Indian Literature Research Articles

Що таке санскрит? / Переклад з російської, вступна стаття та примітки Д. В. Бурби

The essay What is Sanskrit was published in 1911 as a preface to P. Ritter’s Sanskrit textbook. It is an updated version of the trial lecture, given by him in the fall of 1899 at Kharkiv University (Ukraine). There he was teaching Sanskrit from the autumn of 1900 at the Department of Comparative Linguistics and headed this Department later. The author debunks popular myths about Sanskrit, describes its place among Indian languages emphasizing temporal and geographical differences between Sanskrit and Vedic language, distinguishes epic and classical Sanskrit, lists the prominent works of Sanskrit literature, and pays tribute to the Indian grammatical tradition. He mentions such prominent works of ancient Indian Sanskritology as the Aṣṭādhyāyī of Pāṇini (4th–3rd centuries BC), Nirukta of Yāska (4th century BC), Vārttika of Кātyāyana (3rd–2nd centuries BC), Mahābhāṣya of Patañjali (2nd century BC). Ritter’s account of the history of the discovery and study of Sanskrit in the West is interesting, as is the characterization of Sanskrit scholars (his predecessors and contemporaries), some of whom he knew personally. Ritter’s students testified that he was fluent in Ukrainian which he apparently knew from childhood but the lecture was given by him and then published in Russian as a result of two hundred years of systematic extirpation of the Ukrainian language in the Russian Empire. All notes except two marked are written by the translator. The notes provide philological, historical, and biographical information. The introductory article tells about the origin of P. Ritter, his studies, his work as a scientist, translator, compiler of the Ukrainian-language Anthology of Ancient Indian Literature, lecturer, and organizer of science, as well as about his hobby and his tragic death due to repressions of NKVD (People’s Commissariat for Internal Affairs).

Павло Ріттер та його переклад “Дгаммапади”

The Dhammapada (c. 3rd century BCE) is one of the most famous texts of Pāli Buddhist canon and Buddhism in general. Its translation into the Western languages started from the middle of the 19th century: D. J. Gogerly (1840), V. Fausbøll (1855), F. Max Müller (1870). During almost two hundred years of history of the translation more than fifty English translations of this book have appeared (there are also translations into more than thirty world languages), which in their turn have already become object of special scholarship in the modern Buddhology. This paper adds to the studies of the world history of the Dhammapada translation a page dedicated to its first Ukrainian translation made by the famous Ukrainian scholar and one of the founders of Ukrainian Indology Pavlo Ritter (1872–1939) who has translated 44 of its 423 verses. In this study, the first publication by Ritter of three verses from the Dhammapada (No. 14, No. 60 and No. 173) in his entry the “Dhammapada” in The Granat Encyclopedic Dictionary (1913) in Russian language are compared with their Ukrainian versions in the book Voices of the Ancient India: Anthology of ancient Indian literature (1982). Special attention is paid to the verse No. 173, Ukrainian and Russian semantic translations of which are different. Also the comparative analysis of a group of five verses (No. 188–192) in Ritter’s translation and translations by F. Max Müller and V. Toporov is done, along with their comparison with the Pāli original text. This excerpt deals with the term dukkha (“suffering”) and demonstrates the importance of understanding of the philosophical problematics of Buddhism for an adequate translation of a Buddhist text, not necessarily being a systematical doctrinal treatise. The Dhammapada verses are the largest excerpt of a Buddhist text among those translated by Ritter (he has translated excerpts from the six Pāli texts – mostly from the Sutta-piṭaka, one text from Vinaya-piṭaka, only the Abhidhamma-piṭaka treatises are not represented in the anthology). It should be also noted that by the date of creation the Ritter’s translation (the first verses were published already in 1913) was considerably ahead of the first Russian translation of the Dhammapada by V. Toporov (1960) and could have been published a long before it, if Ritter had not become victim of the Soviet terror.

