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An Interesting Article with a Message on Sanskrit from Sri Jayendra Saraswathi

Swami, Kanchi Sankaracharya: "Sanskrit has been uniting our nation over several

centuries and has thus served as an integrating force. Works in this language

form a common heritage and bedrock of the Hindu culture. Its inherent strength

has enabled it to survive and has provided the base for the development of

literary languages."

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This article is emailed to you by Ram Chandran ( rchandran )

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Source: The Hindu (http://www.hinduonnet.com)

 

Learning Sanskrit the easier way

 

CHENNAI, NOV. 13. Even as God cannot be seen in flesh and blood

directly by ordinary human beings but His presence can be

experienced through spiritual exercises and by worshipping the

consecrated idols installed in divine centres, the Sanskrit

language that has been presented to the people in an easier form

in each of the many regions of this country can be appreciated by

all. Contrary to the belief that it is tough to learn, Sanskrit,

adapted to each State and given in a simplified form, can be

studied by anyone without much effort. Like God, Sanskrit too

spreads In ancient days, sages assembled at Naimisaranyam, sat

together and discussed the various texts in Sanskrit and dug out

the hidden values. Later the morals, messages and guidelines

embedded therein were made available to laymen by scholars

through poems, dramas and other modes of popular works. Sanskrit

was then made easy in each local language like Malayalam. Even

today we can find several terms from Sanskrit being freely used

in conversation by people of various States. It was being

patronised by kings and administrators. Even till recently, the

ruler of Cochin, who was a scholar in Sanskrit having mastered

different branches such as its grammar, used to organise seminars

(vidwat sadas) inviting pundits to discuss important topics,

giving them an opportunity to present their interpretation and

commentaries. What is stored in the original utterances in Vedas,

Upanishads, Vyakaranam and other super-special references were

gifted to people through epics, puranas and other glorious texts.

Ultimately, the moral law, the rules of righteousness and codes

of conduct came to be placed before people. In each State, the

language was suitably simplified.

 

Sri Jayendra Saraswathi Swami, Kanchi Sankaracharya, in an

address, compared the study of Sanskrit as is available (adapted

to local needs) to that of a student equipping himself with the

minimum qualification to practise general medicine and then

getting specialised in a particular branch. Once learning the

language, one can get himself trained, mastering a branch like

drama, poem and grammar. Stories with morals in simple Sanskrit

and selected verses containing instructions for noble conduct and

graded lessons will help popularise the language which was once

spoken in India. Sanskrit has been uniting our nation over

several centuries and has thus served as an integrating force.

Works in this language form a common heritage and bedrock of the

Hindu culture. Its inherent strength has enabled it to survive

and has provided the base for the development of literary

languages.

 

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