Sanskrit in Modern Context: Exploring the use and revival of Sanskrit in contemporary society, including its role in education, literature, and arts
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31305/rrijm2023.v03.n02.001Keywords:
Sanskrit, modern context, language revival, education, literature, arts, linguistic heritageAbstract
This research explores the use and resurgence of Sanskrit in modern culture with an emphasis on its functions in the fields of education, literature, and the arts. Over the ages, the spoken form of Sanskrit, an ancient Indo-European language famed for its religious, philosophical, and literary literature, gradually declined. However, in recent years, there have been persistent attempts by academics and enthusiasts to restore Sanskrit's importance in a number of fields. This study investigates the use of Sanskrit in contemporary education, including its use in colleges and universities, as well as the difficulties and possibilities associated with teaching and studying this ancient language. The research also looks at the impact of Sanskrit on modern literature and the arts, including classical dance, music, and theatre. Additionally, it explores the language's function in religious and philosophical discourse, illuminating its importance in the preservation and dissemination of spiritual and philosophical literature. The article examines Sanskrit's distinctive linguistic traits and its contributions to contemporary linguistic research, especially its importance in the reconstruction of Proto-Indo-European and comparative linguistics. The study also emphasises the role of technology in text preservation and dissemination, as well as the digital resources accessible for studying Sanskrit and exploring its literary riches. It emphasises the necessity for ongoing efforts to conserve and develop this ancient language as an important cultural and intellectual asset in the modern world by reflecting on the difficulties and chances for Sanskrit in the future.
References
Banerjee, P. (2003). The Dramatic Element in the Ritusamhara of Kalidasa. Journal of Indian Council of Philosophical Research, 20(3), 103-119.
Bhattacharya, S. (2010). Sanskrit and Indian Civilization. Motilal Banarsidass.
Bronkhorst, J. (1998). Panini and his place in Sanskrit literature. In G. Pollock (Ed.), Literary Cultures in History: Reconstructions from South Asia (pp. 97-128). University of California Press.
Chang, K. C. (1977). The Archaeology of Ancient China. Yale University Press.
Dandekar, R. N. (2004). Sanskrit in Cyberspace. Journal of the Oriental Institute, 53, 43-51.
Dasgupta, S. (1955). A Study of History of Hindu Chemistry. Calcutta: University of Calcutta.
Dutt, R. C. (1899). The Ramayana and Mahabharata Condensed into English Verse. E. P. Dutton.
Eaton, R. M. (2005). A Social History of the Deccan, 1300-1761: Eight Indian Lives. Cambridge University Press.
Emeneau, M. B. (1956). Bharata's Natyashastra: Text with English Translation. Harvard University Press.
Flood, G. D. (1996). An Introduction to Hinduism. Cambridge University Press.
Fortson, B. W. (2004). Indo-European Language and Culture: An Introduction. Blackwell Publishing.
Gaur, G. S. (1990). Languages and Education in India: A Historical Perspective. Central Institute of Indian Languages.
Gier, N. F. (2012). The Virtue of Nonviolence: From Gautama to Gandhi. State University of New York Press.
Goyal, S. R. (1994). Sanskrit Education in India. Akhil Bharatiya Sanskrit Parishad.
Hartzell, C. (2016). Learning Sanskrit in the 21st Century: A Survey of Mobile Apps, Websites, and Software. Journal of the American Oriental Society, 136(3), 571-578. https://doi.org/10.7817/jameroriesoci.136.3.0571
Houben, J. E. M. (1995). Ideology and Status of Sanskrit: Contributions to the History of the Sanskrit Language. Brill.
Iyer, S. (2018). Sanskrit and the Advaitic Tradition in Indian Art and Culture. International Journal of Hindu Studies, 22(1), 1-26. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11407-018-92.
Jacobsen, K. A. (2005). Yoga Philosophy in Relation to Other Systems of Indian Thought. International Journal of Hindu Studies, 9(1), 1-26.
