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UPSC Sanskrit Literature Optional Books for IAS Mains

By BYJU'S Exam Prep

Updated on: November 14th, 2023

UPSC Sanskrit Optional Books are your best friend if you are planning to take Sanskrit as your Optional Paper. For the UPSC mains exam, it is crucial that candidates choose their optional subject carefully. In recent years, Sanskrit is emerging as a popular choice among many aspirants. Thus, if you have decided to choose this subject, you must acquaint yourself with the best UPSC Sanskrit books to ensure the best performance.

Sanskrit is the oldest language known to civilization and many modern languages derive their base from it. Hence, many candidates find it relatable to their mother tongues and go for it. Candidates often choose Sanskrit as their UPSC mains optional subject because it is scoring. If you have decided on Sanskrit as your optional subject then you should know about the Best Sanskrit Literature Books for UPSC that can elevate the level of your preparation.

Best Sanskrit Literature Books for UPSC

UPSC Sanskrit Optional Books are your best friend if you are planning to take Sanskrit as your Optional Paper. For the UPSC mains exam, it is crucial that candidates choose their optional subject carefully. In recent years, Sanskrit is emerging as a popular choice among many aspirants. Thus, if you have decided to choose this subject, you must acquaint yourself with the best UPSC Sanskrit books to ensure the best performance.

Sanskrit is the oldest language known to civilization and many modern languages derive their base from it. Hence, many candidates find it relatable to their mother tongues and go for it. Candidates often choose Sanskrit as their UPSC mains optional subject because it is scoring. If you have decided on Sanskrit as your optional subject then you should know about the Best Sanskrit Literature Books for UPSC that can elevate the level of your preparation.

Important Books for Sanskrit Literature Optional for UPSC

Despite your best efforts, sometimes choosing the best UPSC Sanskrit Books can be a tough task. Keeping the current trends and the level of exam in mind, our experts have curated a list of the best UPSC Sanskrit optional books for aspirants to refer to.

Listed below are some of the best UPSC Books for you to use during your preparation to ensure complete coverage of UPSC Syllabus for Sanskrit.

UPSC Sanskrit Books Authors
Complete Sanskrit: Teach Yourself Michael Coulson
Sanskrit for Beginners Dr. Sunanda Shastri
Prarambhik Sanskrit Vyakaran Madhusudan Mishra
Sanskrit Swyam Shikshak Shripad Damodar Satvlekar
  • Rachnanuvadkaumudi
  • Bhasha Vigyan evam Bhasha Shastra
Kapildev Dwivedi
Books on Mahakaya M. R. Kale
Sanskrit Sahitya ka Itihaas Umashankar Sharma
Shukanasopadesh – Varnanam Dr. Rajendra Kumar
Sanskrit Kavi Darshan Bhola Shankar Vyas
Brihad Anuvad Chandrika Chakradhar Nautiyal “Hansa” Shastri

Sanskrit Literature Books for UPSC [Original Texts]

Candidates will also have to study certain original texts that are prescribed in the syllabus. Refer to the following literature books to prepare for the second paper. Candidates must also download UPSC Question Paper to identify the types of questions asked before completing a topic.

  • Bhagavadgita chapter II verses 13 to 25
  • Raghuvansham – Canto I, Verses 1 to 10
  • Kiratarjuniyam – Canto I, Verses 1 to 10
  • Meghadutam – verses 1 to 10
  • Isavasyopanisad – verses -1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 15 and 18
  • Sundarakandam of Valmiki Canto 15, Verses 15 to 30
  • Kumarasambhavam – Canto I, Verses 1 to 10
  • Nitisatakam – Verses 1 to 10
  • Kadambar i- Sukanaso-Padesa

UPSC Sanskrit Literature Optional Booklist PDF Download

How to Prepare with Sanskrit Literature Books for UPSC?

Candidates who opt for Sanskrit as their optional subject often have difficulty in finding study material or test series for the same. It is a popular yet relatively obscure choice as compared to other subjects. However, you can easily prepare for it with the right Sanskrit UPSC books and score well in it to improve your overall ranking.

Like other optional subjects, the Sanskrit exam is also divided into two parts – Shastrik and Literature. The Shastrik paper will deal with Grammar, Syntax, Philosophy, Culture, Essay Writing and Unseen Passages. The Literature paper is divided into groups and will have certain texts that can be easily prepared. While the first paper will test your practical knowledge of the Sanskrit language, the other paper will simply test your knowledge of popular works in the same. You can easily prepare for these sections using the Sanskrit literature books for UPSC.

  • Study the general rules of grammar and syntax of the Sanskrit language carefully and practice writing sentences and essays using the same.
  • Practice questions related to grammar and syntax given at the end of UPSC Sanskrit optional books. Practice is the best way to master any language.
  • Reading books on Indian mythology and Vedic philosophies will be very helpful. Learn the basic facts about all important philosophers and their philosophies to be able to answer questions about the same.
  • Read the original texts for the Literature section at least twice. Reading Sanskrit literature books for UPSC means that not only are you reading the books to answer questions about the themes of the story but also, understanding how they are written to get a better grasp on the language.
  • Study from UPSC Sanskrit books and write down essays based on the concepts you have studied. This will help you memorize all important information and also improve your essay writing skills and time management.

How to Choose the Best UPSC Sanskrit Optional Books?

While choosing your UPSC Sanskrit books, make sure to pay attention. Studying literature and language can be a daunting task because of how vast the scope of it tends to be. However, UPSC has a set syllabus for each subject, and that considerably narrows down the scope of what one needs to study and master. There are various books that guarantee success, however, not all these books have substantial study material. Hence, while choosing the Sanskrit Literature books for UPSC, you should keep in mind the following:

  • Check the UPSC Mains Syllabus for Sanskrit on the official website thoroughly and find out the important topics. This will help you know what books to look for.
  • As the syllabus is divided into two parts – Shastrik and Literature, focus on finding books that cater to your exact requirements. Always check the Index or Contents to ensure the topics covered in the book are according to your needs.
  • For the Sanskrit Literature part, try to find the original books instead of reprints.
  • Go for the UPSC Sanskrit optional books that are published by reputed publishers as they don’t have any factual or spelling errors.
  • Look for UPSC Sanskrit literature books that also have additional essays and supplementary material to help you understand the primary text better.
  • You should try to buy books that have questions at the end, that will help you understand what type of questions to expect in the exam.
Other Important UPSC Books
History Books for UPSC UPSC Electrical Engineering Books
Polity Books for UPSC Medical Science Book for UPSC
Ethics Books for UPSC Agriculture Books for UPSC
Anthropology Books for UPSC UPSC Civil Engineering Optional Books
Economics Book for UPSC Animal Husbandry Books for UPSC
Sociology Books for UPSC UPSC Law Optional Books
Psychology Books for UPSC Zoology Optional Books for UPSC
Political Science Books for UPSC UPSC Assamese Literature Optional Books
Philosophy Books for UPSC UPSC Urdu Optional Books
International Relations Books for UPSC Maithili Books for UPSC
Maths Books for UPSC Punjabi Literature Books for UPSC
Hindi Literature Books for UPSC UPSC English Literature Optional Books
Botany Books for UPSC Telugu Literature Books for UPSC
Tamil Literature Books for UPSC UPSC Statistics Books
Kannada Literature Books for UPSC UPSC Geology Books
Gujarati Literature Books for UPSC UPSC Commerce And Accountancy Books
Chemistry Books for UPSC UPSC Physics Optional Books
Geography Books for UPSC UPSC Mechanical Engineering Books
UPSC Management Optional Books UPSC Marathi Literature Books
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