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Iyer's Corner

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Dear Friend,
At the outset I wish to say that there is nothing wrong in reading our systems of Philosophy with the help of good books available to us. If we have some basic knowledge of Sanskrit it will help us more in understanding the wonderful letrature and poems available in that language. To study Vedas we need proper guidance, better to undergo training in Patasalas as full time students.

Regards,

a relative of mine, after he retired, took up the study of vedas seriously. he had a sanskrit scholar come to his house, and spend close to 6 hours a day from the teacher, followed by another 12 hours of self study.

in about 3 years he was able to read any sanskrit document, and in 5 years he started producing research papers on his findings.

the kanchi mutt, the previous head, titled him, 'ved aasrami' :).

ofcourse this man was interested and dedicated. so , i i think it is possible for anyone with interest, with devotion and time, to pick it up. one hour a day, once or twice a week, i think, might as well, not start at all. :)

since he is long dead and gone, here is a url quoting his works...he has produced volumnous works, based on hindu scriptures and law (which was his profession)

v.n.subramania iyer ..in the encylopaedic dictionary of dharmasasthra...v.n.subramania iyer (here it is on 'adoption of alliyasanthana law'.)
 
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a relative of mine, after he retired, took up the study of vedas seriously. he had a sanskrit scholar come to his house, and spend close to 6 hours a day from the teacher, followed by another 12 hours of self study.

in about 3 years he was able to read any sanskrit document, and in 5 years he started producing research papers on his findings.

the kanchi mutt, the previous head, titled him, 'ved aasrami' :).

ofcourse this man was interested and dedicated. so , i i think it is possible for anyone with interest, with devotion and time, to pick it up. one hour a day, once or twice a week, i think, might as well, not start at all. :)

since he is long dead and gone, here is a url quoting his works...he has produced volumnous works, based on hindu scriptures and law (which was his profession)

v.n.subramania iyer ..in the encylopaedic dictionary of dharmasasthra...v.n.subramania iyer (here it is on 'adoption of alliyasanthana law'.)

Dear Sri Kunjuppu,

Nice to know about Sri V.N.Subramania Iyer. Those kind of scholars are rare. I know another greatman who started learning Vedas after his retirement. He was the veteren freedom fighter and respected journalist Sri A.N.Sivaraman
(ANS) who was with Dinamani for 53 years (editor from 1944 to 1987). I had the opportunity of meeting him many times during my professional years. At one private function I had the rare opportunity of listening Vedic Chanting along with him. He was a linguist and knew 17 languages. His analysis of Budgets in Tamil was famous. He had translated "The Constitution of India" into Tamil, which is still the best in that catagory.. Five decades ago, Sri A N Sivaraman refused the "Padma Award" stating that a journalist cannot and shall not accept any award, lest it should be seen as a gratis by the rulers giving awards. Perhaps London Swaminathan can give more information about ANS.

http://www.hindu.com/fline/fl1806/18061020.htmhttp://www.hindu.com/fline/fl1806/18061020.htm

Regards,
Brahmanyan
 
ANS was very well know, brahmanyan sir.

he was a benchmark of quality journalism, of those times. :) dinamani, was read by thoughtful people in tamil, who looked upon it as a tamil version of the indian express. quite a different class from thanthi or mallai murasu :)
 
sanskrit Vocabular

I read sometime back that an effective way to get vocabulary of a language in a short time, is to learn words by groups characterized by some keyword (eg-body parts, vegetables, emotions etc).I have tried to identify some groups as enumerated below.


I would request Sanskrit enthusiasts to name as many groups as possible and the words in each group. I have collected words related to body parts.
Hopefully someone will come forward to formulate an xml schema for this, so that it can be used as a dictionary.
 

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I propose to start a Sanskrit lovers' corner in this forum. As a first step, I propose to give Bhartrhari's Neetizatakam, one verse everyday with word by word meaning. There will be no formal grammar but important grammar points will be touched upon so that it will be easy for new learners to follow. I intend following it up with Kalidasa's works.

Others may also contribute, taking up some such simple piece of literature.

I would like to know how many people are interested in learning/ teaching Sanskrit in this forum.
 
May I suggest that you go ahead and post your study, analysis and points, without waiting for a feedback on numbers. Such threads will surely attract special people.

I propose to start a Sanskrit lovers' corner in this forum. As a first step, I propose to give Bhartrhari's Neetizatakam, one verse everyday with word by word meaning. There will be no formal grammar but important grammar points will be touched upon so that it will be easy for new learners to follow. I intend following it up with Kalidasa's works.

Others may also contribute, taking up some such simple piece of literature.

I would like to know how many people are interested in learning/ teaching Sanskrit in this forum.
 
I propose to start a Sanskrit lovers' corner in this forum. As a first step, I propose to give Bhartrhari's Neetizatakam, one verse everyday with word by word meaning. There will be no formal grammar but important grammar points will be touched upon so that it will be easy for new learners to follow. I intend following it up with Kalidasa's works.

Others may also contribute, taking up some such simple piece of literature.

I would like to know how many people are interested in learning/ teaching Sanskrit in this forum.
hi vikrama,

i can help in teaching of sanskrit as much as possible....i have ph.d degree in sanskrit.....
 
