The Role of Sanskrit Literature in Indian Renaissance

In India when the socio-economic structure of feudalism began to disintegrate, oppositions also began to arise in several parts of the country in the form of renaissance, reformation and revivalism. Most of these movements originated and developed within the frame of some socio-economic, socio-religious and devotional schools in India. All these sucked vitality from the respective regional cultures. A Detailed Study of these movements shows that their origin comes from Sanskrit literature and from the regional culture influenced by Sanskrit. The reinterpretation of many stories from the epic and Purana tradition, Bhagavadgita, Dvaita-Advaita Visishtadvaita philosophies and devotional movements sprung up through their influence, and the philosophies like Yoga and Carvaka played the major part in developing and fostering the human centered awakening and the ides of liberty, equality and fraternity. The papers collected here is an attempt to re-assess and highlight these factors.