LITERARY SOURCES WHICH TELLS ABOUT INDIAN HISTORY

Writing was known since 2500 B.C. but manuscripts(books) were found only in 4th century A.D. Before that people used to write on birch bark, palm leaves.

Various manuscripts found were ;

•Old sanskrit manuscript - They were found all over the country but mainly in South India, Kashmir, Nepal 

•Religious Hindu literature - Vedas, the epics(Ramayana, Mahabharata), the Puranas. The epics and Puranas were compiled by around 400 A.D. 

•Rig Veda belongs to 1500-1000B.C. whereas Atharva Veda, Yajur Veda, the Upanishads belongs to 1000-500 B.C. Although the epics and Puranas were finally compiled by around 400 A.D.

•Vedic Samhitas

• Rig Veda Samhita- describes the early Vedic age and contain prayers 

• Sama Veda Samhita - used for singing purpose. Rig Veda prayers were set to tune and this modified collection is called Sama Veda Samhita 

• YajurVeda Samhita - contains hymns as well as rituals.

• AtharvaVeda Samhita - contains spells to ward off evil and disease. It contains beliefs and practices of non Aryans.

•Mahabharata

• reflect state of affairs from 10th  century BC to 4 century AD. 
• Kaurava - Pandaya conflict belong to later Vedic times.
• It consists of 8000 verses originally and was called as Jaya Samhita, final compilation c/a Mahabharata or Satasahasri Samhita consists of 100,000 versus.

•Ramayana 

•  Originally consists of 12000 versus, raised to 24000.
•  Mahabharata is older in age but still Ramayana was complied later than Mahabharata. 

•600- 300 BC 

• Srautasutra -It consists of sacrifices meant for princes and men of substance belonging to 3 higher varnas. It is related to royal coronation ceremonies. 
• Grihyasutra- it consists of domestic ritual connected with birth, naming, marriage, funeral etc. 
• Salvasutras - prescribe measurements for construction of sacrificial altars. They mark beginning of geomatry & mathematics.

•Earliest Buddhist text 

• These were written in Pali language (spoken in Magadh & Bihar)
• Were Compiled in 2nd century BC in Sri Lanka 
• It Tells about life of Buddha and 550 previous birth of Buddha, each birth story c/a Jataka (tells about life from 5th to 2nd century BC) 

•Jaina text 

• Written In Prakrit and compiled in 6th AD in Valabhi in Gujarat.
• Help us to reconstruct the history of eastern UP & Bihar in age of Mahavira 

•Dharmshastra 

• Consist of law books called Dharmasutras and Smritis (together called Dharmshastra) 
•  Dharmasutras - Compiled in 500-200 BC and Smritis in first 6 centuries of Cristian era 
• Lays down duties of different varnas, for their kings & officials; lays down property rules; prescribe punishment for persons guilty for theft, murder etc 
• Arthashastra (by Kautilya) -
• important law book. Divided in 15 books. 
• It was put into the final form in the beginning of Christian era 
• It's earliest portion reflects state of society & economy in Mauryas age

•Kalidasa - his work provides glimpse of social & cultural life of northern & central Asia in age of Guptas 

•Sangam literature - Tamil text - It tells about social, economic and political life of people in deltaic Tamil Nadu. 

•Biographies

• Started with composition of Harshacharita by Banabhatta in 7th century. It tells about court life, social and religious life under Harsha.
• Rajatarangini or 'The Stream of Kings' by Kalhana in 12th century - Best example of earliest historical writing. It tells the biographies of Kings' of Kashmir. 

•Foriegn Accounts 

• Indigenous literature is supplemented by foreign accounts like Greek, Roman, Chinese.
• Alexander invasion of India in 324 BC is known by Greek sources (Indika of Megasthenes) .
• Chinese travellers :
• Fa-hsein and Hsuan Tsang (both Buddhist) came to study Buddhism first in 5th century AD then in 7th century AD.
• Fa- hsein - he described the social, religious, economic condition of India in the age of Guptas. 
• Hsuan Tsang - described the social, religious, economic condition of India in the age of Harsha.