I propose to start a Sanskrit lovers' corner in this forum. As a first step, I propose to give Bhartrhari's Neetizatakam, one verse everyday with word by word meaning. There will be no formal grammar but important grammar points will be touched upon so that it will be easy for new learners to follow. I intend following it up with Kalidasa's works.

Others may also contribute, taking up some such simple piece of literature.

I would like to know how many people are interested in learning/ teaching Sanskrit in this forum.

Dear Vikrama ji,

I am interested to learn and share whatever I can.

I am no expert BTW.

Bhartrhari's neeti would be a good start.

Why dont you start I will help you follow when I get the time cos I have Bhartrhari neeti with me( the Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan copy explains grammar well)
 
hi vikrama,

i can help in teaching of sanskrit as much as possible....i have ph.d degree in sanskrit.....

It is praiseworthy that Sri Vikrama is going to analyse नीतिशतकं in this forum. I hope that Dr. TBS uses only संस्कृतं in his contribution. It would be peculiar if English is the main vehicle for a Sanskrit Lover’s Corner. Others can follow suit and post in Sanskrit. The workable method may be to write in mother tongue or English and translate it to Sanskrit. I am sure in a short time; it would be cake_walk गच्छन् पिपीलिका याति योजनानि शतान्यपि....
 
The workable method may be to write in mother tongue or English and translate it to Sanskrit. I am sure in a short time; it would be cake_walk.

I kind of disagree with this method of thinking in English or Mother Tongue and translating it into Sanskrit.

When we write or speak in our Mother Tongue or English we do not think in any other language.

When I was taught Malay in school..we learnt Malay in Malay..not even one English word was used to explain any meaning..just like how Tamil is taught in Tamil.

When one thinks in his native language and translates it to Sanskrit..we find rather long winded translations which need many sentences just to convey what one sentence would have conveyed.

In fact if we read a Sanskrit story at times even without looking at the author's name we can make out the native language of the author after a few sentences.

A North Indian will write Sanskrit like how he speaks Hindi and a Tamilian will write Sanskrit just like how he speaks Tamil.

So I feel we should train the mind to think in Sanskrit when dealing with Sanskrit just like how most of us think in English when dealing with English.
 
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I kind of disagree with this method of thinking in English or Mother Tongue and translating it into Sanskrit....
So I feel we should train the mind to think in Sanskrit when dealing with Sanskrit just like how most of us think in English when dealing with English.

To Each his own method. If one is able to think in sanskrit and write, more power to him or her.Lesser mortals like me need lots of practice to get to that stage. That will be provided by the method I have suggested.

Learning Malay or German (in my case, long back) is a different situation. Your goal is to be able to handle situations like buy groceries, go to post office or Bank,order food etc. Maybe in your case you have to talk to your patients for diagnosis and in mine, to understand Lectures - all in spoken form . The only sanskrit we are likely to use for communication is the written form and surely,may require a different method to accomplish it.
 
To Each his own method. If one is able to think in sanskrit and write, more power to him or her.Lesser mortals like me need lots of practice to get to that stage. That will be provided by the method I have suggested.

Learning Malay or German (in my case, long back) is a different situation. Your goal is to be able to handle situations like buy groceries, go to post office or Bank,order food etc. Maybe in your case you have to talk to your patients for diagnosis and in mine, to understand Lectures - all in spoken form . The only sanskrit we are likely to use for communication is the written form and surely,may require a different method to accomplish it.


Dear Sir,

I am also a lesser mortal or even lesser lesser mortal cos I had no chance even or even to have a Guru for Sanskrit and had to rely on books for self study and even then to try to think in Sanskrit was still possible for a person like me who did not even know Devanagari script when I started self study in 2007.

So I feel those in India are lucky cos Gurus are readily available so trying to think in Sanskrit would not be that hard for the Indian Kudimagans.

I feel when one learns a language..one needs to think in that language cos the language structure of English for example is totally different..I feel this becomes evident when the translating exercises are done.

Out here we study only in Malay medium and not English medium.The first time I studied in English was when I did my MBBS in India.

Out here Malay language is compulsory to get into the University and even for a doctor to get employed for internship itself.
 
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Dear Sir,

I am also a lesser mortal or even lesser lesser mortal cos I had no chance even or even to have a Guru for Sanskrit and had to rely on books for self study and even then to try to think in Sanskrit was still possible for a person like me who did not even know Devanagari script when I started self study in 2007.

So I feel those in India are lucky cos Gurus are readily available so trying to think in Sanskrit would not be that hard for the Indian Kudimagans.

I feel when one learns a language..one needs to think in that language cos the language structure of English for example is totally different..I feel this becomes evident when the translating exercises are done.

Out here we study only in Malay medium and not English medium.The first time I studied in English was when I did my MBBS in India.

Out here Malay language is compulsory to get into the University and even for a doctor to get employed for internship itself.

