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Mahākāvya महाकाव्य

Epic poetry - grand narratives in classical Sanskrit verse

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Kāvya काव्य

Classical poetry - lyrical and descriptive compositions

Meghadūtam
मेघदूतम्
Author: Kālidāsa
Cloud Messenger
2 Sections • 111 Verses
Kāvya Available Now
Ṛtusaṃhāram
ऋतुसंहारम्
Author: Kālidāsa
Medley of Seasons
6 Chapters • 144 Verses
Kāvya Available Now
Coming Soon
Gītāgovindam
गीतगोविन्दम्
Author: Jayadeva
Song of Govinda
12 Chapters • 276 Verses
Kāvya
Coming Soon
Caurapañcāśikā
चौरपञ्चाशिका
Author: Bilhaṇa
Fifty Stanzas of a Thief
50 Verses
Kāvya
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Dṛśyakāvya दृश्यकाव्य

Visual poetry - dramatic literature combining verse and prose

Abhijñānaśākuntalam
अभिज्ञानशाकुन्तलम्
Author: Kālidāsa
Recognition of Śakuntalā
7 Acts • Mixed Verse & Prose
Dṛśyakāvya Available Now
Coming Soon
Vikramorvaśīyam
विक्रमोर्वशीयम्
Author: Kālidāsa
Urvaśī Won by Valour
5 Acts
Dṛśyakāvya
Coming Soon
Mālavikāgnimitram
मालविकाग्निमित्रम्
Author: Kālidāsa
Mālavikā and Agnimitra
5 Acts
Dṛśyakāvya
Coming Soon
Uttararāmacaritam
उत्तररामचरितम्
Author: Bhavabhūti
Later Story of Rāma
7 Acts
Dṛśyakāvya
Coming Soon
Mālatīmādhavam
मालतीमाधवम्
Author: Bhavabhūti
Mālatī and Mādhava
10 Acts
Dṛśyakāvya
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Śataka शतक

Century verses - collections of 100 verses on specific themes

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Alaṅkāra अलङ्कार

Poetics - treatises on literary aesthetics and rhetoric

Śṛṅgāraprakāśa
शृङ्गारप्रकाश
Author: Bhoja
Light on Love (Poetics)
Multiple Chapters
Alaṅkāra Available Now
Coming Soon
Kāvyālaṅkāra
काव्यालङ्कार
Author: Bhāmaha
Ornaments of Poetry
6 Chapters
Alaṅkāra
Coming Soon
Dhvanyāloka
ध्वन्यालोक
Author: Ānandavardhana
Light on Suggestion
4 Chapters
Alaṅkāra
Coming Soon
Sāhityadarpaṇa
साहित्यदर्पण
Author: Viśvanātha
Mirror of Composition
10 Chapters
Alaṅkāra
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Gadya गद्य

Prose literature - ornate prose narratives and romances

Kādambarī
कादम्बरी
Author: Bāṇabhaṭṭa
Romance of Kādambarī
Prose Narrative
Gadya Available Now
Coming Soon
Harṣacaritam
हर्षचरितम्
Author: Bāṇabhaṭṭa
Deeds of Harṣa
8 Chapters
Gadya
Coming Soon
Daśakumāracaritam
दशकुमारचरितम्
Author: Daṇḍin
Tales of Ten Princes
10 Stories
Gadya
Coming Soon
Vāsavadattā
वासवदत्ता
Author: Subandhu
Romance of Vāsavadattā
Prose Romance
Gadya
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Kathā कथा

Story literature - fables, tales, and narrative collections

About Sahitya

Sanskrit Sahitya (literature) represents one of the world's richest literary traditions, spanning over two millennia. From the sublime poetry of Kālidāsa to the intricate dramas of Bhavabhūti, from the philosophical śatakas of Bhartṛhari to the ornate prose of Bāṇabhaṭṭa, Sanskrit literature encompasses a vast range of genres, styles, and themes.

This portal provides access to classical Sanskrit texts with multiple viewing options, including various scripts (Devanagari, IAST, regional scripts), parallel views with anvaya (prose order), commentaries, and translations. Each text includes chapter and verse navigation, search functionality, and bookmarking capabilities for scholars and students.

Multiple Scripts
Devanagari, IAST, Bengali, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, Gujarati, and IPA
Parallel Views
Read original text alongside anvaya (prose order) for better understanding
Scholarly Features
Commentaries, translations, meter information, and contextual notes

Note: Currently 14 texts are available with full functionality. Additional works are being prepared with complete texts, commentaries, and scholarly apparatus. All available texts feature chapter/verse navigation, search, bookmarking, and customizable display options.

Reader Features

Smart Navigation

  • ✓ Chapter dropdown selector
  • ✓ Verse dropdown selector
  • ✓ Keyboard shortcuts (arrows, hotkeys)
  • ✓ Direct URL sharing for specific verses

Search & Discovery

  • ✓ Live search across texts
  • ✓ Automatic text highlighting
  • ✓ Filter verses by search term
  • ✓ Bookmark important verses

Customization

  • ✓ Dark/Light theme toggle
  • ✓ Adjustable font size (12-24px)
  • ✓ Show/hide commentary layers
  • ✓ Export and print options