CHAPTER- 1

SOURCESOF INDIAN
HISTORY
Literary about thefour varnasknownasBrahman,
Kshatriya, Vaishyaandsudra.
Archaeological
SamaneantoSing.
ForeignAccount
Except 78hymnsall theother hymnsof this
LiterarySources
VedahavebeentakenfromRigveda.
ProtoHistoricPeriod: HarappanScript was
Yajurvedaisanelaborateelucidationof
ideographic, but hasnot deciphered.
rituals.
Onthefortification wall of therecentlyexcavated
cityDholaviradepictionof Harappanpictographs Krishan-yajurvedacomprisesdescription
havebeenfoundwhichistheoldest sinageof the inprose.
world.
Atharvvedaisrelatedwithsomenon-Aryan
VedicLiterature
traditionslikemagical charmandspell.
Vedameansknowledge
Brahmanliteratureisdescriptivedetail
about Sacrament, sacrificesanddifferent
Vedicliteratureincludesall thefour Vedas,
ritesandrituals. Brahmnas, AryankasandUpanishadas.
Rigvedaistheearliest Veda AitreyaandKausitaki Brahmanarerelated
withRigveda.
Rigmeanshymns.
SatpathBrahmnrelatedwithYajurveda
Rigvedaisdividedinto10mandalas.
describesabout Aryansextentioninthe
Mandalasarefurther dividedintoAstakas
Ganget cvalley.
andSuktas.
Ritualsrelatedwithagriculturehave- been
Rigvedascomprises1028hymns.
alsodescribedinit.
Total hymnsis all vedasare20,000.
Aryankasarephilosophical incontent.
Thelast 11hymnsareknownBalakhilya
Philosophyabout theunityof Atmaand
(secondtoseventhmandalaareknownas
Parniatmahasbeendescribedin
FamilyText) whichareconsideredasthe
Upanishadas.
oldest part of Rigveda.
UpanishadasarecalledVedanta.
Thirdmandalaof RigvedacomprisesGaytri
Mantra, composedbyViswamitra.
Total number of Upanishadasis108. But
AccordingtoSankaracharyanumber of Gaytri Mantraisdedicatedtosavitur who
Upanishadasis16. wasdeityof Sunfamily.
FourthMandalaconsistsof referencesof Kathaupnishaddescribesthestoryyama
agricultural work. andNachiketa.
SixthmandaladepictsthewordHaryupia
UpanisbadasmainlyrevolvesaroundSouth
whichhasbeenrelatedwithHarappa.
andBrahma.
Ninthmandalaisdedicatedtosoma.
Mandukopanishedof AtharvaVedadepicts
satyamevJayte. First typeKrishna'sdescriptionhasbeen
foundin ChandogyaUpnishad.
Rigveda, SamvedaandYayurvedaare
Tenthmandala(PurushaSukta) describes collectivelycalledTrayee.
Here

