Author Name: R Gautami Iyer Date: 24-04-2026
Abstract:- This research focuses on a feminist study of two modern Sanskrit works: “ShatparvikA” (1988), one of the stories from the book “Ikshugandha” by Dr. Abhiraj Rajendra Mishra and “Shaivali” (2004) by Tarapada Bhattacharya. The research examines how these stories depict the social conditions and struggles of women in a contemporary context. “Ikshugandha” is a collection of short stories that offer moral messages and happy endings, one of which is my story of focus, ShatparvikA. It is the story of a common man and his wife who, on the hopes of having a son, end up having seven daughters. The narrative hopes to inculcate the importance of having a girl child as a means to reduce female infanticide. “Shaivali” is a standalone story from the collection “Katha dwadashah” that conveys a very sad social message. The study aims to provide a critical analysis of these narratives, compare the authors’ writing styles, and determine the relevance of their themes in the modern world. The research also delves into feminist writings from other languages, then and now, and compares them.
Keywords: Modern Sanskrit Literature, qualitative analysis, comparative analysis, historical and contemporary analysis
