Course Content

Session 1 — Introduction to Vedic Literature
 Overview of Vedas and Vedāṅgas
 Purpose, scope, and historical significance
 Structure and oral tradition
Session 2 — The Four Sections of the Vedas
 Samhitā — mantra collections
 Brāhmaṇa — ritual explanations
 Āraṇyaka — forest texts and meditative practices
 Upaniṣad — philosophical teachings
Session 3 — Itihāsa: Ramayana and Mahabharata
 Historical and cultural importance
 Narrative structure and major themes
 Literary style and influence on later works
Session 4 — Purāṇas and Their Characteristics
 Definition and purpose
 Panchalakṣaṇa (five characteristics)
 Major Purāṇas and their contributions
Session 5 — Introduction to Kāvya Literature
 What constitutes kāvya
 Major classifications and categorizations
 Role of aesthetics (alaṅkāra, rasa)
Session 6 — Examples of Padya, Gadya, and Champu Kavyas
 Padya — metrical poetry examples
 Gadya — prose literature examples
 Champu — mixed prosepoetry works
Session 7 — Mahākāvyas and Laghukāvyas

 Defining features of Mahākāvya
 Structure and stylistic expectations
 Examples of Mahākāvya and Laghukāvya
Session 8 — Prabandhas and Muktakas
 Nature and characteristics of prabandha literature
 Types and examples
 Understanding muktaka (independent verses) with illustrations
Session 9 — Great Literary Figures
 Key poets and scholars across eras
 Their major works and contributions
 Influence on Sanskrit literary tradition
Session 10 — Dramas and Their Ten Types
 Introduction to Sanskrit drama
 Daśarūpaka (ten dramatic forms)
 Examples and structural features