Sahitya or Literature

A Dharma Centric Account

Abstract

In the Indian context, the word ‘literature’ has been taken from the sense of the Sanskrit term ‘Sahitya’, which is a little different in its etymology. Etymologically, the term "literature" is derived from the Latin term ‘litteratura’ which means "learning, writing, grammar," and originally, it was "writing formed with letters (littera)". Literature is often referred to as "writing" or, more poetically, "the craft of writing". Definitions of literature have varied over time. In Western Europe prior to the 18th century, literature generally denoted all books and writing, and it is also used in reference to "oral literature" and "the literature of preliterate culture". Our approach towards the expression of the word ‘literature’ is somehow different since ‘Sahitya’ is not confined merely to the expression of thoughts but is more related to the quality of thoughts and their concerns with human life. Etymologically, ‘Sahitya’ is an abstractive of ‘Sa-hit’ that means ‘together with’ or 'inclusive'. It has some inbuilt quality of thoughts with concern and connectedness to well-being. Now, the question arises about the concern for the well-being of what and for whom? So, the concern of literature like ‘Sahitya’ is located in the well-being of society and human beings as a whole. It is important to ascertain how we perceive and respond to our social system/order and its relationship with human beings. ‘Sahitya’ is very much imbibed in this idea of inclusiveness of social order and its relation to humanity. This idea of inclusiveness epitomises our worldview based on unique Indian knowledge traditions. The social order structured around inclusivism operates as per an evolved, disciplined moral order called Dharma (not organised religion).