PRESENTATION ON HISTORIOGRAPHY VEDIC TRADITION OF HISTORY WRITING

1. Dr. (Prof) S. D. Sisodia Lokesh Dutt
MA - AIHCA II Semester
Roll. No. 211000723
JIWAJI UNIVERSITY, GWALIOR
A SEMINAR PRESENTATION ON
VEDIC TRADITION OF HISTORY
WRITING
MA - AIHCA SECOND SEMESTER
SESSION - 2021-23
Presented by

2. 1. WHAT IS HISTORY WRITING
A SHORT INTRODUCTION
History writing is the technique in which any important incident
happened in the past is narrated. As we know There could be infinit
ways to narrate any event happened in the past but
An endeavour in writing the history especially based on the critical
examination of sources, by selection of particular details from the
authentic materials in these sources and the synthesis of those
details into a narrative that stands in the test of critical examination
known as historiography. Here the term historiography also refers to
the analysis of theory and history of history writing.
The term has implicit meaning for wide range of reasons. It helps us
to understand, why a particular historical event is being interpreted
differently over the period of time or by the set of different people.
This also gives us critical observation whether the history writing is
biased or neutral.

3. We get four forms of History writing from Vedas,
2. VEDIC TRADITION
• A general perception is that ancient Hindu culture begins with the composition of Vedas.
This perhaps is a corret statement since we do not have any source of information about
The Hindus before Vedas. In that case vedas can safely be regarded as the record of
Hindu beginning since they are the only source available with us of such antiquity.
• and If we regard, recording of some important events as we have discussed earlier as part
of history, the earliest examples come from the Rigveda (dated around 1400 BCE), which
is considered earliest among all scriptures. Rigveda is collection of total 1028 hymns
composed by various sages arrange in 10 mandalas.
• These hymns were passed down over centuries through oral traditions, it comprised of
contemporary persons, Aryan cultures, settlement, historical incidents, geographical
information and other subjects.
• However, there are some difficulty with Vedas. There is no chronological setting, by nature
these records give very little information about any incident to say as useful.
• Texts includes of Vedic tradition
• 1. Four Vedas (Rigved, Samaveda, Yajurveda, Atharvaveda)
• 2. Brahmanas
• 3. Aranyakas
• 4. Upanishadas

5. VEDIC HYMNS : OBSERVATIONS
The hymns reflect a society of clans organized into chiefdoms.
1. The clan was a kin-based unit of agro-pastoralists,
2.Relatively egalitarian but accepting the authority of a chief—the raja—who was
selected by the clan.
3. The chief protected the territory of the clan, captured fresh pasture lands, conducted
raids, distributed the booty, and was often the patron of the sacrificial ritual.
4. These were the required qualities of the hero, and continued to be in demand into
later times.
The hymns of the Rigveda in various incidental ways recorded relations of friendship or
hostility between clans.
1. Hostility often took the form of skirmishes. But a more serious confrontation was when
Sudas defended himself against a confederacy of ten other clans. .
2. There is some information on kinship links between individuals, although genealogical
depth is small and does not exceed five generations.

6. VEDIC HYMNS : OBSERVATIONS
Rituals that bestow status on Rajas were the Abhiseka, Rajasuya, Ashvamedha, and
Vajapeya, intended for consecration, claims to conquest and sovereignty, and
rejuvenation, and described in the texts subsequent to the Rigveda. The rajas that
performed these rituals in previous times are listed, and this became the remembered
past — part history and part legend.
The politics of heroism were highly competitive, and remained so until chieftainship
became hereditary or was mutated into kingship. The retelling of the narrative by the
Brahman. as came to imply authenticity.
Fragmentary narratives of heroes and clans were common currency and part of a
large floating oral tradition, probably maintained by bards. Some remained separate
entities, as in the Buddhist Jataka collection. Others were stitched together in epic
forms such as the Mahabharata and the Ramayan.

