Indian Philosophy (Darsana) and Sanskrit Literature History
This domain tests the six astika and three nastika systems, their key tenets and texts, and a working map of Sanskrit literary history. Questions often ask you to distinguish systems by a single doctrinal marker or to match an author with a work.
Systems and their markers
- Astika systems accept Vedic authority: Nyaya, Vaisheshika, Samkhya, Yoga, Mimamsa, and Vedanta. Nastika systems reject it: Charvaka, Bauddha, and Jaina.
- Nyaya: pramanas of pratyaksha, anumana, shabda, and upamana; five-member syllogism (pratijna, hetu, udaharana, upanaya, nigamana). Vaisheshika: padarthas such as dravya, guna, karma, samanya, vishesha, and samavaya.
- Samkhya: purusha and prakrti, 25 tattvas, triguna, kaivalya; it does not posit Ishvara. Yoga adds Ishvara and the eight limbs, aiming at chitta-vritti-nirodha.
- Mimamsa: dharma, karma-kanda, apurva, and shabda as independent pramana. Vedanta: Prasthanatrayi; Advaita (Shankara), Vishishtadvaita (Ramanuja), Dvaita (Madhva).
Literature history
- Kalidasa: Abhijnanashakuntala, Meghaduta, Raghuvamsha, Kumarasambhava. Bhasa: Svapnavasavadatta, Charudatta. Sudraka: Mrcchakatika. Bhavabhuti: Uttararamacharita. Bharavi: Kiratarjuniya. Magha: Shishupalavadha.
- Prose: Banabhatta’s Kadambari and Dandin’s Dashakumaracharita. Kerala’s Sanskrit heritage includes Melputtur Narayana Bhattathiri’s Narayaneeyam and Ramapanivada; Kutiyattam preserves Sanskrit drama in performance.
Worked example
A passage says the world is produced from Brahman, has Brahman as material cause, and the individual self is ultimately not different from Brahman. This is Advaita Vedanta. It is not Samkhya, because Samkhya accepts two ultimate realities, purusha and prakrti, and does not derive the world from a single Brahman. The reasoning must cite the distinctive tenet, not just the word Brahman.
Traps that cost marks
- Mixing Samkhya’s purusha with Vedanta’s atman.
- Saying Charvaka accepts inference as a valid pramana.
- Attributing Yoga’s eight limbs to Samkhya.
- Matching an author to the wrong work, especially among Kalidasa, Bhasa, and Bhavabhuti.