Sanskrit Training Program for university students
On June 1, 2016, a Sanskrit training program for students pursuing various degree courses in Universities was organized by the institution, Samskrita Bharati, in the premises of
the Rajiv Gandhi Kendriya Samskrita Vidya Peetham of the Rastriya Sanskrit Sansthan.
Jagadguru Shankaracharya Sri Sri Vidhushekhara Bharati Sannidhanam inaugurated the event. Prof. Sacchidananda Udupa, Principal of the Campus led devotees in welcoming Sri Sannidhanam and delivered a welcome address. Sri Chamu Krishna Shastry, Co-founder and Prashikshana Pramukh of Samskrita Bharati, gave an energetic speech in Sanskrit highlighting the activities of Samskrita Bharati and expressing his desire to make everyone learn the language and be able to converse in it. Sri Ganesh Karnik, Member of Legislative Council, Karnataka also spoke on the occasion and stated his commitment to the propagation of Sanskrit.
In His Anugraha Bhashanam, Sri Sannidhanam expressed joy at the efforts of Samskrita Bharati in spreading the Sanskrit language. Our Sanatana Vaidika Dharma stands on the foundation of the eternal Vedas, which are themselves in the Deva-Bhaasha – Samskritam. Our Smritis, Itihasas and Puranas are also in Sanskrit. Our own welfare rests on our adherence to Dharma, which in turn is expounded in various Sanskrit texts. Hence, it becomes imperative for all Astikas to learn Sanskrit.
Sri Sannidhanam explained that the Sanskrit language was used by people from all lands and gave an illustration from Naishadha Kaavyam. Highlighting the need to study and spread Sanskrit, Sri Sannidhanam quoted Bhartruhari –
केयूराणि न भूषयन्ति पुरुषं हारा न चन्द्रोज्ज्वलाः
न स्नानं न विलेपनं न कुसुमं नालङ्कृता मूर्धजाः |
वाण्येका समलङ्करोति पुरुषं या संस्कृता धार्यते
क्षीयन्ते खलु भूषणानि सततं वाग्भूषणं भूषणम् ||
We may decorate ourselves with various ornaments, however the ornament of speech, refined and regulated by the use of proper grammar, is the true ornament.
Sri Sannidhanam explained that in Vedic lore, Arghya Pradhaanam is done as part of Sandhyavandanam in order to drive away evil forces from blocking out the Sun during sunrise and sunset. Nothing happens to the Sun if it does not rise or set. It is only we, the beings on earth, who would perish. Likewise, if we do not learn Sanskrit, it will be our own loss.
Even those who study other languages including English engage in years of study. However, even then, grammatical errors do creep into sentences that are framed. This being the case, it is inappropriate to single out Sanskrit as a difficult language.
Sri Sannidhanam stressed that we must take efforts to learn Sanskrit. Sri Sannidhanam then gave a simple case of how ignorance of Sanskrit can lead to even an inadvertent blunder in prayer. Mentioning the following Shloka,
अनायासेन मरणं विना दैन्येन जीवनम् ।
देहि मे कृपया शम्भो त्वयि भक्तिम् अचञ्चलाम् ॥
(O Lord! Bless me with unflinching devotion to Thee, with a life free of wretchedness, and a death that is not filled with the pangs of suffering).
Sri Sannidhanam pointed out that “अनायासेन मरणं, विना दैन्येन जीवनम्” (bless me with a death that is free of suffering, and a life free of wretchedness) could be wrongly chanted by a person ignorant of Sanskrit as “”अनायासेन मरणं विना, दैन्येन जीवनम्” (bless me with a death full of the pangs of a suffering and a life of wretchedness).
Mentioning that the Bangkok airport is named “Suvarna-bhoomi”, Sri Sannidhanam said that when the beauty of Sanskrit is recognized even in countries as Thailand, what need be said of the recognition due for Sanskrit in our own nation.
Sri Sannidhanam ended His Anugraha Bhashanam calling on everyone to realize early in life, the need for a study of Sanskrit as a means to access the gamut of literature in Sanatana Dharma, and to learn the divine language.
On June 7, 2016, the Valedictory of the training program was held in Guru Nivas in the divine presence of the Ubhaya Jagadgurus.
Sri Dinesh Kamath, National Organising Secretary of Samskrita Bharati and Sri Mahesh Kakatkar, Coordinator, Samskrita Bharati spoke on the occasion detailing the activities of Samskrita Bharati.
In His Anugraha Bhashanam, Jagadguru Shankaracharya Sri Sri Bharati Tirtha Mahasannidhanam expressed joy at the efforts of Samskrita Bharati in spreading the Sanskrit language.
Sri Mahasnnidhanam highlighted the love and passion of our ancestors towards the language. The promulgators of all Darshanas (philosophic schools) used Sanskrit to explain their thoughts in their texts. Even philosophers belonging to the six Nastika Darshanas (Chaarvaka, the four Bauddha (Buddhist) schools namely Yogaachaara, Maadhyamika, Sautraantika, Vaibhaasika & Jaina) that do not accept the Vedas as a valid means of knowledge, only wrote their texts in Sanskrit. Innumerable texts in Sanskrit have been written by people belonging to the Astika Darshanas (Nyaya, Vaisheshika, Sankhya, Yoga, Mimamsa and Vedanta) that accept the supreme authority of the Vedas. Even the colonial rulers, despite their attempts to slight the language in the society, showed personal interest in learning the language. It would be totally inappropriate to term Sanskrit a dead language merely because not everyone speaks it or knows it. If such a yardstick is to be used to term a language as ‘dead’, no language in the world can be said to be alive.
Sri Mahasannidhanam then blessed the participants of the program and also the organizers and members of Samskrita Bharati commending their efforts.