Dear Dr. Renuka,
I have no words to express my awe at your perseverence to learn Sanskrit. My best wishes for your success in your efforts in this as also professionally. प्रयत्नो विदेयः प्रयत्नो विदेयः I
 
Dear Dr. Renuka,
I have no words to express my awe at your perseverence to learn Sanskrit. My best wishes for your success in your efforts in this as also professionally. प्रयत्नो विदेयः प्रयत्नो विदेयः I

Dear Sir,

Thank you very much for your wishes.
 
Please become Life Member of KuppuswamySanstri Sanskrit Research Institute Chennai

Subject: APPEAL FROM SANSKRIT INSTITUTION
Dear All,
I'm sad to put this news - which is quite painful to read...however the fact of the matter needs to be brought out. It is about saving a Sanskrit Research Institute the only one alive in Tamil Nadu
Those who wish to contribute need not do at free of cost - become a life-time member of this prestigious institution and receive publications from this institute free of cost for the life-time. Now when you pay Rs. 2000/- and become a life member - you'll receive about 8 Hard-bound books free of cost - including 4 volumes of Mahabashyam of Sage Patanjali (the great vyaakarana treatise) in Sanskrit with English translationand a Old Sanskrit Bija Ganita (Algebra) treatise
Thus your contribution will help to save one of India 's premier Sanskrit research institute and also you receive books free of cost.
Kindly reach Dr. K.S.Balasubramanian

, Dy.Director, Kuppuswamy Sastri Research Institute, Sanskrit College , Mylapore, Chennai. Phone- 044-24985320

Warm regards
CG Krishnamurthi

http://articles. timesofindia. indiatimes. com/2012- 04-03/chennai/ 31280618_ 1_rashtriya- sanskrit- sansthan- renowned- sanskrit- scholar-ancient- language
Sanskrit centre struggles to stay aliveB Sivakumar, TNNApr 3, 2012, 06.57AM IST
CHENNAI: The Kuppuswami Sastri Research Institute attached to the Sanskrit College in Mylapore is in doldrums because of lack of government patronage.
The institute, one of the three involved in Sanskrit research in the country , has been surviving on private donations . With not enough resources , the management is unable to pay the faculty the benefits of the sixth pay commission.
Institute director V Kameswari said the Union government stopped its financial support in 1995, after which it has been solely dependent on donations . "The institute has a trove of rare palm leaf manuscripts and books not just about Sanskrit literature but also on architecture , fine arts , geography, history and astronomy in Sanskrit ," says Kameswari.
The two other such institutes are R G Bandarkar Sanskrit Institute in Pune and Ganganath Jha Sanskrit Institute in Allahabad . "We have requested a onetime grant from the Union planning commission and also annual assistance from the Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan, but are yet to get any support ," says K S Balasubramanian, deputy director of the institute . The plan panel had given grants to the Mumbai Asiatic Society and Kolkata based Asiatic Society .
The institute was getting about 10 lakh till 1995 but due to a misunderstanding between the government-appointe d members of the governing committee and the management , the aid was stopped .Today, there are 24 scholars at the institute , most of them women doing their PhDs. "Scholars from across the country and world visit the institute . We send out publications to many foreign universities and they in turn send their publications which are preserved here ," says Kameswari .
The institute was started as a private non-profit organisation in 1944in memory of Kuppuswami Sastri , a renowned Sanskrit scholar . It has a library with books on astronomy, architecture , fine arts , mathematics , Vedas , Puranas , Upanishads and various branches of science.
"A private entrepreneur made a donation with which we have air conditioned the library. The palm-leaf manuscripts in the library are 600 to1,000 years old. Many of them are in Grantha script . We also have books on Jainism that speak about solving mathematical equations and explain geographical concepts ," says Kameswari , who is worried about keeping the ancient language alive.
 
Kuppuswamy Sastri Research Institute, Sanskrit College , Mylapore.

Kuppuswamy Sastri Research Institute, and Sanskrit College has been doing yeoman service in the Sanskrit reaserch. From the information available in internet, it is a "Private Registered body; voluntary public, non-profit, non-governmental organisation" and this appeal seems to be in circulation from May 2012. As per the same corpus fund needed for the smooth running of this institution would be Rs.10,00,00,000 (approx. equivalent to 2 Million dollars). Perhaps they might have collected the amount by now. It would help the donors to know the present requirement. Of course individuals who like to encourage Sanskrit research can become Life members.

Brahmanyan,
Bangalore.
 
Sanskrit Resources

I was Overwhelmed to see the amount of resources made available in websites.The following site gives tools for grammar (Declension & Conjugation), Sandhi , Dictionary etc as also useful links for Sanskrit- General sites, Dictionaries, Digital Libraries,Fonts and transliteration etc.

The Sanskrit Heritage Site

enjoy!
 
I heard that a german university has doctorate level courses in Sanskrit, and even in India we may be having some universities teaching these courses. A village in India communicates primarily in Sanskrit. Source: Internet search engine. Considering all these, I doubt Sanskrit will vanish. But the big Q raised by this thread, is, if we as Tamil Brahmins responsible for the situation? IMHO, the socio-economic situations push us TamBrahms (hard-working, self-respecting, mostly god-fearing individuals) to adapt, survive, ride the change and in that quest we tend to put certain things on the back-burner. In this complex scenario how can we blame ourselves?
 
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