Jha, J. (2015). Digital Sanskrit Library: A Critical Assessment. Journal of the American Oriental Society, 135(3), 513-527. https://doi.org/10.7817/jameroriesoci.135.3.0513
Jha, J. N. (2009). Sanskrit Language Learning and Pedagogy. Journal of the American Oriental Society, 129(2), 345-352. https://doi.org/10.2307/25608463
Kak, S. (2008). Early Indian Architecture: Cities and City-Gates, ca. 1500 B.C.-300 B.C. Oxford University Press.
King, R. (1999). Indian Philosophy: An Introduction to Hindu and Buddhist Thought. Edinburgh University Press.
Kothari, S. (1989). New Directions in Indian Dance. Marg Publications.
Kulkarni, J. P. (2011). Preservation and Management of Indian Manuscripts: Advancements in Digitization and Conservation Techniques. Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal), 572. http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/libphilprac/572
Kumar, V., & Singh, A. (2020). Digital Sanskrit NLP: A Survey. Proceedings of the Eighth International Symposium on Natural Language Processing (SNLP 2020), 108-115.
MacDonell, A. A. (1910). Sanskrit Grammar for Students. Longmans, Green, and Co.
Mallory, J. P., & Adams, D. Q. (1997). Encyclopedia of Indo-European Culture. Fitzroy Dearborn Publishers.
Mallory, J. P., & Adams, D. Q. (1997). Encyclopedia of Indo-European Culture. Fitzroy Dearborn Publishers.
Masica, C. (1991). The Indo-Aryan Languages. Cambridge University Press.
Mishra, R. (2006). Classical Sanskrit Literature: A Critical Survey. New Delhi: Sahitya Akademi.
Olivelle, P. (1996). Sanskrit: A Language for the Gods. Harvard University Press.
Olivelle, P. (1996). The Early Upanisads: Annotated Text and Translation. Oxford University Press.
Pollock, S. (2006). The Language of the Gods in the World of Men: Sanskrit, Culture, and Power in Premodern India. University of California Press.
Prasad, R. (2013). Kāvya and the Environment: The Use of Nature Imagery in Sanskrit Poetry. Indo-Iranian Journal, 56(4), 327-344.
Rocher, L. (2008). Sanskrit Studies and the Digital Library of India. International Journal of Hindu Studies, 12(3), 255-273. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11407-008-9042-2
Sambamoorthy, P. (1970). South Indian Music. Indian Music Publishing House.
Sargeant, W. H. (2009). The Bhagavad Gita. State University of New York Press.
Sarkar, S. (1987). The Decline of Sanskrit: A Study in Historical Perspective. Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers.
Sarup, L. (1967). An Introduction to Sanskrit. Barnes & Noble.
Scharfe, H. (2002). Education in Ancient India. Brill.
Scharfe, H. (2002). Education in Ancient India. Brill.
Schreiner, P. (2007). Google Books and Beyond: Tips for the Sanskrit Scholar. Journal of the American Oriental Society, 127(4), 419-424. https://doi.org/10.7817/jameroriesoci.127.4.0419
Sharma, A. (2014). Sanskrit Education in Modern India: A Historical Overview. Indian Historical Review, 41(1), 81-100. https://doi.org/10.1177/0376983613510497
Shukla, C. S. (2019). A Descriptive Catalogue of the Manuscripts of the Śāradā and Siṃhāsana Libraries (Vol. 2). Banaras Hindu University.
Srinivasachari, K. (1974). Education in Ancient India: From the Earliest Times to the Islamic Conquest. Motilal Banarsidass.
Staal, J. F. (2008). Discovering the Vedas: Origins, Mantras, Rituals, Insights. Penguin Books.
Thapar, R. (2004). Early India: From the Origins to AD 1300. University of California Press.
Trautmann, T. R. (2006). Languages and Nations: The Dravidian Proof in Colonial Madras. University of California Press.
Tripathi, R. S. (2007). Modern Sanskrit Literature: Its Contribution and Relevance. Journal of Indian Education, 33(3), 3-13.
Vasishth, S., & Lewis, R. L. (2006). Argument-head Distance and Processing Complexity: Explaining Both Locality and Anti-locality Effects. Language, 82(4), 767-794.
Witzel, M. (2001). Autochthonous Aryans? The Evidence from Old Indian and Iranian Texts. Electronic Journal of Vedic Studies, 7(3), 1–93. https://doi.org/10.11588/ejvs.2001.3.2472