'Abhigyanam' on constitution of Ghazal

In Indian literature, Ghazal is considered as an imported form of innocent poetry. This is an Arabic word which means - yarn warp, when used for women, it means - talking about love-love with women, praising their beauty, having fun with them etc. The first use of the word Ghazal as a form of poetry was made by the Iranian 'Roudaki' between 840-941 AD. Acharya Bhatt Mathuranath Shastri is considered to be the father of Sanskrit Ghazal.

An Empirical Analysis of Tribal Identity in Indian Literature

Homogenizing the heterogeneous Indian tribes might be unfair. However, as large groups of tribal families are the subjects of study, the word ‘tribes’ was adopted as a grab for the underprivileged people, regardless of geographical location or cultural moorings. The current study analyse the significance of ethnographic novels that specifically evoke cultural experiences and the efficiency of their strategies in depicting people via the analysis of the two books such as Paraja (authored in Oriya in 1945) by Gopinath Mohanty and translated by Bikram K. Das in 2001, and Chotti Munda and His Arrow (Bangla title is Chotti Munda ebang Tar Tir, 1980) by Mahasweta Devi and translated by Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak in 2002. The current study emphasizes the shifting paradigms of centre–right binarism by using fictional works by well-known writers Mahasweta Devi and Gopinath Mohanty who have done literary works that spoke about the rights of tribal community.

Dalit Literary Discourse : Mapping the Journey from Pain to Tale

The Present paper traces the journey of Dalit Literature in India andrepresentation of Dalit Characters in the works of Indian Writers.Dalits, the marginalized, outcastes, have undergone a long period ofhard sufferings and travails till Dalit Literature has come of an age inPost- Independence Era with some canonical Indian texts by thewriters like Premchand. Dalit Literature in India emerged for the firsttime in Marathi and from thereon it went on in other Southern statesand then to Northern regions of India. The paper also interweaves init the famous Dalit Charatcers like Gangi, Velutha, Bakha of theUntouchables Chamar family of A Fine Balance; Dalits Portrayed byBama. Towards An Aesthetics of Dalit Literature is a famous criticalwork in the area of Dalit Literature by Dalit writer Sharan KumarLimbale. The literary works voiced the community's pangs and itbecame united resultantly to find a better treatment in the society andbecame united for their cause. Its aestheticism lies in the challengesand pains borne by the Dalits. Dalit works are an emancipation of thecommunity.

Representation of the midnight sun in Greek and Indian astronomical texts

The midnight sun is a fascinating phenomenon observed near the Earth’s poles. Whether it is known through observation or through theory, it is bound to provoke one’s curiosity, since it involves the most familiar object in the sky, viz. the sun. This paper seeks to investigate the various ways in which this phenomenon was understood or considered in ancient literature, focusing on Indian astronomical literature. It is found that some texts primarily describe the phenomena at the poles themselves, while the remaining additionally describe the latitudes at which one would see days that are a few months long. A comparison is made across texts in order to facilitate an understanding of the methods and the accuracy of the texts discussed.

Nature of Romantic Relationship in Committed Emerging Adults: Exploring Challenges and Resilience

Among Indian urban youth, individualism and autonomy are growing and there are fewer restrictive social norms and more visibility of non-arranged romantic relationships in contemporary India (Gala and Kapadia in Psychol Dev Soc 26:115–141, 2014). Establishing and maintaining relationships, accompanied by the goal of finding a long-term partner, are pivotal aspects during the stage of emerging adulthood (Mayseless and Keren in Emerg Adulthood 2:63–73, 2014). This necessitates understanding aspects that contribute to longevity, despite the challenges that come in the lives of young adults. The present phenomenological study sought to explore the nature and development, challenges experienced and resilient elements of romantic relationships in committed emerging adults. In-depth interviews were conducted with seven couples individually (7 men, 7 women) in the age range of 21–25 years, residing in New Delhi belonging to the middle and upper middle class. The data analysis included transcription of interviews and thematic coding of transcripts, within-case analysis for each couple and a cross-case analysis to highlight the emerging themes across the profiles. The findings revealed three main categories: couples who were ambiguous about their relationship, couples who experienced stability in their relationship and a couple whose relationship culminated in marriage. Several cross-couple themes emerged. Finally, alongside Sibley’s theory of resilient commitment (Exploring the theory of resilient commitment in emerging adulthood: A qualitative inquiry. (Publication no. 3708489) [Doctoral dissertation, Kansas State University]. ProQuest Dissertations Publishing, 2015), other elements of resilience emerged: contribution of partner to personal growth, willingness to engage in self-work, learnings from the past relationship and notions of other relationships. In conclusion, the study captured the voices of young adults, their challenges and hopes regarding their romantic relationships contributing to Indian literature.

