""History of Sanskrit Literature"" by C. V. Vaidya is a comprehensive exploration of the development and evolution of Sanskrit literature, covering its origins, key texts, genres, and major figures. Vaidya traces the history from the Vedic period through to classical and post-classical literature. The work highlights significant contributions from poets, dramatists, and philosophers, with special focus on the epics, Puranas, and works of scholars like Kalidasa and Bhasa. It delves into the rich diversity of Sanskrit literary forms, emphasizing the cultural, philosophical, and linguistic contexts that shaped this influential tradition in Indian literature.
Chintaman Vinayak Vaidya (1861-1938) was a prominent Marathi historian, writer, and nationalist. Born into a Chitpavan Brahmin family, he served as the Chief Justice of Gwalior State and chaired the 1908 Marathi Sahitya Sammelan. His works span history, literature, and cultural studies, focusing on Indian epics, Sanskrit literature, and Hindu history. Notable contributions include History of Mediaeval Hindu India and History of Sanskrit Literature. Vaidya also explored topics like the downfall of Hindu India, the rise of Hindu states, and the Maratha empire. His work significantly influenced Marathi historiography and the study of ancient Indian texts.
While teaching History of Sanskrit Literature to students of the Tilak Mahavidyalaya of Poona, I found that the dates assigned by European scholars, Weber, Max Muller, Macdonell, Keith, Winternitz and others, to Sanskrit works, especially Vedic, were entirely different from those assigned by Indian scholars, like Tilak, Dikshit and Rajawade. It was, therefore, found absolutely necessary that a history-of Sanskrit literature, at least of the Vedic portion of it, written from the Indian point of view should be placed before the world, embodying the arguments of these Indian scholars with such further arguments and data as could be brought forward from my study of Vedic works. The present volume is the outcome of this necessity as well as study.
There are other topics also, besides dates, on which European views differ from Indian, such as the development of social customs, the nature of Indian Aryan civilization and so on; and I have placed the Indian view on such matters in detail before the curious reader in this volume. There are differences of views on history also, especially on the history of the Indo-Aryan advance in India disclosed in the Rigveda. It must be acknowledged that the Rigveda has not been studied as deeply in this country as in Germany, France, England and America. This most ancient monument of Indian intellect has yet to be scrutinized carefully by Indian scholars for purposes of history and socio-logy; and until this is done, it is not possible to give a finally correct view of the Indo-Aryan political and social history. No foreign scholar, however deep and intelligent his study may be, can form a correct estimate of the Indo-Aryan history and culture. It is a generally accepted maxim that a true history can only be written by one of those whose history it is. I have noted in this book several facts of this kind wherein European scholars have not been able to form a correct estimate. I may also add that many other facts have been noted in this book which can only interest us as the inheritors of the Indo-Aryan civilization and religion and which can not attract the attention of European scholars.
The history of Vedic literature naturally divides itself into three portions viz. that of Sanhitas, of Brah-maņas and of Vedangas. For this reason, as also for convenience of printing (the printing being done in two presses), I have divided the work into sections with different paging for each and separate contents have also been prefixed. Further, besides the three natural sections of Sanhitas, Brahmaņas and Vedangas a fourth section on the Bhagavadgita has been added; for the Gita, though not a part of Vedic literature, has to be included in this volume, being written, according to my view, in the Vedanga period. For the convenience the reader, however, the index is pre-pared for the whole book giving reference to section as well as its page.
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