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Revive Sanskrit

By JG Arora

 

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 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).

 

JG Arora, The writer is retd commissioner of Income Tax

 

http://www.centralchronicle.com/20060303/0303302.htm

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