7. Ancient India in 650 BCE

8. 3. Danastutis (Literal: In Praise of Gifts)
Rig Veda contains Danastutis. These were composed by the recipients,
priests, and usually mention the name of the donor. The information is very
vitals since, these donors may not be the ordinary people, They could
have been powerful clan leaders, kings or noble men.
Examples :
1. May he, Asanga's Son, Svanadratha, obtain all joy and happiness
2. Skilled is Yadu's son in giving precious wealth, he who is rich in herds of
cattle
3. Danastuti in 8 Mandala gives detail about applaud of King trasadasyu
by Saubhari Kanva Rishi.
According to Romila Thapar, "Lauding the hero and the gift-giving as an act of
patronage were to remain in tandem. The gift, symbolic of success and
status, provided a precedent for future occasions, and became a bond
between the giver and the recipient."

9. Danastutis(Historiographical Deduction )
A. As we see, the recipient acknowledges the gifts he receives and prays for the well
being of the donor. Such acknowldgements or proclamations were a part of major rituals
such as ashwamedha, vajpeya etc. Hence, we come to know about the major sacrifices
and rituals being an important part in vedic period and record of the important event
such as the victory over opponents.
B. It is however, worth noticing that why would these incidents get recorded?
This suggests that only what was regarded as positive or desirable from the point of
view of the Brahmin or the Kshatriya would find a place in such eulogies. Other activities
or failures would tend to be glossed over or even effaced from the memory because,
those responsible for the records were the sponsors/patrons and the Brahmins.
C. One may also observe that the recalling the generosity and prowess of the
patron/sponsor was not meant to be a simple recounting but was infact meant to ensure
the continue patronage from the sponsors.
D. In return, the Kshatriya position gets legitimised, and he was promised with the
possiblity of a place in heaven, blessed with power, strength and glory.

10. 4. Gatha (Ballad)
The Gathas first emerged in the Rig Veda continued as a floating mass of
literature which point to the existence of leterary genres of historical nature.
1. Famous for its brevity and expression of feelings.
2. Not intended for the descriptive representation of past.
3. They focused on a an important event of the past and more than that they
used to glorify the heroes associated with them. eg. successful raids or cattle
raids or victory over the enemy.
4. Simplicity of the language reveal the origin of the gathas from the humble
oridnary people.
5. The Indra songs in the form of stutis which form a considerable portion of the
Vedas illustrate this. eg. described as the leader of battles, Having plundered
booty from Vriraya.
6. The Gathas were recited on occasions of performance of rituals, particularly
Ashwameda scrifice. The leaders sang and other followed. They were regarded
as the legends of gods and heroes. The Brahmins of the sacrifice glorified the
generosity of the princes while the Kshatriya extols the heroic deeds of the
princes.

11. 5. Narasamsis (The praise of men)
 Regarded as the songs in praise of human heroes.
 The genesis of Narasamsi was from family traditions which narrated the victories of a few
individuals.
 The powerful Anarya (Non-Aryan) groups who controlled the land and resources.
 There were occasions of encounters and conflicts with the expansion of the Aryan settlements.
 The songs of victories which existed among the non kshatriya gorups were interwoven with the
family tradition of Aryans in the heroic songs of later ages which are designated as Narasamshis.
 The heroic traditions associated with Jarasandha, Kamsa, Shishupala and the victory of
Gandharvas over Duryodhana and Karna.
Like Gathas iteration was an imporatant feature of narasamshi. They were in poetic forms. The
heroic songs Narsamshi were recited on occation of ritual sacrifices like Ashwameda and
Rajasuya. the refernce to raja and their families afflication with Jana, the priest and the locale of
the sacrifices.
Later crystallized in the notion of Vamsa which came to be associated with rulers. here songs
underwent several additions and hence numerous version existed to suit various occasions.
Example :
Sudra's son successfully claiming Brahmanahood
Sunahsepa's induction into the clan of high status Viswamitra.