VedangLiterature landowningBrahmanaswhowereagainst
acceptingalms.
1.Sikha(Phonetics) - Yaskaisthefirst known
writer onSikha. PURANAS
2.Kalpa- (Rituals) - TherearethreeSutras Puranashavefiveimportant features.
Dharma, Sraut andGrihya.
1.Sarg
SulvaSutradescribesabout geometry
2.Pratisarg
Nirukta(Elymology)
3.Vansa
Chhanda(Metre) - Pingal wasthegreatest
4.Manvantar
author on ChhandaShastra.
5.Varsanucharit
Vyakaran(Grammer) - Panini wrote
Vansanucharit meansgeneology
Astadhyayi, KatyayanVartikaand
Patanjali- Mahabhasya.
Vayupuranmentionsabout geographyof
Indian cultureandabout prominent Indian
Jyotisha(Astrology) - Noparticular book on
dynastieslikeNanda, Maurya, Sunga,
VedangaJyotithaisavailable
SatvahanaandGupta.
GREAT EPICS
Srimadbhagvat puranaisthe. greatest
1.Ramayan: Elucidationof social idealsof
puraninrespect toBhakti cult.
ancient IndianSociety.
VayuandVishnuPuranmentionIndia's
24000, Salokas
geography.
Poet - Valmiki (HeiscalledAdikavi)
Vishnudharmottarapurandepictsabout
Valmiki for first timeusedtheworld wall paintingsandiconometry.
Sanskrit asnomenclatureof theliterary
Technical andScientificLiterature
languagewhichwasearlier knownas
AVURVEDA
Bhasa.
Ashwini Kumars. werephysiciansof the 2.Mababharta: Political thought of ancient India
celestial worldwhogot theknowledgeof canbeunderstoodonthebasisof thisepic.
AyurvedafromBrahma.
10,0000slokas(It iscalledSatsahasri
Dhanvantri isconsideredasfather of SainhitaandalsoPancharuVeda.
Ayurvedasystem.
Geetaisapart of BhismaParva.
Athravedagivesfirst handinformation
Harivanshapuranof Mahabharat comprises
about Ayurveda.
genealogyof therulers.
Charakawhobelongedtokushanaperiod
SMIRTI LITERATURE
wrotecharak samihta.
1. ManuSmriti istheearliest smriti.
Shshurut wroteShrshrut Samhitawhich
It wascompiledduringtheperiodof Kanava
alsomentionsabout surgical operation.
ruler.
VagbhatawroteAstangthidyawhich
It callsforeignrulersAdhamkula
mentionsabout eight major organsof
Kshatriya.
humanbody.
It criticisesviolation of varnasharmaorder.
VETERINARYSCIENCE
Accordingtoit Niyogis Kalivaijyameans
SalihannawroteonAsvaChikitsa.
strictlyrestrictedinkali era.
PalkappyawroteonGajachikitsa
2.Yajnalkyasmriti - first describedabout the
BOTANY
origin of Kaysthas.
Vrikshaparasar describesabout numerous
3.Naradsmriti - describesabout ritualsrelated
medicinal herbsandplants.
withmanumission of seth.
ASTROLOGY/ASTRONOMY
4.Parasar smriti - describesabout anumber or
classesof Brahmanasespeciallyrichclassof VedangJyotishaisconsideredasthe

earliest text onastrologyason well as 2.Saudarananda(Storyof Suqdani

astronomybut it isnot available. andAnand)
3.Sutralankar (Philosophical text) AryabhattawroteSuryaSidhantika.
Sudraka MrichchaKatikam(First
Varahamihir wrotePanchaSidhantika,
realisticplayinSanskrit)
Vrihatjatak, L.aghuJatak andVrihat
Samhitaonastrology. Visakhadutta 1.Mudsarakshasa- (It isrelated
withKautilyalsdiplomaticstrife
BrahmGuptawroteBrahmsphuta
withMahamatyaof
Sidhanta.
Dhanananda)
MATHEMATICS
2.Devi Chandraguptam(It is
SulvaSutradescribesabout vedicalters.
relatedwithChandraGupta
Vikramaditya)
Thisistheearliest text whichcomprises
informationongeometry.
3.KalidasEpic- Raguvansham
AryabhattawroteArybhattiyamwhich
Lyrics
describesabout decimal systemandabout
1.Meghadutam
zero.
2.Kumar Sambhvam
BhaskaracharyawroteLilavati
Plays
ARCHILECTURE
1.Vikramovarsiya
Manual of ArchitectureisknownasSilpa
2.Malvikagni mitram
Sastra.
3.AbhijayanaShakuntalam
Earliest information about paintingand
Bharvi - Kirataijuniyam
iconometryisgivenin Visnudharmottara
Purana. MaghSisupal Vadharn.
STATECRAFT Mayamatta, IshanVisvagurudeoPadhati
andAparajitpnkshaaresomeof thebest
Kautilya- Arthasastra
knowntextsonIndian Architecture.
1.Book waswrittenonpolity.
BIOGRAPHICAL LITERATURE
2.Thisbook wasdiscoveredbyShamJi Sastri
Banabhatta- ElarshaChant (Pushyabhuti
3.It has15Adhikaranas
ruler of Kanauj).
4.It describesabout Saptangtheoryof stateand
Vilhan- Vikramanakdevcharitam
enlighteneddespotismof Mauryaperiodwith
(Chalukyanruler of Kalyani)
descriptivedetail about administration.
Anandbhatta- Ballal charita
Kamandaka- Nitisar
Sandhyakarnandi - Rampalcharit
It isacommentaryonArthasastra.
Jayanak - Prithavi Raj Chant It waswrittenduringGuptaperiod
Hemchandra- Kumar Pal Chant Vrihaspati - Arthasastra
Dutiesof anideal rulershavebeen Panmal Gupta- NavshashsankaChant
describedinthistext.
Jayagondar - Kalingatupani
HISTRIOGRAPHY
Otakuttan- Kulatingam
1.Kaihan- Rajtarangini I
CLASSICAL SANSKRIT
2.JonRaj - Rajtarangini II
Bhasa wrote14plays(Swapanvasha-
3.Srivar andSuka- RajtaranginIII
duttamandPratirna
BUDDHIST LITERATURE Yangandhanaiyanarehismost
famousplays)
Tripitaka
Asvaghosh 1.BuddhaCharitam(Buddha's
1.SuttaPitak - Teachingsandpreachingof Lord
biography)
Buddha

