Study Guide · Chapter 2
Ancient and Classical Texts
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| Text | Author/Compiler | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| Rigveda, Samaveda, Yajurveda, Atharvaveda | Compiled tradition (attributed to Vyasa for final compilation) | Foundational Vedic texts |
| Ramayana | Valmiki | Sanskrit epic |
| Mahabharata | Ved Vyasa | World's longest epic poem |
| Arthashastra | Kautilya (Chanakya) | Treatise on statecraft, economy, Mauryan-era |
| Ashtadhyayi | Panini | Sanskrit grammar treatise |
| Mudrarakshasa | Vishakhadatta | Play on Chandragupta Maurya's rise |
| Indica | Megasthenes | Greek account of Mauryan India |
| Abhijnanashakuntalam, Meghaduta, Raghuvamsha, Kumarasambhava | Kalidasa | Classical Sanskrit literature (Gupta era) |
| Mrichchhakatika | Shudraka | Sanskrit play |
| Panchatantra | Attributed to Vishnu Sharma | Animal fables |
| Amarakosha | Amarasimha | Sanskrit lexicon |
| Aryabhatiya | Aryabhata | Mathematics and astronomy |
| Brihat Samhita, Panchasiddhantika | Varahamihira | Astronomy/astrology |
| Brahmasphutasiddhanta | Brahmagupta | Mathematics |
| Charaka Samhita | Charaka | Ayurvedic medicine |
| Sushruta Samhita | Sushruta | Ayurvedic surgery |
| Harshacharita, Kadambari | Banabhatta | Biography of Harshavardhana; prose romance |
| Si-Yu-Ki | Hiuen Tsang (Xuanzang) | Chinese pilgrim's account of India |
| Tahqiq-i-Hind (Kitab-ul-Hind) | Al-Biruni | Arab account of Indian society/science |
| Rajatarangini | Kalhana | Chronicle of Kashmir; considered India's earliest attempt at systematic historiography |
| Kavirajamarga | Amoghavarsha I (Rashtrakuta) | Earliest available work on Kannada poetics |
| Tolkappiyam | Attributed to Tolkappiyar | Earliest Tamil grammar |
| Silappadikaram | Ilango Adigal | Tamil epic |
| Manimekalai | Sattanar | Tamil epic |
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