Daya Pawar’s Baluta: a Discourse of Dalit Marginalization

Baluta is a realistic and thrilling discourse about how the Dalit community faces multiple forms of marginalization. Daya Pawar’s Baluta is credited as the first Dalit autobiography in Marathi language. Traditionally, Dalits have been denied representation in Indian history and literature. The upper caste ruling classes have scripted their history by depriving them of the right to get an education. The history of the Dalits is one of brutality, hardship, marginalization, exploitation, and compromise. They are forced into ignorance by social injustice and inequality, and they are forced to live in a hostile atmosphere of estrangement and compromise that is oppressive. An eye-opening portrayal of the social, cultural, and political prejudice against Dalits can be found in Daya Pawar's current autobiography, Baluta, which has been chosen for analysis.

Historical aspects of diagnosis and control of diabetes mellitus

Diabetes mellitus is a group of metabolic diseases affecting carbohydrate, lipid, and protein metabolism. This pathology has a long history, and it was considered a disease of the kidneys until the middle of the 19th century. Descriptions have been found in Egyptian papyri, in ancient Indian and Chinese medical literature, in the writings of ancient Greek and Arab doctors. Aretaeus of Cappadocia gave the first accurate description of the disease, coining the term "diabetes". Thomas Willis first differentiated diabetes from other causes of polyuria by the sweet taste of urine. Matthew Dobson proved the presence of glucose in urine by evaporation. Claude Bernard demonstrated that hyperglycemia contributes to glucosuria. This is how the concept of the renal threshold appeared. In domestic practice, the term "renal threshold" was introduced by endocrinologist V.G. Baranov. The development of qualitative tests for determining glucose in the urine, the creation of test strips and glucometers has significantly improved the quality of life of patients with diabetes. The current stage of development of glucometry includes the determination of fasting plasma glucose, postprandial glycemia, glycated hemoglobin, as well as continuous glucose monitoring. Continuous glucose monitoring systems make it possible to estimate the time in target range, show the rate of rise or fall of glucose levels. It affects the rate and degree of carbohydrate metabolism compensation and allows for maximum control of the disease.

“Blood mist blurs my vision”: Six poems by Sukanta Bhattacharya

ABSTRACTSukanta Bhattacharya’s powerful, bittersweet verses portray experiences of shared loss and survival in colonial Bengal of the 1940s – a cataclysmic and watershed decade in the region’s history. The emotional intensity and intellectual honesty of his work led to his being regarded as a celebrated Bengali poet. While the appeal and relevance of his poems remain undiminished, the meagre efforts to translate them into English have hitherto confined his reputation to a restricted circle of Bengali poetry lovers. Six of his poems are presented here in English translation in order to introduce readers of poetry in English to his artistic sensibility and concerns. Uniting the communicative and aesthetic functions of literary translation, this project aims to surmount the inadequacies of most existing translations of Bhattacharya’s poetry that have not only failed to impress the target readership, but also diminished his poetic significance and marginalized his contribution to Indian and world literatures.

