Sanskrit Sahitya Ka Itihas

Here is a comprehensive summary of the provided Jain text, "Sanskrit Sahitya ka Itihas" (History of Sanskrit Literature) by Hansraj Agrawal and Dr. Lakshman Swarup:

Overview:

This book, "History of Sanskrit Literature," is a significant academic work authored by Hansraj Agrawal and Dr. Lakshman Swarup, published by Rajhans Prakashan. The text, particularly the introductory and table of contents sections, highlights the immense importance and vast scope of Sanskrit literature, emphasizing its enduring influence and unique position in world literature. The authors aim to present a comprehensive and accessible history of Sanskrit literature, catering to students and enthusiasts alike.

Key Themes and Arguments:

1. The Significance of Sanskrit Literature:

   • Sanskrit literature is presented as unparalleled in its historical span, with its literary production continuing for an exceptionally long period.
   • It is ranked second in terms of its original value, second only to Greek literature.
   • Its study is crucial for historians, not only for understanding the intellectual history of India over three thousand years but also for grasping its profound influence on the intellectual spheres of Tibet, China, Japan, Korea, Sri Lanka, Southeast Asia, and even parts of Afghanistan and Turkestan.
   • It has had a "epoch-making impact" on Europe, particularly from the late 18th century onwards.
   • As the oldest language of the Indo-European branch, it preserves the earliest literary monuments of this linguistic family.
   • It offers a clear picture of the gradual development of religious thought unmatched by any other literature.
   • It encompasses a vast range of literary forms, including epic poetry, lyrics, drama, prose narratives, didactic stories, folk tales, scientific treatises, and works on music, dance, magic, theology, and rhetoric.
   • It is renowned for its structural elegance, particularly the concise sutra style, and its contributions to grammar and lexicography.
   • The study of Sanskrit literature is considered essential for understanding the development of religion and philosophy in India, noting that only the Indian branch of the Indo-European family produced major religions like Vedic religion and Buddhism.
   • Its originality is emphasized, as Indian civilization was already mature before Greek invasions in the 4th century BCE, and subsequent foreign conquests had no influence on it.
   • The extant Sanskrit literature is comparable in volume to the combined Greek and Roman literatures, and its original volume would have been much larger if lost works were included.
   • In terms of originality and beauty, it is second only to Greek literature, and surpasses it as a source for studying the evolution of human nature.
   • The continuity of Aryan civilization is evident in contemporary Indian customs, religious practices, and the continued use of Sanskrit in scholarly discourse, highlighting its importance for understanding modern Indian civilization as well.
   • Understanding European culture and thought also necessitates the study of Sanskrit literature, as India preserved the oldest Aryan culture.

2. The Challenge of Historical Elements in Sanskrit Literature:

   • Despite extensive research, the history of Sanskrit literature remains somewhat obscure, with significant discrepancies in determining the periods of renowned poets like Bhasa and Kalidasa.
   • The authors acknowledge that while Sanskrit literature excels in many areas, it contains limited historical material.
   • The scarcity of historical literary works and the occasional inclusion of imaginative elements are noted. Even Kalhana, considered the greatest historian, is deemed incomparable to Herodotus.
   • Reasons for the perceived lack of historical elements:
     • Indians defined "history" differently, focusing on the preservation of culture and civilization rather than the chronicles of kings.
     • Psychological and circumstantial factors, such as the belief in karma and fate, the influence of mantras and magic, and a lack of scientific outlook, contributed to this.
     • Political events up to 1200 CE may not have generated widespread interest in historical documentation.
     • A lack of strong nationalistic sentiments meant that foreign invasions did not foster a sense of collective historical narrative. Indian rulers were often more focused on internal rivalries than external threats.
     • The general populace was not interested in the histories and eulogies of distant kings.
     • A preference for the general over the specific, even in philosophical debates where personal lives were omitted in favor of arguments.
     • Many old texts are available as family, sectarian, or monastic records without authorial attribution.
     • Later authors' names are often mentioned as family or clan names, making precise dating difficult (e.g., knowing a poet lived during the reign of Vikramaditya or Bhoja is only as helpful as knowing an event occurred during the reign of a George or Edward).
     • Lack of parental names for authors and the prevalence of multiple authors with the same name, along with the use of synonyms and abbreviations for names.
   • Despite these challenges, the text acknowledges the existence of historical elements like Puranas, numerous inscriptions with dates, and astrological texts providing specific dates.

3. Sanskrit and Modern Languages:

   • The term "Sanskrit" first appears in Panini's Ashtadhyayi and the Ramayana, meaning "refined" or "polished," contrasting with "Prakrit," meaning "natural" or "unartificial."
   • Modern languages are presented as descendants of a common source, with the history tracing back to the Rigveda.
   • A table illustrates the evolution of Aryan languages from Vedic to Classical Sanskrit, Prakrits, Apabhramsha, and modern languages.
   • The distinction between spoken and literary languages is highlighted, with Prakrits evolving from spoken dialects and eventually becoming standardized literary dialects themselves.
   • The author notes the shift from synthetic to analytical language structures in modern Indian languages.

