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1. UPSC has been bullish about this static aspect of Indian History syllabus
2. No matter how much you studied over the year, this last minute revision is a MUST
3. We have compiled some 80+ important books/ texts so that you are 110% prepared for the IAS Pre 2017 & beyond
Previous Years' Questions

Which one of the following books of ancient India has the love story of the son of the founder of Sunga dynasty? (Prelims 2016)
(a) Swapnavasavadatta
(b) Malavikagnimitra
(c) Meghadoota
(d) Ratnavali

As you can see, the exam demands more than a basic level of preparation from the student.

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Book/text Name Type Era/dynasty Author/writer Subject matter
No concrete information available, Hindu hymns about various gods, and references to
Rig-vedas Religious Vedic period
but attributed to several rishis. historic events.
No concrete information available,
Sam-vedas Religious Vedic period Hindu music and arts.
but attributed to several 'rishis'
No concrete information available,
Atharva vedas Religious Vedic period Hindu medicine, magic, sorcery.
but attributed to several 'rishis'
No concrete information available,
Yajur vedas Religious Vedic period Hindu sacrificial knowledge
but attributed to several 'rishis'
ancient Indian treatise on statecraft, economic policy and
Arthashastra Polity/Statecraft Mauryan period Chanakya
military strategy, written in Sanskrit.
It purports to record a dialogue in which the Indo-Greek
king Menander I (Pali Milinda) of Bactria, who reigned
Milind panha Historical Indo-greeks Nagasena
in the 2nd century BCE, poses questions on
Buddhism to the sage Nāgasena.
Buddhacharita Biography Kushans Ashvaghosh Life of Buddha
Perilplus of erythyan
Historical Indo-greeks A naval guide to Indian commerce.
sea
Kamasutra Love/romance Guptas Vatsayana A manual of love.
Charaksamhita Medicine Kushans Charak It is a Sanskrit text on Ayurveda.
Mahajanpada
Ashthadyayi Grammer Panini It is a sutra-style treatise on Sanskrit grammar
era
Sanskrit grammar. Rearranges and provides descriptions
Siddhāntakaumudī Grammer 17th Century Bhattoji Dikshita
for Panini's Ashtadyayi
It is a commentary on selected rules of Sanskrit grammar
Mahabhashya Grammer Sungas Patanajali from Pāṇini's treatise, the Ashtadhyayi, as well as
Kātyāyana's Varttika, an elaboration of Pāṇini's gramma
Devichandragupta Drama Guptas Vishakadutta Drama about Chandragupta II (aka Vikramaditya)
1.The Surya Siddhanta is the name of multiple treatises
(siddhanta) in Indian astronomy.
2.It has rules laid down to determine the true motions of
the luminaries, which conform to their actual positions in
Surya Siddhanta Astronomy Guptas Varahamihira
the sky. It gives the locations of several stars other
than the lunar nakshatras and treats the calculation
of solar eclipses as well as solstices, e.g., summer
solstice 21/06.
Romaka Siddhanta
The Romaka Siddhanta (literally "Doctrine of the
Romans") is one of the five siddhantas mentioned in
Astronomy Guptas Varahamihira Varaha Mihira's Panchasidhantika which is an Indian
astronomical treatise. Romaka Siddhanta is based on the
astronomical learning of Byzantine Rome.