Postcolonial assertion of identity: The case of Indian Literature and its 'other' _______________________________________________________________

Postcolonial assertion of identity: The case of Indian Literature and its 'other' _______________________________________________________________

PHARMACOLOGICAL POTENTIAL OF POLYHERBAL AYURVEDIC FORMULATIONS – A REVIEW

Ayurveda is an ancient traditional medical care system. The major aim of Ayurveda is to prevent unnecessary suffering and aiding healthy long life. Ayurveda incorporates natural constituents to make potential medicines that are believed to eliminate the root cause of the diseases. Forty-five thousand plant species are found in the subcontinent of India making it one of the largest biodiversity centers. In India alone, 15,000 medicinal plant species have been reported out of which 7500 species are used by the communities to cure different diseases. Ayurveda uses single or polyherbal for treatment. In these traditional medicine systems, various formulations are prepared one of which is fermented formulations, namely, arishtas and asavas. These formulations are prepared using a decoction of herbal drugs and contain self-generated alcohol. Fermented formulations are known for their stability and efficacy. Indian traditional literature states the usage of these formulations regularly with scientific validation strengthens one immunity and well-being. The current review focuses on Vidangarishta. Punarnavasava, Chandanasava, their preparations, therapeutics uses, and their toxic effects. A thorough understating of these formulations aids in standardizing Ayurveda as a marginalized medicine.

Human Emotions in Narrative: Interventions of Fear in R. Chudamani’s Short Fictions

Chudamani is one of the inconspicuous writers in Indian literature who is gradually gaining prominence in the recent past. Chudamani’s works are powerful and sensitive unveiling the reality of human beings in society and their psychological aspects. This research article aims to analyse a novella and three short stories of R. Chudamani and inquires about the human emotions especially fear portrayed in those stories. The major focus of the article is on the novella, Yamini, and the minor focus is on the three short stories: “A Knock at the Door”, “The Strands of the Void” and “Drought”. Yamini is the story of a girl Yamini, who is forced into the institution of marriage. “A Knock at the Door” is the narrative of two widows who safeguard their sister’s son from his father. “The Strands of the Void” explores the system of dowry in Indian society. “Drought” is the story of a married woman who tries to escape from the torments of her husband. This paper also scrutinizes the fear in the protagonists and the central characters in the above works. It also inspects how fear transmogrifies the characters in different situations.

Celebrating Emotion: A Study of Rasa in Qutban Suhravardi’s Mirigavati or The Magic Doe

Sufism began as a movement in Indian literature during the medieval period. It was during this period that a number of Sufi poets began writing in the vernacular and a new genre known as the ‘Prema kahāni’ or love story was developed. This genre, written in Hindavi, was a major development in the field of Sufi romances and marks the beginning of a new movement in the literary and devotional culture of the regional language. One of the most important features of these romances is that they are replete with emotions of love and devotion towards God. Sufi writers express these emotions through what the Sanskritic theory refers to as rasa or bhāva. The present article aims to bring out the various rasas or emotions generated by the Sufi romance Mirigavati or The Magic Doe by Qutban Suhravardi in the minds of the readers as they read this romance.

Where did the Games Go? Inquiry of Board Games in Medieval Marathi Literature in India

Abstract India has a very prominent traditional board game culture, which is evident through numerous game boards and game pieces that are surviving. The spectrum of game board variations documented displays its association with the rich culture of crafts in India. Apart from these sets, there are ample examples of game board graffiti's present in various public spaces, temples being one of the most prominent of them. Many scholars, just to name a few, I. Finkel, R.K Bhattacharya, and L.K. Soni (published in 2011); Vasantha (2003); Fritz and Gibson (2007); Rogersdotter (2015), have documented and/or commented on these appearances of game boards in spaces. Most of these documentations are from the region of Karnataka, Tamilnadu and Andhra Pradesh. There are game board surveys from the states of Punjab (Gupta, 1926), Gujarat (Soni and Bagchi, 2011), Marwad (Samanta, 2011), Haryana (Sinha and Bishwas, 2011). Nevertheless, for some reason, there is very little work on board games in the state of Maharashtra. Though the literary documentation of sedentary games of Maharashtra is found in a book by ‘Anant Babaji Deodhar’ named ‘Marāṭhī Khēḷān̄cē Pustaka’ published in 1905; which mainly is anthropological documentation. It does not touch upon the references of this game information. Sāripata (chausar), pat Songtyā (asta chima) existed in the Marathi household until the earlier generation (Pre WWII) in form of cloth boards and wooden pieces. However, it does not show its appearance as game board graffiti's in spaces in the post-Yadav period (14th century). Few games like mancala, Indian hunt games do show their presence in graffitis but seldom in literature. Literary pieces of evidence of regional literature remain untraced. No specific research has happened in literature in this era in the context to board games and thus the paper tries to throw light on evidence of board game mentions in medieval Marathi language literature. During the same time, the game board graffiti's shows its existence in Karnataka, Rajasthan until the 17th century. So what happened to the board game culture in Maharashtra? Where did the games go? Did it acquire a different form? The paper tries to inquire about the presence/absence of board games in the 13th - 17th century Marathi literature and architecture.

