Sanskrit 

is the classical language of

Indian and the liturgical language of
Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. It
is also one of the 22 official languages
of India. The name Sanskrit means
"refined", "consecrated" and
"sanctified".
The earliest known of India is a collection
of traditions handed down by word of
mouth. These traditions are known as the
Vedas. These contains hymns addressed to
the Indian Gods, who are very numerous.
They also contain stories about these Gods.
The literature of India is often called
Sanskrit Literature. The word Sanskrit
means cultivated or perfected. Hindu
literature reveals the inner and outer life of
a remarkable people; it extends from a
remote past to the present.
India also founded colonies in ancient
Persia, Greece, and Rome as well as in
Spain, England, and France. These
countries belong to the Indo-European
race. Indian philosophy and religion
greatly influenced both the East and West.
Long before the Christ lived, the Indians
were already teaching the brotherhood and
fatherhood of God. Indian culture has
interesting and distinctive qualities. Indian
literature, already full developed over
3,000 years ago, is rich in spiritual and
imaginative values. Indian culture had
scientific bent. India gave the world
trigonometry, the first grammar books, the
first study of phonetics ( the study of
speech sounds) , and the game of chess.
 CHARACTERISTICS OF INDIAN
LITERATURE
Based on piety, a deeply religious spirit.
The Indians believed that a knowledge of God
and a strong belief in Hinduism is necessary to
save humankind.
Vedas- their earliest poem, serve as the Bible of
the Indians.
Indian literary pieces, written in the form of
epics, correspond to great epochs in the history
of India.
The Ramayana and Mahabharata are the
most important epics of India. Mahabharata is
the longest found in world literature.
 Indians believed in reincarnation, meaning
that the soul of a person after death returns to the
Earth in the body of another person, an animal, or
even a plant. Their Gods are believed to be
reincarnated into human beings or even animals.
Ramayana- about the reincarnation of the creator
God, Vishnu, in he person of Rama, who is the
hero of the epic.
Ramayana- recounts the adventures of Rama and
his wife Sita. Legend has it that Sita was born of
a furrow, the child of Mother Earth. Sita is
regarded by the women of India as the perfect
symbol of wifely devotion and self-sacrifice for
the beloved.
Mahabharata- deals with another reincarnations
of Vishnu in the person of Krishna.
Reincarnations of Vishnu are called Avatars or
descending from the God.
Mahabharata- considered the greatest epic of
India. It tells the story of a civil war that might
have taken place in the early years of the Aryan
occupation of India.
- a long poem, almost as long as
the combined epics of all Europe.
- tells of two rival bands of
brothers; descendants of a common grandfather,
King Pandu.
 The two great Indian dramatists are Bhasa and
Kalidasa, who is called Indian Shakespeare.
Bhasa- the first great name in Indian Drama.
Kalidasa- the greatest writer of plays, the author
INDIAN of Shakuntala.
Shakuntala- is written in long passages of
DRAMA beautiful prose and poetry.
Panchatantra- rich collection of brief stories of
ancient times.
- contains short stories and
fables in the world.
Rabinhdranath Tagore- a great Indian poet
and dramatist. He was awarded the Nobel
Prize for literature in 1913 and was
knighted by the British government in
1915.
1. It is the classical language of Indian and the
liturgical language of Hinduism, Buddhism, and
Jainism.
2. These contains hymns addressed to the Indian
Gods, who are very numerous. They also contain
stories about these Gods.
3-5. What are those scientific bent discovered by the
Indian?
6-7. What are the two famous epic in India?
8. A great Indian poet and dramatist. He was awarded
the Nobel Prize for literature in 1913 and was
knighted by the British government in 1915.
9. It is the longest epic found in world literature.
10. It is all about the reincarnation of the creator God,
Vishnu, in he person of Rama, who is the hero of the
11. The greatest writer of plays, the author of
Shakuntala.
12. It is written in long passages of beautiful
prose and poetry.
13. Contains short stories and fables in the world.
14. The first great name in Indian Drama.
15. The Bible of the Indians.