The Pauliśa Siddhānta (literally, "The scientific-treatise of

Pauliśa Muni") refers to multiple Indian astronomical
Paulisa siddhanta Astronomy Guptas Vaharamihira treatises, at least one of which is based on a Western
source. "Siddhānta" literally means "doctrine" or
"tradition".
Vasishtha Siddhanta is one of the earliest astronomical
Vasistha siddhanta Astronomy Guptas Vaharamihira systems in use in India, which is summarized in
Varahamihira's Pancha-Siddhantika (6th century).
Paitamaha siddhnata Astronomy Guptas Vaharamihira Text on Astronomy
Τhis text of mathematical astronomy contains significant
mathematical content, including a good
understanding of the role of zero, rules for
Brāhmasphuṭasiddhānt
Mathematics Post-Guptas Brahmagupta manipulating both negative and positive numbers, a
a
method for computing square roots, methods of
solving linear and quadratic equations, and rules for
summing series
It is an eight chapter work on Indian mathematical
astronomy and includes topics which were fairly standard
for such works at this time. It discussed topics such as
Mahabhaskariya Post-Guptas Bhaskara 1 the longitudes of the planets, conjunctions of the
Mathematics
planets with each other and with bright stars,
eclipses of the sun and the moon, risings and
settings, and the lunar crescent.
Dhavala Mathematics Rashtrakutas Virisena
Book/text Name Type Era/dynasty Author/writer Subject matter
1.The treatise consists of eighteen chapters and was
written in the form of verse in Sanskrit. The initial
twelve chapters deals with topics related to
mathematical astronomy and covers the topics that
Indian mathematicians of that period had already
worked on.
maha-siddhanta Mathematics c. 920 – c. 1000 Aryabhata II
2.The various topics that have been included in these
twelve chapters are: the longitudes of the planets, lunar
and solar eclipses, the estimation of eclipses, the lunar
crescent, the rising and setting of the planets, association
of the planets with each other and with the stars.
Siddhanta Sekhara Astronomy 1019-1066 AD Śrīpati Text on astronomy
Yadava
Siddhanta Shiromani Mathematics Bhaskara II major treatise of Indian mathematics
Dynasty
Dhikotidakarana Astronomy 1019–1066) Sriptati Deals with Solar and Lunar ecilipse
Bijaganita was Indian mathematician Bhāskara II's
Yadava
Bijaganita Mathematics Bhaskara II treatise on algebra. It is the second volume of his main
Dynasty
work Siddhānta Shiromani
The Līlāvatī is Indian mathematician Bhāskara II's
Yadava
Lilavati Mathematics Bhaskara II treatise on mathematics, written in 1150. It is the first
Dynasty
volume of his main work, the Siddhānta Shiromani,
Meghaduta Drama Guptas Kalidasa Story of a cloud carrying a message amongst lovers
Mrichakatika Drama Guptas Shudraka Story of a poor brahman falling in love with a courtesan.
Harshcharita Biography Harsha Banabhatta Life of King Harsha Vardhana
BhagavataPurana Religion Vyasa Puranas
Mattavilasa Prahasana is a satire that pokes fun at the
Mattavilasa Prahasana Drama Pallvas Mahendravarman I peculiar aspects of the Kapalika and Pasupata Saivite
sects, Buddhists and Jainism.
It narrates, in 19 sargas (cantos), the stories related to
the Raghu dynasty, namely the family of Dilipa and his
Raghuvamsa Drama Guptas Kalidasa
descendants up to Agnivarna, who include Raghu,
Dasharatha and Rama.
The Priyadarshika is also a natika in four acts, having for
Priyadarshika Drama harsha Harshvaradhana its theme the union of Udayana and Priyadarshika,
daughter of King Dridhavarman
The Ratnavali, Harsha's masterpiece is a natika in four
Ratnavali Drama Harsha Harshvaradhana acts which deals with the story of the union of king
Udayana and Ratnavali, daughter of the king of Ceylon.
It is an epic poem in Telugu composed by
Krishnadeva Krishnadevaraya of the Vijayanagar Dynasty.
Amuktamalayada Poem Krishnadeva reya
reya Amuktamalyada translates to one who wears and gives
away garlands.
Prithviraj The Prithviraj Raso is a Brajbhasha epic poem about the
Prithviraj Raso Poem Chand-Bardai
Chauhan life of the 12th century Indian king Prithviraj Chauhan.
It describes the relationship between Krishna and the
Geet Govinda Poem Jayadeva gopis of Vrindavana, and in particular one gopi named
Radha.
The play tells the story of the love of Agnimitra, the
Malavikagnimitra Drama Sunga Kalidasa Shunga Emperor at Vidisha, for the beautiful hand-
maiden of his chief queen
The Mudrarakshasa (The Signet of the Minister) is a
Mudra Rakshasa Drama Guptas Vishakadutta historical play in Sanskrit by Vishakhadatta that narrates
the ascent of the king Chandragupta Maurya
The poems mostly have love as a theme. Many of the
poems are by women.
Gaha Sattasai poem Satavahana Hala

