From the seventh century on, Maru Bhasha was recognized as the language of Rajasthan. By the eleventh century, great epics such as Chand Bardai's Prithviraj Raso had come into existence. This great tradition of written literature continues till today through a large number of heroic epics, legendary ballads, stirring poetry, devotional compositions, works on prosody (Alankar and Chhand), dictionaries (Nam Mahas), tales in prose, and critical treatises on philosophy, religion, logic and medicine. The tradition of Jain and Charan literature has enriched cultural discourse in recording historical events and people's aspirations through the common mode of language.

Such literature provided the mirror to the social realities of this region. The desert community had its base in a pastoral economy, yet agriculture took a back seat to the raising and rearing of cows, bullocks, sheep, goat, camels and horses. This entailed moving with the herds in order to find fresh grazing pastures, and for breeding and selling at various fairs.

This pattern created its own compulsions and resulted in inspirational, oral epics based on pastoral heroes such as Goga, Pabu, Deo-Narayan, and Teja, who lived between the eleventh and sixteenth centuries. Their heroic exploits find their genesis in the practices of cow rearing, and the protection of cattle. Eventually, these heroes were deified, and even today worshipped as gods. Goga and Teja, for example, are believed to be able to protect, and even cure, people against snake bites and poison. The major event or adventure in these epics relates to the kidnapping of cows with the heroes out to reclaim them.