List Of Ancient Indian Texts

India is one of the oldest civilization in the world . The ancient Indian society has been blessed to have had amazing thinkers , writers , creators .

Here is list of some of the books/literature piece written in ancient India

  1. Vedas: These are the oldest sacred texts of Hinduism, composed between 1500 BCE and 500 BCE. The Vedas are divided into four main texts: Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samaveda, and Atharvaveda.
  2. Upanishads: These are philosophical texts that form the basis of Hindu philosophy. They were composed between 800 BCE and 500 BCE.
  3. Mahabharata: It is a long epic poem that tells the story of the Kurukshetra War between two branches of a royal family. It is believed to have been composed between 400 BCE and 400 CE.
  4. Ramayana: It is another long epic poem that tells the story of the prince Rama and his quest to rescue his wife Sita from the demon king Ravana. It is believed to have been composed between 400 BCE and 200 BCE.
  5. Puranas: These are a collection of 18 texts that contain stories of Hindu gods and goddesses, along with the history of the universe and the genealogy of kings. They were composed between 400 CE and 1500 CE.
  6. Arthashastra: It is an ancient Indian treatise on statecraft, economic policy and military strategy, written by the philosopher Kautilya. It was composed around the 3rd century BCE.
  7. Bhagavad Gita: It is a Hindu scripture that is part of the Mahabharata. It consists of a conversation between the prince Arjuna and his charioteer Krishna, discussing the nature of the self, the universe, and the role of action in human life. It was composed around 200 BCE.
  8. Shilpa Shastras: These are a collection of ancient Indian texts on architecture, sculpture, and iconography. They were composed between 200 BCE and 1200 CE.
  9. Kama Sutra: It is an ancient Indian text on human sexuality, written by the philosopher Vatsyayana. It was composed around 400 CE.
  10. Sushruta Samhita: It is an ancient text on Ayurvedic medicine, written by the physician Sushruta. It was composed around 600 BCE.
  11.  Charaka Samhita: It is another ancient text on Ayurvedic medicine, written by the physician Charaka. It was composed around 200 BCE.
  12. Natya Shastra: It is an ancient Indian treatise on performing arts, including dance, music, and theatre. It was composed around 200 BCE.
  13. Yoga Sutras of Patanjali: It is an ancient text on the philosophy and practice of yoga, written by the sage Patanjali. It was composed around 400 CE.
  14. Tirukkural: It is a Tamil text on ethics and morality, written by the poet Thiruvalluvar. It was composed around the 1st century BCE.
  15. Panchatantra: It is a collection of ancient Indian fables, with stories that contain moral lessons. It was composed around 200 BCE.
  16. Jain Agamas: These are a collection of texts that form the basis of Jainism, an ancient Indian religion. They were composed between 800 BCE and 200 CE.
  17. Buddha Charita: It is a biographical text on the life of the Buddha, written by the poet Ashvaghosha. It was composed around 1000 CE.
  18. Meghaduta: It is a Sanskrit poem written by the poet Kalidasa, telling the story of a yaksha who sends a message to his wife through a cloud. It was composed around the 4th or 5th century CE.
  19. Rajatarangini: It is a Sanskrit historical chronicle written by the historian Kalhana, describing the history of Kashmir from ancient times to the 12th century CE. It was composed around the 12th century CE.
  20. Atharva Veda: It is one of the four Vedas and contains hymns and spells for a variety of purposes. It was composed between 1200 BCE and 1000 BCE.
  21. Rigveda Samhita: It is one of the four Vedas and contains hymns in praise of various deities. It was composed between 1500 BCE and 1200 BCE.
  22. Shrimad Bhagavatam: It is a Sanskrit text that tells the story of the god Krishna and his incarnations. It was composed around the 10th century CE.
  23. Kathasaritsagara: It is a Sanskrit text that contains stories within stories, similar to the Arabian Nights. It was composed around the 11th century CE.
  24. Naladiyar: It is a Tamil text that contains moral and ethical teachings. It was composed around the 4th or 5th century CE.
  25. Nyaya Sutras: It is a Sanskrit text that deals with logic and epistemology. It was composed around the 2nd century BCE.
  26. Brihat Samhita: It is a Sanskrit text that deals with a variety of subjects, including astrology, astronomy, and architecture. It was composed around the 6th century CE.
  27. Amarakosha: It is a Sanskrit thesaurus that lists words and their synonyms. It was composed around the 4th or 5th century CE.
  28. Harivamsa: It is a Sanskrit text that tells the story of the god Vishnu and his incarnations, particularly Krishna. It was composed around the 4th or 5th century CE.
  29. Dasakumaracharita: It is a Sanskrit text that tells the story of ten princes and their adventures. It was composed around the 7th century CE.
  30. Taittiriya Upanishad: It is an ancient text that deals with the nature of the self and the pursuit of spiritual liberation. It was composed around the 6th century BCE.
  31.  Rigveda Brahmanas: These are a collection of texts that provide explanations and interpretations of the hymns in the Rigveda. They were composed between 1500 BCE and 1200 BCE.
  32. Chandogya Upanishad: It is an ancient text that deals with the nature of the self and the pursuit of spiritual liberation. It was composed around the 8th century

Leave a Reply