The Panchatantra is an ancient Indian collection of

Panchatantra Fables Guptas Vishnu Sharma interrelated animal fables in verse and prose, arranged
within a frame story.
The Rajataringini provides the earliest source on Kashmir
that can be labeled as a "historical" text on this region.
Although inaccurate in its chronology, the book still
Historical
Rajtarangini Kalhana provides an invaluable source of information about early
chronicle
Kashmir and its neighbors in the north western parts of
the Indian subcontinent, and has been widely referenced
by later historians and ethnographers
Book/text Name Type Era/dynasty Author/writer Subject matter
This epic poem is a fictionalized version of the historic
siege of Chittor by Alauddin Khilji in 1303 CE, who
Padmavat Poem Mughals Malik Mohammmed Jayasi
attacks Chittor after hearing of the beauty of Queen Rani
Padmini, the wife of King Rawal Ratan Singh

The text is
attributed to
sage Bharata
Muni, and its
first complete The Nāṭya Śāstra is a Sanskrit Hindu text on the
Natyashastra Religious text Bharat Muni
compilation is performing arts.
dated to
between 200
BCE and 200
CE
it dramatizes the story of Shakuntala told in the epic
Abhigyan Shakuntalam Drama Guptas Kalidasa
Mahabharata.

The Amarakosha is a thesaurus of Sanskrit written by the

ancient Indian scholar Amarasimha. It is the oldest extant
Amarkosha Grammer Guptas AmarSimha
kosha

Nitisara poet Post-Mauryan Kamandaki Deals with political morality

His book is survived in fragments & provides detail about
Indica History Mauryan Meghasthenes mauryan administration & military organization,
particularly of capital city (Patliputra)
A compendium of the Ayurvedic system composed by
Astanga-Hridaya Medicine Gupta Vaghbhatt
Vagbhatta. A systematised text of human illness .
based on the early life of Rama, the hero of the
Mahaviracharita, Drama Yashovaraman Bhavbhuti
Ramayana and venerated as a Hindu deity
It describes the adventures of ten young men, the
Kumaras, all of whom are either princes or sons of royal
Daśakumāracarita Romance Pallava dynasty Dandin
ministers, as narrated by the men themselves (however,
there are irregularities in the text)
Deals with union of Udayana and Priyadarshika daughter
Priyadarsika Drama Harsha Harshavardhana
of King Drdhavarnam
Nagarjuna's renowned twenty-seven-chapter
Mūlamadhyamakakārik Satvahana Fundamental Verses on the Middle Way
Buddhist Nagarjuna
ā, Dynasty (Mulamadhyamakakarika) is the foundational text of the
Madhyamaka school of Mahayana Buddhist philosophy
Its story is a sequel to another of the Five Great Epics,
Silappatikaram, and tells the story of the conversion from
Manimekalai epic Sangam Chithalai Chathanar
Jainism to Buddhism of the daughter of Kovalan and
Madhavi
It is a poem in Sanskrit on the life of Nala, the king of
Naishadhīya-charitam poem Gahadvala Sriharsha
Nishadha.
Bṛhat Parāśara The Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra is a foundational
Astrology Unspecified Various
Horāśāstra compilation of Indian astrology,
deals with the solemn rituals of the Taittiriya Shakha
Shrauta Sutra, Religious Vedic period Baudhayana school of the Black Yajurveda that was composed in
eastern Uttar Pradesh during the late Brahmana period.
Tabakat-i-Nasiri
History Delhi sultanate Minhaj-i-Siraj deals with history of Ghurids