An Unusual Case of Tongue Entrapment in a Plastic Water Bottle

Background: Foreign bodies inside the oral cavity are commonly encountered among children. One peculiar occurrence is when the tongue gets entrapped in foreign bodies such as bottles. This happens as children often insert their tongues into the bottle and apply oral suction to ingest the last few drops from the bottle. There is a paucity of data in Indian literature and no recommended guidelines for the management of such cases. Clinical Description: The patient, a 12-year-old boy had a history of inability to remove a plastic water bottle sipper from around the tongue while swallowing water quickly. He was initially asymptomatic and then he started developing progressive pain and swelling on the anterior part of the tongue. On examination, the plastic sipper was constricting the tongue circumferentially and the patient felt a sharp pain on maneuvering the bottle. Minimal discoloration of the anterior part of the tongue had set in 1 h after the presentation. Management: Lubrication with 2% lignocaine jelly and ice packs circumferentially followed by attempts of gentle traction and manipulation to remove the foreign body were unsuccessful. Consequently, the patient was shifted to the emergency operation theater where the patient was sedated with intravenous (IV) ketamine and midazolam after securing a nasopharyngeal airway with 100% preoxygenation. An orthopedic bone cutter was used, and a radial cut was given on the impacted end of the bottle, and the constricted part was removed as pressure on the tongue was released, followed by 100% oxygenation with bag and mask ventilation. Conclusion: Immediate intervention in cases of the entrapped tongue can prevent grave consequences such as airway compromise and tongue ischemia and necrosis. Mechanical removal can be done safely using heavy scissors or orthopedic bone under IV sedation after securing the airway in collaboration with the anesthesia team.

Secondary trauma, burnout and resilience among mental health professionals from India: A review of research.

While globally there has been growing research interest in the negative psychological consequences faced by helping professionals, literature among Indian Mental Health Professionals (MHPs) is sparse, and predominantly focussed on health care workers. This systematic review aims to synthesize and summarize current Indian literature on burnout, secondary traumatic stress and resilience among Indian MHPs. The review explores 14 research studies published in peer-reviewed journals between January 2005 to January 2022. Studies in the areas of secondary traumatic stress, burnout, vicarious trauma, compassion fatigue, and resilience have been included in the review. The term resilience within this paper includes compassion satisfaction, vicarious post-traumatic growth, well-being, coping, and stress management. The mental health professionals considered were psychiatrists, psychiatric nurses, psychiatric social workers, clinical psychologists, psychotherapists and counsellors. Studies were reviewed for their methodological considerations, the mental health population being studied, and the primary outcomes. Data related to sociodemographic variables, psychological impacts, risk and protective factors that influence burnout, secondary trauma and resilience among mental health professionals in India have been reported. The review summarizes conceptual, methodological, and analytical gaps and generates recommendations that contribute to theoretical and practice-based improvements in this area of research and practice.

