A Concise History of Classical Sanskrit Literature

The history of Sanskrit literature is a fascinating subject that interests not only students of language but also the intelligentsia in general. This prompted the author to undertake the first edition of the book under the title *An Introduction to Classical Sanskrit* in 1943. It is gratifying that the edition was exhausted in a short time, leading to a persistent demand for a new edition. The present edition, however, is not just a reprint of the former; much new material has been added, and the entire book has been thoroughly revised and updated. The scope of the book has also been suitably widened, as evident from its rechristening to *A Concise History of Sanskrit Literature*. Thus, it will satisfy its users much more than its predecessor.

The impetus for writing the present work came from the author's student days at Presidency College, Calcutta. The paucity of suitable textbooks on the subject for degree and post-graduate students of Indian universities, and the difficulties students experience in tackling the subject, were felt by the author himself during his college life.

In preparing the book, the author has freely consulted the two monumental works of M. Winternitz and A.B. Keith.

Indian tradition knows Sanskrit as the language of the gods, which has been the dominant language of India for over four thousand years. Viewed from its rich heritage of literature, its fascinating charm of words, and its flexibility of expression in relation to thought, Sanskrit occupies a singular place in the literature of the world.

The book examines whether Sanskrit was a living speech in ancient India and whether it was the vernacular of all classes of people or any particular section or sections.

It then briefly studies the great epics (Ramayana and Mahabharata), the Puranas, the Tantras, post-epic Kavya, Kavya in inscriptions, early Buddhist works in Sanskrit, court epics, drama, lyric poetry, historical writings, prose literature, campu literature, grammar, poetics and dramaturgy, metrics, lexicography, civil and religious law, politics, erotics, medicine, astronomy, mathematics and astrology, miscellaneous sciences, and philosophy.

This book contains an elaborate account of all branches of Classical Sanskrit literature based on literary, epigraphical, and numismatical sources. It is divided into 23 chapters, each dealing with a particular topic arranged chronologically. Chapters I-V cover the epics, Puranas, Tantras, post-epic, and inscriptional poetry. Chapter VI deals with early Buddhist works in Sanskrit. Chapters VII-XII relate to court epics, drama, poetry, historical writings, prose, and campu literature. Chapters XIII-XXI discuss grammar, poetics, dramaturgy, metrics, lexicography, civil and religious laws, politics, erotics, medicine, astronomy, mathematics, and astrology. Chapters XXII-XXIII treat miscellaneous sciences as well as Hindu philosophical thought.

The book is documented with a critical apparatus. Besides notes and references, it includes an illuminating introduction and an index of authors and works.