Inspiration and Resources
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The Origins of The Naraka Cycle
I drew from Indian mythology, ancient epics, Hindu scripture such as the Vedas and the Puranas, reference books on the science and technology of ancient India, as well as languages such as Sanskrit as source material for The Naraka Cycle.
The language of magic in the books is classical Sanskrit. Reading the ancient texts in that ancient language, which I have been studying for a few years, has been a magical experience. Whilst building the world of Naraka, I also looked into ancient Indian statecraft since about 300 BCE, as well as the politics and economics during the time of the Mahajanapadas or ancient republics of India from 600 to 400 BCE.
It was important to me that I used authentic sources and deep research to create a sense of scientific realism for the reader. I’ve shared just a few of the sources and references to create the ecology, art, architecture, military technology, science, and characters in the series.
Indian Mythology
Sources
The Ramayana is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India, the other being the Mahābhārata. Along with the Mahābhārata, it forms the Hindu Itihasa.
The Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India, the other being the Rāmāyaṇa. It narrates the struggle between two groups of cousins in the Kurukshetra War and the fates of the Kaurava and the Pāṇḍava princes and their successors.
The Puranic Encyclopedia is a comprehensive dictionary with special reference to the Epic and Puranic literature of India.
The Upanishads are a series of Hindu sacred treatises written in Sanskrit c. 800–200 BCE, expounding the Vedas in predominantly mystical and monistic terms.
The Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali are a collection of 195 Sanskrit sutras on the theory and practice of the eight limbs of yoga. The Yoga Sutras were compiled sometime between 500 BCE and 400 CE by the sage Patanjali in India who synthesized and organized knowledge about yoga from much older traditions.
Statecraft, Politics and Economy
The Arthashastra is an ancient Indian Sanskrit treatise on statecraft, economic policy and military strategy. Kautilya, also identified as Vishnugupta and Chanakya, is traditionally credited as the author of the text.
Ancient and Medieval Indian History
Ancient and medieval India refers to a long period of the history of the Indian subcontinent between about 6000 BCE until the 16th century.
This refers to the ancient and medieval periods in Indian history.
Civilization in South Asia began along the Indus River. The land of South Asia is dominated by three main types of physical features - mountains, rivers, and the massive triangular-shaped peninsula of India.