Marlon James and the Metafiction of the New Black Gothic

Abstract A reprint from a 2018 issue of the Journal of West Indian Literature devoted to Marlon James, this essay engages two of the West Indian writer's novels, John Crow's Devil and The Book of Night Women, under the rubric of the Gothic. By shifting focus from the violence of James's novels to the generic elements this violence engages, the essay argues that James's engagement with the Gothic better accounts for these two novels’ attention to issues of excessive violence, doubling, and feminine abjection and the way they perform a metafictional critique of the notion that nationalism can produce equitable sovereign subjectivity. While the Gothic offers James's interest in coercion, abjection, and the absence of choice a precise frame for rendering a world structured by neoliberalism, James also reworks the Gothic by offering a queerly affirmative version of its at times misogynistic interest in gender distinctions. Indeed, by ending all his novels with women as the figurative last person standing, James subverts the notion of the feminine abject as the Gothic trope associated with primordial chaos, presenting it instead as a possible way forward at a moment when the historical present is not seemingly graspable by existing paradigms.

Conditional convergence and Spatial convergence across 103 Sub-state Indian regions


 Recent studies have devoted great emphasis to examining the phenomenon of income convergence across regions. The empirical efforts made in the context of India look at convergence among the states of India. Although there have been a few studies done on the district level, the sub-state regions that are prevalent within each state have been largely ignored in the Indian regional literature. The purpose of this research is to investigate the extent to which 103 sub-state regions within 20 Indian states converge. This research adopts a method that differs from the conventional convergence strategy by instead focusing on the spatial convergence aspect. It has been shown that not only does spatial convergence but also β-convergence: a growth process where poor regions grow faster than rich regions occur among India's 103 different regions. This study sheds insight on the two distinct forms of convergence, namely, β-convergence across all regions, and β-convergence among neighbouring regions. The finding of the existence of β-convergence and spatial convergence among neighbouring regions invites policy attention regarding the development of backward regions.

Performing Histories of Abhyudayamu and Yakśagānamu

Scholars have established over the past decades that the tradition of historiography in South Asia was not altogether a Western import. This has allowed us to revisit South Indian vernacular literary texts in a new light. Historians A. K. Warder, Romila Thaper, Nicholas Dirks, and the trio of Sanjay Subramaniam, Velcheru Narayana Rao, and David Shulman have argued eloquently in their writing about seeing Indian literature as serious sources of historical evidence. For example, the trio identify sources such as Karanam-s (service gentry who were book keepers/accountants), Raya Vācakamū-s (chronicles of Vijayanagara Kings), and Tārikh-s (modern members of society who wrote history), all seemingly non-traditional sources authored by ministers, court chroniclers, accountants, army chieftains, and others as important materials. I further this argument to investigate the vernacular performative literatures of Abhyudayamu-s in the yakśagānamu style, from early Modern Tañjāvur. Raghunātha-abhyudayamu, a Telugu Yakśagānamu text written by Vijayarāghava Nāyaka in the seventeenth century, records the daily life of his father Raghunātha Nāyaka.
 Abhyudayamu is in the versified prose format of dvipada (poetic metre). It enumerates the genealogy, lifestyle, events, people, and place, as well as the escapades of the King. It literally sequences the dawn-to-dusk life of the Telugu Nāyaka King. The Raghunāthaabhyudayamu, is written in the yakśagānamu genre and has a distinct performative quality with song and dance as its central modes of expression. Performing the yakśagānamu, which extolls Raghunātha’s greatness through historic conquests, administrative prowess, warfare genius, processions, cultural and romantic alliances was a way to report history. It was also the assertion of kinship and identity by the Bahujan (historically serving class) Nayaka Kings. Performing the yakśagānamu daily in open court must be read as layered modes of embedding historic memory in public consciousness.
 While some of the performative literatures have been brought to light in the past, through publications and discourse, it is in fact in the experience of performance that vestibules the past into the future that cultural memories are built. Parts of the performed rendition are embedded as videos in this article for illustrative purposes. This study, is therefore a reading of literature complimented by embodied practice, that is rendered as performing histories: enacted literary performances imbuing the interpretive tools for cultural research.