2.VinayPitak - Monastical rulesandregulations/ Churnika- commentaryonAngasandUpangas.

disciplineandorder.
EPIGRAPHICAL SOURCES
3.AbhidhammPitak - Metaphysical andesoteric
1.Theearliest writtenrecordshavebeenfound
ideas
fromHarappa, but thescript hasnot been
SuttaPitak deciphered.
Languageininscriptions
1.DigghaNikaya 2.JamesPrincep
deciphered 1.Brahmi Script
2.MajjimNikaya
Ashokan (Prakrit Language)
3.SamyuktaNikaya
Inscription in Left toright which
1837. werefoundall over 4.AnguttaraNikaya
Ashokasempire.
3.Ashokan
5.Khuddak Nikaya
inscriptionswere
2.Kharosti Script Which
KhuddakPath
writteninPrakrit
werewrittenright to
1.DhanimaPad- (Thisis KnownasBhagvat
languageand. left foundin North-
Geetaof Buddhism)
mainlyinBrahmi
west Manseraand
script.
Sahbajgarhi. 2.Etivethhka- BuddhateachingsViman Vethu,
PetaVethu, TherigathaandTherigathaare
4.Onlytwoof his 3.Bilingual (Greek and
alsopart of it.
inscriptionfound
Armait Kandhar and
fromMansehra
Afganistan. VINAYPITAKA
andSahbajagarhi
4.Bustrofedan- were
SUTAVIBHANG
arewrittenin
writtenfirst right to
(a)MahaVibhang Kharosthi script.
left thenleft towrite.
(b)Bhikshunivibhanga
5.Kandhar Foundin(Yeragudi)
inscriptionof Karnataka.
KHANDAKA
Ashokahasbeen
(a)Mahavagg
writteninGreek andArabicascripts.
(b)ChullaVagg
6.MahasthanandSahgaurainscripiion describe
PARIVAR about great famineandhelpgivenbytheruler
tohisstarvedcitizens. SahgauraInscription
Note-Milindapanho, writteninPalibyNagsena
isdepictedoncopper plate.
describesNagasenasdiscourseswithMenader.
7.Maski, Gurjara, OdegolamandNittur
MAHAYAN
inscriptionsof Ashokadescribehisname.
1.MahayanSradhotpadSastra
8. OnlyinBhabruinscriptionAshokahascalled
2.Sumangal vilasini.
himself MagadhRaj andaruler dedicated
3.Vajrayana(a) ManjuSri mul Kalpa himself toBudha, DhammaandSangha.
(b)GuhyaSamajtantra 9.Dhandeva'sinscriptionof Pusyamitradescribe
about AsvameghaYajanperformedbyhim.
JAINLITERATURE
10.Helioderuspillar inscriptionalsocalled
l2Angas
Besanagar Garudadhwaj describesabout the
12Upanga
cult of Panchvrishtii Veera.
10Prakirnaka
11.Ghosuandi inscription describesabout Bhagvat
cult.
6Chhedli Sutra
12.Girnar inscriptionwasfirst inscriptionof 4MulaSutra
Sanskrit languageabout Sakaruler
AcharangSutra- Monastical discipline
RudradamanI.
Bhagvatti Suta- Lifeandteachingof MahaviraLF
13.Nanaghat inscription of Naganikadescribes
Nayadhani Kahasutra- Gospel of Mahavira
about Satkarmi I.
Tattvarthadigamsutra- Thisacceptedmyboth
14.Eraninscriptionof Bhanuguptaprovidesthe
DigamburaandSvetambara.
first evidenceof Sati.