a work on medieval India, which covers the period from

Tarikh-i-Firuzshahi& History Delhi sultanate Barani the reign of Ghiyas ud din Balban to the first six years of
reign of Firuz Shah Tughluq
Historical chronicle about the reign of Mohammed Bin
Rehela History Delhi sultanate Ibn Batutah
Tuglaq
MIftah-ul-futuh is a detailed account of the accession of
Miftah-ul-Futuh History Khalji Amir Khusrow
Jalaluddin Khilji and of his military achievements.
Khwajain-ul-Futuh or Tarikh-i-Alahi was written in a highly
Khwajain-ul-Futuh History Khalji Amir Khusrow ornate style and described the first 15 years of Allauddin
Khalji's reign
Describes the history and culture of Indians specially the
Kitab-ul-Hind History Mahmud Gazni AL-Beruni
hindus
Parmal Raso Biography Chandela rulers Alha and Udal Hindu epic
Silappadikaram is the story of Kovalan and Kannagi and
Silpapadikaram Epic Sangam Mango Adigal
of how Kannagi avenges the wrong done to her husband
Book/text Name Type Era/dynasty Author/writer Subject matter
It describes the adventures of ten young men, the
Kumaras, all of whom are either princes or sons of royal
Dashakumaracharita Romance Pallavas Dandin
ministers, as narrated by the men themselves (however,
there are irregularities in the text)
The Padshahnama is a genre of works written as the
Padshahnama History Mughals Abdul Hamid Lahori official visual history of Mughal Emperor, Shah Jahan’s
reign
Hitopadesha is a collection of Sanskrit fables in prose
Hitopadhesha Fables Unknown Narayan Pandit and verse meant as an exposition on statecraft in a
format easily digestible for young princes.
Malatimadhava Drama Yashovaraman Bhavbhuti
It is an epic poem in 20 sargas (cantos) of about 1800
The Shishupala Vadha Poem Unknown Magha highly ornate stanzas, and is considered one of the six
Sanskrit mahakavyas, or "great epics"
The plot of the drama is drawn from the romantic
narratives about the Vatsa king Udayana and
Drama Unknown Bhasa Vasavadatta, the daughter of Pradyota, the ruler of
Svapnavasavadattam
Avanti, which were current in the poet's time and which
seem to have captivated popular imagination.
1.It tells us about the strength of CGM's army (600K
infantry, 30K cavalry, 9K elephants).
2.On Satvahnas it tells us about their army (100K
infantry, 2K cavalry and 1K elephants) and about 30
walled towns in their kingdom.
Natural History History Mauryan period Pliny 3.On the Indo-Roman trade, he complains that Rome
was being drained of her wealth due to the trade. He also
tells us about the ships in the Sangam age where he
says Indian ships were 75 tonnes.
4.It tells us about the flora and fauna, the minerals,
geography etc. of India.
Reflects the growing Siva bhakti currents of the age.
Kumarsambhav Poem Gupta Kalidasa Kalidasa was himself a Siva worshipper and this work
shows many aspects of the Siva bhakti.
Tolkkapiyam Grammer Sangam Unknown It deals with grammar and poetics
Tirukukal or shortly the Kural, is a classic Tamil sangam
Tirukukal Philosophy Sangam Thiruvalluvar literature consisting of 1330 couplets or kurals, dealing
with the everyday virtues of an individual
Asvashastra Medicine Unknown Shalihotra Deals with anatomy of horses
Nighantu Medicine Unknown Dhanvantri treatise of Ayurvedic herbs and drugs
It is a work of early Mughal history of India, covering the
‘Muntakhab-ul-
History Mughal period Badayuni period from the days of the Ghaznavids down to the
Tawarikh
fortieth regnal year of Mughal Emperor Akbar.
Humayun nama Biography Mughal period Gulbadan begum Biography of Humayun
Rasaratnakara Chemistry 10th century Nagarjuna Book on chemistry and alchemy
Madhava-Nidana Medicine 8th Century A.D Madhava Book on Pathology