![SHIKSHAN SANSHODHAN [ ISSN(O): 2581-6241 ] Peer-Reviewed, Referred, Indexed Research Journal.](https://shikshansanshodhan.researchculturesociety.org/wp-content/uploads/SS-TITLE-HEADER.png)
Reconstructing Dharma: Narrative Dialogue of Vedic, Buddhist, and Jain Ethics in S. L. Bhyrappa’s Sartha
Author(s): Shailja Nimavat
Authors Affiliations:
Research Scholar, Department of English, Veer Narmad South Gujarat University, Surat (Gujarat), India
DOIs:10.2018/SS/202604004 | Paper ID: SS202604004Abstract: This study examines the connection between S. L. Bhyrappa’s historical novel Sartha (The Caravan) and the intersection of Vedic ritualism, Buddhist renunciation, and Jain asceticism in eighth-century India. It was a period marked by profound philosophical turmoil and intense religious competition. Through an analysis of Sartha and a comparative study with classical texts such as Śaṅkara’s Brahmasūtra Bhāṣya, Kumārila Bhaṭṭa’s Ślokavārttika, the Buddhist Pali Canon, and the Jain Āgamas, the research demonstrates that Bhyrappa presents Dharma as a dynamic, fluid, and contested category rather than an orthodox code of conduct. The research asserts that the caravan in the novel serves as a metaphor for an arena where various philosophies interact, debate, and sometimes clash, mirroring the history of different religions in India. Hence, by making contemporary issues relevant in the modern era, the paper illuminates how literature functions as a bridge between historical consciousness and modern ethical discourse.
Shailja Shreedhar Nimavat (2026); Reconstructing Dharma: Narrative Dialogue of Vedic, Buddhist, and Jain Ethics in S. L. Bhyrappa’s Sartha, Shikshan Sanshodhan : Journal of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, ISSN(o): 2581-6241, Volume – 9, Issue – 4, Available on – https://shikshansanshodhan.researchculturesociety.org/