Master Lucent GK for Competitive Exams: Ultimate Study Guide

  Chapter 01 Indian History (Part 2) Jain Texts Jain texts throw light on the religious and social conditions of their time. These texts were compiled in the 6th century AD in the Jain Mahasabha held at Vallabhi (Gujarat). Among Jain texts, 12 Angas are important. Important Jain Texts Acharanga Sutra – Contains disciplinary rules for Jain monks. Bhagavati Sutra – Contains information about the life of Mahavira. Kalpa Sutra – Describes lives of Jain Tirthankaras. Anuttaropapatika-dasa – Stories of famous Jain monks. Uvasagadasao (Upasakadasa) – Discusses the fruits of Karma (Karma Phala). Bhadrabahu Charita – Describes the life of Acharya Bhadrabahu and includes glimpses of Chandragupta Maurya’s later life. From a historical point of view, Parishishta Parva written by Jain Acharya Hemachandra is considered very important. Historical Texts Although there is no purely historical text in ancient India in the modern sense, some texts provide valuable historical information. Impo...

  Chapter 01 Indian History Introduction What is History? The study of the past is called ‘History’. The English word ‘History’ is derived from the Greek word historia , meaning research, inquiry or investigation. The Greek historian Herodotus (484 BC–425 BC) was the first real historian of the world. He wrote only one book, The Histories (430 BC). The Histories describes the background and events of the Greco-Persian/Greek-Iranian Wars. It was the Roman philosopher Cicero (106 BC–43 BC) who first of all called Herodotus “The Father of History”. The German historian Leopold von Ranke (1795–1886 AD) is known as “The Father of Modern History”. According to Ranke, the task of a historian is to describe the past as it actually was ( wie es eigentlich gewesen ). The German philosopher Hegel (1770–1831 AD) said “History repeats itself”. Later, Karl Marx (1818–1883 AD) extended the line: “History repeats itself, first as tragedy, second as farce.” According to Brit...