Revival of Sanskrit

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Revive Sanskrit

 

By J.G. Arora

--Author's e-mail: jgarora

 

Central Chronicle, Bhopal: March 3, 2006

 

 

 

There is a Sanskrit aphorism, " prithivyam trini ratnani / jalam annam

subhashitam " (there are three precious treasures on earth: water,

foodgrains, and apt quotations). To these three riches can be added the

fourth one known as Sanskrit: the vast ocean of wisdom and knowledge.

 

 

 

Sanskrit is the symbol and heart of India. It is the most precious

possession of India. As per Sir Monier Monier-Williams (1819-1899), famous

for his Sanskrit-English dictionary, " India's national character is cast in

a Sanskrit mould and in Sanskrit language. Its literature is a key to its

vast religious system. Sanskrit is one medium of approach to the hearts of

Indians. "

 

 

 

Till a few centuries ago, glorious Hindu religion, culture and philosophy

used to stretch from Gandhar (modern day Afghanistan) to Indonesia. And

Sanskrit language was the instrument for this prominence. But repeated

Muslim invasions of Indian subcontinent brought destruction of many

prestigious centres of learning leading to decline of Sanskrit.

 

 

 

Sanskrit and Macaulayan education

 

Literally meaning " refined and sanctified " , and priding itself as cultured,

Sanskrit is acclaimed as the best, sweetest and divine language (bhashasu

mukhya madhura divya geervaan bharati). Sanskrit is the divine language

revealed through the sages (Sanskritam naam daivi vaak anavyakhyata

maharshibhihi). But though excepting Tirukkural which is in Tamil, almost

all Hindu scriptures like Vedas, Upanishads, Ramayana and Mahabharata are

written in Sanskrit, Sanskrit has been driven out of Indian schools and

colleges by Macaulay's education introduced in India in 1835.

 

Macaulayan education downgraded Indian languages including Sanskrit and

replaced them with English. This education was introduced to de-Hinduize

Hindus as is evident in Macaulay's following letter dated October 12, 1836

to his evangelist father,

" Our English schools are flourishing wonderfully; we find it difficult to

provide instruction to all. The effect of this education on Hindus is

prodigious. No Hindu who has received an English education ever remains

sincerely attached to his religion. It is my firm belief that if our plans

of education are followed up, there will not be a single idolater among the

respected classes 30 years hence. And this will be effected without our

efforts to proselytize; I heartily rejoice in the prospect. "

 

De-Hinduized by Macaulayan education, and brain washed by Macaulayan media,

most of Hindu intellectuals, MBAs, business persons, doctors, lawyers,

chartered accountants, engineers, teachers and the rest are self-alienated

and do not know Sanskrit, and do not know much about Hindu religion or

heritage, or about Vedas, Upanishads, Ramayana, Mahabharata or Tirukkural.

 

India was expected to discard Macaulayism after the British left in 1947. On

September 10, 1949, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar even sponsored an amendment making

Sanskrit as the official language of India. But the said amendment was

defeated in the Constituent Assembly. However, Sanskrit was included in the

Eighth Schedule of Indian Constitution.

 

But shockingly, Macaulay's missionary-oriented colonial education and

neglect of Sanskrit is still gripping Independent India. After banishing

Sanskrit from Indian schools and colleges, Macaulayists call Sanskrit 'the

dead language'.

 

Sublime thoughts in sublime language

 

Sanskrit contains sublime thoughts in sublime words. All the Vedas,

Upanishads, Aadi Kavi Maharishi Valamiki's Aadi kavyam Ramayana with 24,000

stanzas, Mahabharata, the longest poem in the world with over 1,00,000

stanzas, eighteen Puranas and several other holy books are all written in

Sanskrit. Mahabharata also contains Bhagavad Gita. A verse of Mahabharata

proclaims that what is found in Mahabharata may appear elsewhere but what is

not in Mahabharata would be found nowhere.

 

To understand and appreciate beauty of Vedas, Sanskrit provides six Vedangs:

Shikhsha (phonetics), Vyakarna (grammar), Chhanda (metre), Nirukta

(etymology), Kalpa (religious practice) and Jyotish (astronomy).

 

Mention is made here of a few Vedic gems.

 

Mata bhumih putro aham prithivyaha (earth is our mother and we are its

children); kevalagho kevalaadi (one who eats alone, eats sin); apritito

jayati sama dhanani (only the forward march achieves success); tasya bhasa

sarvam idam vibhati (His radiance pervades entire universe); satyam vad

dharmam char (speak the truth, be righteous); sarve janah sukhino bhavantu

(may every one be happy). And the list is endless.

