The multitude of major themes in the ancient Indian domains of literature, religion and philosophy makes it virtually impossible for a single volume to incorporate them, but here in the present volume some of the major issues have been clearly outlined with reference to their historical aspects. The essays on the major systems of Indian philosophy, history of Tamil literature, Bhakti movement in Tamil Nadu, and a welldefined study of aesthetics in Sanskrit literature are among the important highlights of this volume. The philosophical and literary discourse has been framed by a structural analysis of the Vedic literature and two firmly rooted narratives of the history of Pali literature. A brief but perceptive essay on the history of Hinduism adds additional lustre to this volume and is accompanied by notes on the archaeology of Hinduism and Buddhism. There is also a major essay on the textual connotation of Dharma in ancient India.