4. The Nature of Classical Sanskrit:

   • Classical Sanskrit is divided into two periods: pre-Paninian (Vedic period, including Vedas, Brahmanas, Aranyakas, Upanishads, Sutras) and post-Paninian (Classical Sanskrit period, including epics, Puranas, Mahakavyas, dramas, lyrics, prose, didactic tales, etc.).
   • Classical Sanskrit literature differs from Vedic literature in form, content, and style.
   • Features of Classical Sanskrit:
     • Form: While Vedic literature is predominantly verse, Classical Sanskrit saw the development of prose. Prose became prevalent in scientific texts, but with complex and circuitous styles. Literary prose, found in romances and dramas, is characterized by long compound words. Classical Sanskrit verse employed new meters based on Vedic ones, with the shloka (Anushtup) being most common. The variety of meters increased, and their structure became more rigid.
     • Content (Soul): The principle of rebirth, prominent in the Upanishads, is further developed. There's an inclination to incorporate the supernatural even in ordinary events, with frequent accounts of gods and humans interacting. Hyperbole is common, leading to exaggerations. A tendency towards elaborate descriptions, lengthy narratives in epics, and a certain brevity in prose style are noted.
     • Subject Matter: While Vedic literature is primarily religious, Classical Sanskrit literature is largely secular. Vedic deities like Agni, Vayu, and Varuna become secondary, replaced by Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. New deities like Ganesha, Kubera, Saraswati, and Lakshmi are introduced.
     • Language: The language of the Classical Sanskrit period is bound by Panini's strict grammatical rules, with the elaborate construction of alamkaras (figures of speech) and long compound words making it increasingly artificial.

5. Specific Literary Works and Authors Discussed (from the Table of Contents):

   • Introduction: Importance of Sanskrit literature, its influence on Europe, historical elements, Sanskrit and modern languages, whether Sanskrit was a spoken language, and features of Classical Sanskrit.
   • Epics (Ramayana and Mahabharata): Origin of historical epics, detailed analysis of the Ramayana (genesis, significance, editions, subject matter, episodes, purity, dating, style) and the Mahabharata (extent, significance, editions, commentaries, subject matter, episodes, development of its current form, dating, style). Their mutual relationship is also analyzed.
   • Puranas: Origin, growth, subject matter, historical accounts, and dating.
   • Bhasa: His place in Sanskrit literature, authorship of his plays, his other works, style, and period.
   • Arthashastra: Significance, author (Kautilya/Vishnugupta/Chanakya), text and period, and style.
   • Kalidasa: Sanskrit revival in the 1st century BCE, Kalidasa himself, the originality of his works, different versions of his plays, his period, his ideas, and his style. His major works like Malavikagnimitra, Vikramorvashiya, Abhijnanashakuntala, Ritusamhara, Meghaduta, Kumarasambhava, and Raghuvamsa are discussed.
   • Ashvaghosha: His introduction, dramatic art, epic poetry (Buddha-charita, Saundarananda), other works, and style.
   • Mahakavyas: General introduction, focusing on Bharavi (Kiratarjuniya), Bhatti (Ravana-vadha), Magha (Shishupala-vadha), Ratnakara (Haravijaya), Sriharsha (Naishadhiya-charita), and Vatabhatta.
   • Poets: Kumaradasa (Janaki-harana), Vakpatiraja (Gaudavaha), Kaviraja (Raghava-pandaviya), Haradattasuri (Raghava-naishadhiya), Chidambara (Yadavaraghava-pandaviya), Halayudha (Kavirahasya), Mentha, Matrigupta, Bhaumaka (Ravanarjuniyam), Shivswami (Kaphanabhyudaya), etc.
   • Lyric Poetry and Niti-texts: Ghatpar, Hala's Saptashati, Bhartrihari (three Shatakas), Mayura, Matanga Divakara, Mohamudgara, Shilhana (Shantisataka), Bilhana (Chaurapanchasika), Jayadeva (Gita Govinda), Shilabhattarika, Sukti-sandarbha, and didactic poetry.
   • Historical Poetry: The beginning of history in India, Bana's Harshacharita, Padmagupta's Navasahasankacharita, Bilhana, Kalhana's Rajatarangini, and minor works.
   • Prose Literature (Story) and Champu: The emergence of prose, Dandin (Dashakumaracharita, Kavyadarsha), Subandhu (Vasavadatta), Bana (Kadambari), and Champu literature.
   • Popular Story Books: Gunadhya's Brihatkatha, Buddhswami's Shloka-sangraha, Kshemendra's Brihatkatha-manjari, Somadeva's Katha-sarit-sagara, Vetala-panchavimsatika, Shukasaptati, Simhasana-dvatrimshatika.
   • Didactic Fables: The nature and origin of didactic fables, Vishnu Sharma's Panchatantra (original text, popularity, versions, classification, author, origin, period, language), Tantrakhyayika, and the "Simple Text."
   • Metaphor (Rupaka): The origin of Sanskrit drama, its influence from Greek drama, characteristics, major works, the works attributed to Harsha, Mudrarakshasa, Venisamhara, Bhavabhuti, Rajshekhara, Dingnaga's Kundamala, Murari, Krishnamiśra, and the decline of dramatic art.
   • Appendices: Sanskrit's spread in the West, origin of Indian scripts, and the history of Brahmi script knowledge.

Authors' Approach:

• The authors emphasize a balanced approach, considering both Western and Eastern perspectives, avoiding blind imitation of Western scholarship.
• They acknowledge the contributions of Western scholars like Macdonell, Keith, Winternitz, Peterson, and others, frequently citing their works.
• Hansraj Agrawal expresses his gratitude to his teacher, Dr. Lakshman Swarup, for guidance and for writing the preface.
• The book is written with the specific intention of making Sanskrit literature more accessible and engaging for students, particularly for B.A. level studies.
• The use of analytical style, presenting authors and their works together, is a key methodological feature.
• The inclusion of the latest research findings is also a stated aim.

Target Audience:

The book is explicitly intended to fulfill the needs of B.A. students, bridging the gap left by existing, often more advanced, histories of Sanskrit literature.

In essence, "Sanskrit Sahitya ka Itihas" aims to be a comprehensive, well-researched, and student-friendly guide to the vast and influential landscape of Sanskrit literature, acknowledging its historical context, its artistic merits, and the ongoing scholarly debate surrounding its various aspects.