 

Immortal Sanskrit literature

 

Sanskrit has the oldest and richest literature in the world.

 

First Mantra of Rig Veda (1.1.1) is the first known poem in the world.

English language prides having just one Shakespeare. Sanskrit has got

thousands of Shakespeares. It is pitiable that the educated Indian knows

nothing about them or about Sanskrit.

 

Sanskrit contains both sacred and temporal writings. After Vedas,

Upanishads, Ramayana and Mahabharata, Sanskrit magnificence continued

through Bhasa, Kalidas, Bharavi, Magh, Bana, Kalhana, Adi Shankracharya,

Chanakya and many others like Bhartirihari and his famous Shatkas. Bharat's

Natyashastra and timeless Sanskrit dramas also adorn Sanskrit firmament.

Vishnu Prabhakar's didactic fable Panch Tantra guides humans to this day.

Panini's Ashtadhyayi is a timeless treatise of Sanskrit Grammar.

 

Sanskrit contains vast knowledge also about astronomy, astrology

and mathematics. And Aryabhatt's Aryabhattiyam can be cited in this regard.

Sanskrit also has Ayurveda (medical science) and Dhanur Veda.

 

And philosophy begins with the hymns of Rig Veda. Sanskrit explains all the

six traditional systems of philosophy viz. Nyayah, Vaisheshikam, Sankhyam,

Yogah, Mimansa and Vedant. Patanjali's Yoga Sutras are still acting as the

lodestar for many travellers of life. These Yoga Sutras describe eight steps

to achieve victory of mind over matter. And they are: Yama, Niyama, Asana,

Pranayam, Pratyahar, Dharana, Dhyan and Samadhi.

 

Sanskrit also describes modern scientific tools discovered by Indian

scholars thousands of years ago. Concept of shoonya (zero), concept of earth

revolving around the sun, concepts of gravity, gyaamiti (geometry),

triknomiti (trignometry), infinity, concept of time ranging from Krati (one

34,000th of a second) to kalpa (1000 maha yugas i.e. billions of years),

decimal system: All this knowledge, and much more, is written in Sanskrit.

 

An impeccable language

 

Sanskrit is a scientific and systematic language with a perfect

grammar. It is computer compatible.

 

As per Sir William Jones (1746-1794), Sanskrit is " more perfect than Greek,

more copious than Latin, and more exquisitely refined than either " . Sanskrit

is independent, and is not derived from any other language. Sanskrit easily

explains complex thoughts in a simple manner. The single theme of 'sublime'

permeates Sanskrit literature.

 

Besides being rich in words (for instance, Sanskrit has got over a hundred

synonyms for the word 'water'), Sanskrit is the language of the heart. It

has got exact words to describe various human emotions. As per NASA,

Sanskrit is " the only unambiguous language on earth " . Even translated

Sanskrit works have won admiration of scholars all over the world.

 

Sanskrit will revive Bharat's glory

 

Macaulayan education has banished Sanskrit from schools and colleges dubbing

it as a dead language. But death of Sanskrit means death of Hindu religion,

Hindu Sanskriti (culture), Hindu heritage and Hindu identity.

 

The language which has all along sustained us cannot be allowed to fade

away. Sanskrit must be revived and taught in schools and colleges since its

survival is a must for survival of Hinduism and for rediscovery of hidden

treasures of Bharat Varsha.

 

As per eminent historian Will Durant (1885-1981), " Civilization is not

something inborn or imperishable; it must be acquired anew by every

generation, and any serious interruption in its financing or its

transmission may bring it to an end. "

 

Mere ritual celebration of 'Sanskrit Day' on Shravani Poornima every year

cannot revive lost Sanskrit glory. Only concrete action can restore Sanskrit

and enable the present and future generations to know their rich legacy.

Mere pious platitudes will not help since even Gods do not help inactive

people. As per Rig Veda: 4.33.11, " Na ruteh shrantasya sakhayay devaha "

(Gods do not help inactive people).

 

 

 

 

--

Krishna Prasad

 

.. Yad yad aacarati sreshtah, tad tad eva itaro janah. As the Gita puts it,

consistency of purpose and a spirit of dedication and, if necessary,

sacrifice, should characterize the new spirit.

We Must

THE CULTURED GIVES HAPPINESS WHEREVER THEY GO, THE UN-CULTURED WHENEVER THEY

GO!

- Swami Chinmayanada