What does the word "Itihasa" mean in Sanskrit?
Q: What does the word "Itihasa" mean in Sanskrit?
A: Itihasa means history in Sanskrit.
Q: What are the two important Itihasas to Hindus?
A: The two important Itihasas to Hindus are the Ramayana and the Mahabharata.
Q: What is the original meaning of Itiihaasa?
A: The original meaning of Itiihaasa had a more precise connotation than the word History, with etymology attested to by Panini indicating itiha to mean ‘thus indeed, in this tradition’.
Q: When was one of the earliest references to Itihaasa made in literature?
A: One of the earliest references to Itihaasa was made in Chanakyas’s Arthashastra which dates back to 1534 BCE.
Q: How did Kautilya define Itihaasa?
A: Kautilya defined Itihaasa as Puraana (the chronicles of the ancients), Itivrtta (history), Akhyayika (tales), Udaaharana (illustrative stories), Dharmashastra (the canon of Righteous conduct), and Arthashastra (the science of Government).
Q: What is Kalhana's quote about History from Rajatarangini?
A: Kalhana's quote about History from Rajatarangini is "Dharmaartha-kaama-moskshanaam upadesa-samanvitam | Puraa-vrttam, kathaa-yuttarupam Ithihaasah prachakshate ||". This translates to "History will be the narration of events as they happened, in the form of a story, which will be an advice to the reader to be followed in life, to gain purusaarthas namely Kama through Artha by following Dharma."
Q: How does Indian parlance view Kalhana?
A: In Indian parlance, Kalhana is viewed as modern.
