Swaveda
Indian history, plainly written.
A short daily post on Indian history — archaeology, genetics, historical linguistics, and the texts. Plus side-by-side translations of public-domain primary works. Plain language; no chest-thumping in either direction.
Plain language
Aimed at any curious reader, not the seminar room. Sanskrit / Pali / Tamil terms get a gloss on first use.
Tradition ≠ evidence
“The Mahabharata describes…” and “the Mahabharata war happened in…” are different sentences, and we don’t silently merge them.
Readers can edit
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Latest articles
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The Bilingual Rock of Kandahar: What the Greek-Aramaic Inscription Reveals About Maurya Diplomatic Prakrit
An analysis of the bilingual Kandahar inscription, exploring how Maurya scribes translated Prakrit concepts like Dharma into Greek philosophy and Aramaic statecraft terms at the empire's western frontier.
Rohan Bhattacharya · Sep 11, 2026
The Genetic Stratigraphy of Roopkund Lake: What DNA from the 'Skeleton Lake' Reveals About Mediterranean Migrants in the Himalayas
Ancient DNA analysis of the skeletal remains at Roopkund Lake reveals three distinct genetic groups, including Mediterranean migrants who died there around 1800 CE, dismantling the myth of a single medieval disaster.
Dr. Anil Patel · Sep 11, 2026
The Potsherds of Berenike: What Tamil-Brahmi Graffito Reveals About Indian Ocean Sailors on the Red Sea
An analysis of a first-century CE Tamil-Brahmi inscription found on an Egyptian storage jar, revealing the personal stories of early Indian merchants trading in the Roman Empire.
Rohan Bhattacharya · Sep 10, 2026
The Silent Treaty: Why the Marriage of Chandragupta Maurya and Helena Left No Bureaucratic Footprint
While Greco-Roman writers confirm an alliance between Seleucus I Nicator and Chandragupta Maurya, the absence of Greek offspring in Mauryan records reveals how early Indian dynasties managed foreign successions.
Kavya Sharma · Sep 9, 2026
The Nadistuti Sukta: Which Rivers the Rigveda Named—and Which It Left Out
Rigveda 10.75 names 21 rivers, but the geography doesn't match classical India. Scholars debate whether the Saraswati was drying or mythologized. Here's what the text actually lists.
Rohan Bhattacharya · Sep 9, 2026
Recent translations
All texts →Sanskrit
Arthashastra
Chapter 150 · Book 15, Chapter 1: Paragraphical Divisions of This Treatise
Updated Jul 26, 2026
Sanskrit
Arthashastra
Chapter 149 · Book 14, Chapter 4: Remedies against the Injuries of One's Own Army
Updated Jul 26, 2026
Sanskrit
Arthashastra
Chapter 148 · Book 14, Chapter 3: The Application of Medicines and Mantras
Updated Jul 26, 2026
A note on tone
Swaveda is curious, careful, and dry. There’s no civilizational chest-thumping in either direction here — no “Vedic India invented everything,” no “everything came from outside.” If we get something wrong, tell us. We fix it visibly, with a dated note.