Language Of Vedas.

[Brahmanyan]

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Many people think that Vedas are composed in Sanskrit. But it is not so. Sanskrit appeared many years later than Vedas. Here is a clarification by Kanchi Paramacharya.

"The Vedic language is not Sanskrit but Chandas. Chandas means not only metre but also the Vedas in which are metrically composed as well as the language of the Vedas. The language used in ordinary speech, poetry the Puranas , the epics, other writings is Sanskrit. The Vedic language alone is Chandas. When Panini makes a reference to the Vedas he says “iti chandasi” and when he refers to any question relating to Sanskrit he says, “iti loke”.

Sanskrit, which evolved through a constant process of ‘samskara’ or refinement, contains many words drawn from the Vedic language. But if there is a language that is based entirely on sounds meant for the well being of mankind it is Chandas. ‘Krtam ‘means created; ‘samskrtam’ means well created it would thus mean that the language called Sanskrit was created with great effort and care."
———-Kanchi Paramacharya Swamikal (1894 – 1994)
Brahmamyan,
Bangalore.

 

[KRS]

Many people think that Vedas are composed in Sanskrit. But it is not so. Sanskrit appeared many years later than Vedas. Here is a clarification by Kanchi Paramacharya.

"The Vedic language is not Sanskrit but Chandas. Chandas means not only metre but also the Vedas in which are metrically composed as well as the language of the Vedas. The language used in ordinary speech, poetry the Puranas , the epics, other writings is Sanskrit. The Vedic language alone is Chandas. When Panini makes a reference to the Vedas he says “iti chandasi” and when he refers to any question relating to Sanskrit he says, “iti loke”.

Sanskrit, which evolved through a constant process of ‘samskara’ or refinement, contains many words drawn from the Vedic language. But if there is a language that is based entirely on sounds meant for the well being of mankind it is Chandas. ‘Krtam ‘means created; ‘samskrtam’ means well created it would thus mean that the language called Sanskrit was created with great effort and care."
———-Kanchi Paramacharya Swamikal (1894 – 1994)
Brahmamyan,
Bangalore.

I did not know this. Thank you. If you look up at the western universitys’ based research on ’Vedic Sanskrit’, they postulate that it was derived from the Persian related language of Avestan.

I do not know how to disprove theories such as AIT, origin of Sanskrit etc., without systematic academic research based on both archeological and linguistic/cultural evidence. This is very important to do, not only to throw light on, in my opinion, bias of the western academia towards the Indian cultural heritage, but also to establish the course of spiritual progression in the world.

I for myself trust the words of my Guru.

Hope you are doing well.

 

[tbs]

hi

vedas are not in normal sanskrit......its called VEDIC SANSKRIT...

 

[renuka]

hi

vedas are not in normal sanskrit......its called VEDIC SANSKRIT...

Yes, that's what the original post is all about.

So may be Chandas(Vedic Sanskrit) is the oldest language and not Classical Sanskrit.
I guess among the spoken languages Tamil must be the oldest.

Classical Sanskrit is as mentioned "samskRtam" meaning "well created".

Something well created usually is an update after analysis.

Pali language scholars always keep saying Classical Sanskrit copied the Pali format and threw in some vedic terms here and there.

God knows ..

 

[KRS]

Yes, I was responding to Sri Brahmanyan Ji’s post about Vedic Sanskrit.

This is probably classified as ‘Proto Indian’ language. Depending on the dating, which is all over the place in western academia about Indian language history, it can easily go the other way, that all European and Western Asian languages have Chandas roots. This may correspond to new theory postulated by Professor Elst and others that there was migration out of India as opposed to the AIT postulation.

I think the Saraswathi civilization records should prove this, but unfortunately, much of it is still remain to be found and excavated.

I also think that the refined poetry of the Vedas reflect on the very advanced nature of the civilization that produced them, and given the oral tradition then existed as well as the maturing of a civilization to produce such works as ‘summaries’ of the tried and true practices should date the language much before the Vedas were composed by divine knowledge. So this puts this civilization as the oldest in known human history.

 

[tbs]

Yes, that's what the original post is all about.

So may be Chandas(Vedic Sanskrit) is the oldest language and not Classical Sanskrit.
I guess among the spoken languages Tamil must be the oldest.

Classical Sanskrit is as mentioned "samskRtam" meaning "well created".

Something well created usually is an update after analysis.

Pali language scholars always keep saying Classical Sanskrit copied the Pali format and threw in some vedic terms here and there.

God knows ..

hi
I guess among the spoken languages Tamil must be the oldest.


there no doubt....tamil was spoken from dravidian country to cambodia.....some opinion

due aryan invasion theory....tamil was not able to survive in indan subcontinent

except dravidian states....tamil is older than sanskrit as spoken language....only brahmins snd

some upper class ppl can understand sanskrit....in fact pali and prakrit was spoken language

for common lay man in india...

 

[tbs]

hi

genetally all languages and religions development due to patronizing royals and kings......depends

upon time and space,,,,,

 

[renuka]

hi
I guess among the spoken languages Tamil must be the oldest.


there no doubt....tamil was spoken from dravidian country to cambodia.....some opinion

due aryan invasion theory....tamil was not able to survive in indan subcontinent

except dravidian states....tamil is older than sanskrit as spoken language....only brahmins snd

some upper class ppl can understand sanskrit....in fact pali and prakrit was spoken language

for common lay man in india...

So do you believe the Aryan migration theory?

So it looks as if Chandas is native to India at least.

 

[KRS]

hi
I guess among the spoken languages Tamil must be the oldest.


there no doubt....tamil was spoken from dravidian country to cambodia.....some opinion

due aryan invasion theory....tamil was not able to survive in indan subcontinent

except dravidian states....tamil is older than sanskrit as spoken language....only brahmins snd

some upper class ppl can understand sanskrit....in fact pali and prakrit was spoken language

for common lay man in india...

Sir,

while I agree that Tamil is probably the oldest spoken language in the world, there is no evidence to suggest that it was once prevalent all over the sub continent.

neither there is any evidence that ‘Aryan’ people subjugated the ‘Dravidian’ people. I think the tapestry of the then India was vast, culturally, linguistically and religiously (even within the Santayana Dharma). Just my opinion.

 

[ekaputra]

neither there is any evidence that ‘Aryan’ people subjugated the ‘Dravidian’ people.

Many Dravidian parties. who otherwise say that we should be guided by the saying "kannaal kaanbadhum poi, kaadhaal ketpadhum poi, theera visaarippathe mei", are only too ready to make an exception in the case of this theory as it provides them sustenance.

As per information available on the internet, the original inhabitants of South India were various tribal groups whose descendants are today living in a dark tunnel without even the proverbial light at the end (of the tunnel). Just as they claim that they were pushed out from rich fertile North (India) the Dravidians of today (these parties claim to represent) should own total responsibility for uprooting the adivasis from their homeland and driving them to their present miserable plight. And as to Tamil being the original language of all Dravidians have they never pondered over their icon Ravana singing the (Sanskrit or Chandas as someone has pointed out) Sama Veda to appease Lord Shiva?