12. 6. Akhyana (Dramatic Narratives)
 The origin of Akhyana is traced to the dialogue hymns of Rigveda.
 This refers to some dramatic mode of delivery, a mode of transmission that originated
from the tribal songs. So it was treated as an improvisation of Tribal songs.
 Dialogues in the stories of Krishna, Duryaodhana and Arjuna seeking help from
Krishna in Mahabharata are regarded as indicating to the literary form of Akhyana.
 The structure of Akhyana made it a specific genre it developed out of the elements of
oral and dramatic conditions which combined songs and dialogues.
 Tendency to incorporate religios ideas.
 Elements of Aristrocratic values. Kinship relations, memories of heroic deeds of
ancestors, archaic traits in the form of myth.
Some Examples of Akhyana :
1. Ambopakhyanam
2. Samjayopakhyanam
3. Nalopakhyanam
4. Manthapalopkhyanam
5. Mahabharatas,
6. Puranas - story telling of Rishis to Narada.
Akhyana is Devasuram, - narrates the war between gods and demons.
later the Akhyanas were asssimilated in the itihas purana tradition

13. 7. Akhyayika
 Akhyayika is telling of historical achievement of deeds by the protagonist himself.
 Works in Prose, generally, prose romances etc. Such prose Kavya
 Akhyayika, almost a non-fiction, historical narrative recounting the deed of Kings and
heroes of old (e.g. Harshacharita of Banabhatta).
 A distinction between historical and fictional genres (Akhyayika and Katha) was drawn
as early as Bhamaha (seventh century), who contrasts Katha (imaginary tales)
narratives with Akhyayika “that celebrate the real events of gods and others”.
 These traditional categories often overlap each other. Historical facts were often
treated as malleable material that could be molded in any manner to suit the desired
impact of the text. Such supposedly historical narratives generally dealt with the
contemporary Kings and their ancestors composed under Royal patronage; and, such
Courtly works were meant, mainly, to please the patrons.
In many parts of the Puranas, historical event is described as by the first person himself.

14. 8. Vamsa and Vamsacharitas
(geneology)
 The word is found in the sense of "line of teachers",
 genealogy and family tree in the Shatapatha Brahmana, as well as in Sanskrit
grammar text Ashtadhyayi by Pāṇini.
 A related genre of Indic literature is the Charita, which focuses on individual
hagiographies
 The information gathered from various Gathas and Akhyanas compiled and dynastic
list of the various clans or kings were garnered from vedic literatures and wrote in a
separate and systematised framework of vamsa and vamsanucharita.
 By the end of the later vedic period a massive tradition of itihas purana had come into
force. These Vamsa and dynastic record compiled into separate section and projected
as vansacharita enumerating deeds of the various kings of the family.

15. 9. Vamsa and Vamsacharitas
 The Purana genre of Hindu literature includes genealogies just like Buddhist
texts. Each Purana describes about Vamsa(lineage) and Vamsanucharita(accounts
of kings and sages). Two common mythical lineages are called Surya-vamsa and
Chandra-vamsa, solar (son-based) and lunar (daughter-based) lineages of kings,
families and communities of current manvantara and it begins from Vaivasvata
Manu (an imagenary period in further past).
 The Harivamsa is the legendary genealogy of Yadavas and story of the Hindu
god Krishna. It is found as an appendix to the Mahabharata.The Puranas mention
lineages of various creatures like Daityas, Nagas and descendants of Prajapatis
and Rishis. Similary, Kalidasa composed of RaghuVansham in later period is
another famous example of Vamsa.

16. Reference :
1. Making the past in India Historian Craft’s under Colonialism - C.
Vijayalaxmi
2. Ancient Indian Society History Some interpretations - Romila Thapar
3. Ancient Indian Historiography - G. P. Singh
4. Historiography of Ancient India - Need for Balance and Perspective - M. R.
Kolhatkar
5. On Indian Historical writing : the role of the Vamsavalis - Michael Witzel
6. History writing in early India - IGNOU
7. Historical Tradition in early India - Romila Thapar