Indian Philosophical Thought in Amish Tripathi’s Shiva Trilogy

Abstract

Amish Tripathi’s Shiva Trilogy brings Indian philosophical ideas into a contemporary fictional setting. The three novels, The Immortals of Meluha, The Secret of the Nagas, and The Oath of the Vayuputras, present Shiva as a figure who faces questions of duty, action, identity, morality, and spiritual purpose. The trilogy reflects Indian philosophical thought through its treatment of Dharma, Karma, Atman, and Moksha. These ideas are not presented as separate philosophical teachings. They become part of the characters’ choices, relationships, conflicts, and search for truth. Dharma is reflected through the struggle to understand duty and moral responsibility. Karma is associated with human action and its consequences. The idea of Atman is considered through the search for identity and self-understanding, while Moksha is approached through the desire for freedom from worldly limitations and ignorance. Shiva’s journey provides a central space for these ideas to develop as he moves through personal and social conflicts. The study argues that Tripathi reworks familiar Indian philosophical ideas within a modern narrative framework. The trilogy therefore creates a dialogue between traditional thought and contemporary fiction while making philosophical questions accessible through character and story.