and analyzed.
Key Characteristics of Sanskrit Literature
- Rich Language: Sanskrit is known for its precision, richness, and versatility, making it an ideal medium for various literary forms.
- Diverse Genres: Sanskrit literature encompasses a wide range of genres, including epics, poetry, drama, philosophy, science, and religious texts.
- Cultural Influence: Sanskrit has profoundly influenced Indian culture, religion, philosophy, and languages, serving as a vehicle for transmitting knowledge and tradition across generations.
Sanskrit literature remains a testament to the intellectual and artistic achievements of ancient and medieval India, continuing to inspire scholars and enthusiasts worldwide.
Hindi Books on Sanskrit Sahitya Ka Itihaas
Quite a few scholars have written various books on Sanskrit Sahitya Ka Itihaas. Below is the collection of most of them available in pdf format:
Sanskrit Kavya Shastra Ka Itihaas of Dr. Susheel Kumar Dey Tr by Shri Maya Ram Sharma (1988)
Sanskrit Kavya Shastra Ka Itihaas Vol-1 By Sushil Kumar Dae (1973)
Sanskrit Kavya Shastra Ka Itihaas Vol-2 By Sushil Kumar Dae (1976)
Sanskrit Kavya Shastra Ka Itihaas Tr by Indra Chandra Joshi – P.V Kane (227 MB)
Sanskrit Kavya Shastra Mein Alankaron Ka Vikas Part – 1 – Dashrath Dwivedi
Sanskrit Kavya Shastra Mein Alankaron Ka Vikas Part – 2 – Dashrath Dwivedi
Sanskrit Sahitya ka Itihaas – Baldev Upadhyay (1958)
Sanskrit Sahitya Ka Itihaas – Dr Raj Kishore Singh
Sanskrit Sahitya Ka Itihaas – V Varadacharya Tr by Dr Kapildev Dwivedi
Sanskrit Sahitya Ka Itihaas (IGNOU)
Sanskrit Sahitya Ka Itihaas (Laukik Khand) – Dr Priti Prabha Goyal
Sanskrit Sahitya Ka Itihaas (Vaidik Khand) – Dr Priti Prabha Goyal
Sanskrit Sahitya Ka Itihaas By A B Keith Tr By Dr Mangal Dev Shastri, 807p
Sanskrit Sahitya Ka Itihaas by Umashankar Rishi
Sanskrit Sahitya Ka Itihaas by Vachaspati Gourela
Sanskrit Sahitya ka Itihaas of Uma Shankar Sharma (Missing Pages) – Chaukhamba
Sanskrit Sahitya Ka Itihaas Part – 1 by Kanhaiya Lal Poddar
Sanskrit Sahitya Ka Itihaas Part – 2 by Kanhaiya Lal Poddar
Sanskrit Sahitya Ka Samikshaatmak Itihaas – Dr Kapildev Dwivedi
Sanskrit Sahitya Ka Sankshipt Itihaas – Acharya Baldev Upadhyaya-Reduced
Sanskrit Shaastron Ka Itihaas – Baldev Upadhyay
Few Other Relevant Books
History of Sanskrit Literature by A.A Macdonell Tr by Dr. Ram Sagar Tripathi – Chowkhamba
Vaidik Sahitya Ka Aalochanatmak Itihaas Bhag-1, Vidyalankar, Dr. Jaydev, 204p (1991)
The second part of this book is missing.
Vaidik Sahitya Ka Alochanatmak Itihas Bhag-2 by Dr Sudhikant Bhardwaj
The first part of this book is missing. Surprisingly, the authors of these two books were the heads of the Sanskrit Department at the same university.
Vaidik Sahitya Ka Itihaas by Dr Paarasnath Dwivedi – Chowkhamba
Dharm Shaastr Ka Itihaas by Pandurang Vaman Kaane
It comes in six volumes, and the sixth one is an index.
Dharm Shaastr Ka Itihaas Part – 1 by Pandurang Vaman Kaane
Dharm Shaastr Ka Itihaas Part – 2 by Pandurang Vaman Kaane
Dharm Shaastr Ka Itihaas Part – 3 by Pandurang Vaman Kaane
Dharm Shaastr Ka Itihaas Part – 4 by Pandurang Vaman Kaane
Dharm Shaastr Ka Itihaas Part – 5 by Pandurang Vaman Kaane
Dharm Shaastr Ka Itihaas Shabdanukramanika (Index) by Pandurang Vaman Kaane
Sanskrit Vangmaya Ka Brihad Itihaas – Edited by Acharya Baldev Upadhyay
It comes in seventeen volumes. Volume 14 is out of print, and volumes 2 and 4 are not available in pdf format.
Volume 1 वेद Veda
Ed. by Brijbihari Chaubey. 682 pages. Published in 1996
Volume 2 वेदाङ्ग Vedanga PDF MISSING
Ed. by Omprakash Pandey. 602 pages. Published in 1997
Volume 3 आर्ष काव्य (रामायण एवं महाभारत)
Arsha Kavya (Ramayana and Mahabharata)
Ed. by Bholashankar Vyas. 887 pages. Published in 2000
Volume 4 काव्य Kavya
Ed. by Radhavallabh Tripathi. 631 pages. Published in 1997
Volume 5 गद्य Gadya
Ed. by Jaymant Mishra. 448 pages. Published in 2003
Volume 6 Naatya Khand PDF MISSING
Volume 7 आधुनिक संस्कृत साहित्य का इतिहास
Adhunik Sanskrit Sahitya ka Itihas
Ed. by Jagannath Pathak. 749 pages. Published in 2000
Volume 8 काव्यशास्त्र Kavyashastra
Ed. by Vayunandan Pandey. 803 pages. Published in 2001
Volume 9 न्याय Nyaya
Ed. by Gajanan Shastri Musalgaonkar. 460 pages. Published in 1999
Volume 10 वेदान्त Vedanta
Ed. by Sangamlal Pandey. 590 pages. Published in 1999
Volume 11 तन्त्रागम Tantragama
Ed. by Vrajvallabh Dvivedi. 651 pages. Published in 1997
Volume 12 जैन, बौद्ध एवं चार्वाक दर्शन
Jain, Bauddha evam Carvaka Darshana
Ed. by Phulchandra Premi & Ramshankar Tripathi. 656 pages. Published in 2007
Volume 13 पुराण Purana
Ed. by Gangadhar Panda. 943 pages. Published in 2006
Volume 14 OUT OF PRINT
Volume 15 व्याकरण Vyakarana
Ed. by Gopaldatt Pandey. 480 pages. Published in 2001
Volume 16 ज्योतिषशास्त्र Jyotishashastra
Ed. by Ramchandra Pandey. 382 pages. Published in 2012
Volume 17 आयुर्वेद Ayurveda
Ed. by Ramanath Dvivedi & Ravidatt Tripathi. 672 pages. Published in 2006
You can find most of them here. Alternatively, click on the image below.
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