15.Allahabadinscriptionof SamudraGupta 17.SamudraGuptaissuedAsvameghatypeof

describesabout hisconquests. coins.
18.Chandra(GuptaVikrarnadityawasthefirst 16.Udaigiri inscriptionbelongstotheperiodof
Guptaruler whoissuedsilver coin. ChandraGuptaVikramaditya.
19.KumarguptaalsoissuedAsvanieghatypeof 17.Damodar pur, GarhvaandKaramdanda
coins. inscriptionsdescribeabout rulesand
regulations relatedwithlandgrant.
20.SamudraGuptahadissuedVeenavadak,
VyaghralantaandAsvarohi typesof coins.
18.Bhitari inscription, depictsSakandaGuptas
victoryover Hunas. 21.Satvahanasnever issuedgoldcoin. They
issuedSilyer, Copper, leadandpotin.
19.MadhuvanandVanskherainscriptionsbelong
totheperiodof Harshaandhavesignatureof 22.Onlyonegoldcoinof Harshaperiodhasbeen
Harsha. found.
20.AiholeinscriptionwrittenbyRavikirti depicts 23.InsouthIndiagoldcoinswereknownasPon.
thenameof Kalidasa.
24.Inpre-medieval periodGadhaiyacoinswerein
circulationinwesternIndia. 21.Uttermerur inscriptiondepictslocal self
government of Cholaperiod.
25.HuenTsangmentionsthat conchandshells
wereusedasmeansof saleandpurchase.
22.KudmiyamalayaPolukottai inscriptiondepicts
about Indianmusic andRagas.
26.Paper Rupeeswerefirst issuedbyLordCanning
(1860AD).
Numismatical Sources
1.Harappansdidnot usecoin.
2.RigvedamentionsNiskagriva.
3.Later Vedicliteraturementionabout Satman
andKrishanal.
4.Coinagesystemevolvedin6thcent. B.C.
5.Theearliest coinsbelongtoMagadhaand
Kosala.
6.Theearlycoinsarepunchmarked.
7.Our earliest coinwasmadeof silver.
8.TheyhavebeencalledKasarpan.
9.Arthashastramentions about Pan, masaka
andKakini.
10.Indo-BacteriansintroducedinIndia, goldcoins.
Ontheir coin thefigureof King& Queenand
datewerefound.
11.Coinsof VimKedphisesdepict trident symbol
of LordSiva.
12.KaniskascoinsdepictsBuddhasfigure.
13.Kushanasissuedpurest goldcoinsin India.
ThosecoinwerecalledDinaras.
14.KushansandKunindasnever issuedSilver
coin.
15.Yaudheyasdepictedfigureof war lordKartikeya.
16.First of all on sakacoinIndianGodLordKrishna
wereshown.