For Under Graduate Student

HISTORY

Subject: History

(For under graduate student)

Paper No.: Paper-I

History of India

Topic No. & Title:Topic-2

Sources of Ancient Indian

History

Lecture No. & Title: Lecture-5

Literary Sources

FAQs

1.What are the sources for the cultural history of ancient India?

The cultural history of ancient India may be gleaned from canonical and non-canonical literature, philosophical tenets, coins, as well as from specimens of art, architecture and sculpture.

2. What was the traditional view regarding literary activity in early India?

It was generally held that literary works composed in Sanskrit formed the mainstay of literary activity in early India.

3. What is the current opinion regarding literary activity in early India?

While not denying the role of Sanskrit literature in this regard, it is accepted that literary works in Tamil, Prakrit, Pali, as well as in the regional languages like Marathi, Oriya, Kannada and Telegu should also been taken into account.

4. What was the earliest form of Sanskrit literature?

The earliest form of Sanskrit literature was the Vedic corpus.

5. From which period do Buddhist and Jain literature begin to appear?

Buddhist and Jain literature started appearing in India around the second and third centuries C.E.

6. How many Puranas were there and what were their names?

There were eighteen main or Mahapuranas, and many more secondary or upapuranas.The names of the Mahapuranas were, Vishnu, Narada, Bhagavata,Garuda, Padma, Varaha, Matsya, Kurma, Linga, Shiva, Skanda, Agni, Brahmanda, Brahmavaivarta, Markandeya, Bhavishya, Vamana and Brahma.

7.What were the chief symbols that represented Buddhism?

The symbols that were used to represent the Buddha and Buddhism were the bodhi-tree, foot prints, baby elephant, and the Dharma chakra.

8. What do we learn from Buddhist visual art?

Buddhist visual art helps to form an idea about the gradual increase in the popularity of the Mahayana cult in India, about royal patronage as well as the styles in practice during different periods in the various parts of India.

9.Mention some of the places where Buddhiststupas, have been found in India.

Amongst the places where ruins of significant Buddhist stupas have been found are, Taxila, Gandhara, Sanchi, Sarnath, Bharhut, Gaya, Nagarjunakonda and Amravati.

10.On which Greek coins do we find figures of Krishna Vishnu?

Excavations at Al-Khanoum in Afghanistan have revealed coins of a Greek ruler called Agathocles, which carry the figure of Krishna Vishnu.