Write a short note on the following: (i) Sangama literature with examples (ii) The Vedas (iii) Tripitakas   (iv) Lion Capital, Sarnath निम्नलिखित पर संक्षिप्त टिप्पणी लिखें: (i) संगम साहित्य उदाहरण सहित (ii) वेद (iii) त्रिपिटक (iv) सिंह शीर्ष, सारनाथ

Q.9 Write a short note on the following: (i) Sangama literature with examples (ii) The Vedas (iii) Tripitakas   (iv) Lion Capital, Sarnath

निम्नलिखित पर संक्षिप्त टिप्पणी लिखें: (i) संगम साहित्य उदाहरण सहित (ii) वेद (iii) त्रिपिटक (iv) सिंह शीर्ष, सारनाथ

Ans:

(i) Sangama literature: The age of Tamil literature, often referred to as Sangam literature

The poems belonging to what is called Sangam Literature are based on two main themes – love / akam, and heroism/ praise of Kings and their deeds/ puram.

Examples :

1. Tolkappiyam: The oldest surviving Tamil grammar, written by Tolkappiyar (one of the 12 disciples of sage Agastya). It is divided into three major parts, each consisting of nine years (sub-parts), totaling 1612 sutras.
2. Pattupattu (Ten poems): The poetry in Pattupattu is classified into two main groups: Aham (dealing with matters strictly limited to subjective experiences like love) and Puram (dealing with matters capable of externalization or objectification).
3. Ettutogai: A collection of eight anthologies, including Aingurunuru, Agananuru, Narrinai, Kuruntogai, Purananuru, Kalithogai, Paripadal, and Padirruppattu.

Source : Book: IGNOU:  Chapter :1 Page:5-6 : PDF Link

Extra Info : Silappadikaram: Written by Ilango Adigal in the 5-6th century AD, it narrates the tragic story of Kovalan, a merchant from Puhar, who falls in love with the dancer Madhavi, leading to revenge by his wife Kannagi. The epic initiates the Kannagi cult, venerating Kannagi as the true wife.Manimekalai: Penned by poet Sattanar, this epic continues the story of Manimekalai, daughter of Kovalan and Madhavi.

(ii) The Vedas:

The Vedas derive their name from the Sanskrit root “vid,” meaning “to know,” signifying the sacred knowledge found within these texts. Vedic literature comprises two main categories: the Mantra texts and the Brahmanas. The Mantra texts, which form the core, are divided into four collections: the Rigveda, the Samaveda, the Yajurveda, and the Atharvaveda. By contrast, the Brahmanas are prose texts offering explanations of the mantras and detailed instructions for sacrificial rituals. Together with their Brahmanas, the four Vedas are referred to as shruti, meaning “that which was heard,” underscoring their divine transmission to ancient sages. The Aranyakas (forest treatises) and the Upanishads (philosophical discourses) are considered appendices to the Brahmanas and are collectively called the Vedanta, or “end of the Veda.”

Among the Vedas, the Rigveda is the oldest, consisting of 1,028 hymns arranged in ten mandalas; it provides insights into the life of early Vedic society. The Samaveda reorganizes many Rigvedic verses into a musical structure for chanting, while the Yajurveda exists in two recensions—Black and White—covering a variety of public and private rituals. The Atharvaveda focuses on spells and charms aimed at warding off evil and disease. Scholars have identified two developmental phases in Vedic literature and society: the Early Vedic (Rigvedic) period from about 1500 to 1000 BC, and the Later Vedic period from about 1000 to 600 BC. Notably, the Rigveda has been recognized by UNESCO as part of the world’s literary heritage, reflecting its enduring cultural and historical significance.

Source: NIOS: Chapter: 6: Page Number :82 : PDF Link Also in NCERT / RBSE

(iii) Tripitakas:  The Tripitaka (Three Baskets) consists of Vinaya Pitaka, Sutta Pitaka  and Abhidhamma Pitaka written in Pali language is the Hinayana canon of sacred literature

1. Vinaya Pitaka deals with rules and regulations of daily life.
2. Sutta Pitaka contains dialogues and discourses on morality and deals with Dharma
3. Abhidhamma Pitaka deals with philosophy and metaphysics. It includes discourses on various subjects such as ethics, psychology, theories of knowledge and metaphysical problems

Source: IGNOU: Buddhism Chapter :10 : Page Number-153 : PDF Link Also Read: Hinayana, Mahayana, Vajrayana and Theravada

(iv) Lion Capital, Sarnath

Ans:

The Sarnath Lion Capital, attributed to Emperor Ashoka, commemorates the Buddha’s first sermon (Dharmachakrapravartana) at Sarnath. Although originally composed of five elements—shaft, lotus bell base, a drum with four clockwise-moving animals, four back-to-back lions, and a crowning wheel (now broken)—the emblem without the wheel and lotus base serves as India’s National Emblem.

Source: NCERT: Fine Arts : Page Number : 23 : PDF Link Read Also: Didarganj Yakshini / MALE TORSO / PAINTED EARTHEN JAR /DANCING GIRL/BULL