World Sanskrit Day

World Sanskrit Day, also known as Vishwa Samskrita Divas, is commemorated every year as per the Hindu calendar on Shraavana Poornima or the full moon day in the month of August. Due to this, the date varies every year, and this year, it will be celebrated on 31 August to promote the significance of this divine language.

World Sanskrit Day I Source: Gveu Blog

We all are aware of the language, Sanskrit as we hear it either in the temples or in our homes when we have done 'pooja.' (prayer) But we don't tend to understand it all completely and always need our elders' help to translate it for us when they read the Bhagwat Gita or any other Sanskrit epics like Ramayana or Mahabharata. Sanskrit is known as the ‘Language of Gods’, and linguists term Sanskrit as ‘Dev Vaani’.  The word ‘Sanskrit’ is derived from the combination of the words ‘Sam’ from ‘Samyak’ which means 'entirely' and ‘Krit’, which means 'done'. Sanskrit is one of the oldest languages in history and, is believed to have originated around 3500 years ago.

According to Indian Mythology, it is believed that Lord Brahma was the originator of Sanskrit, which was passed on to the saints and then to their disciples. The origin of this rich linguistic dates back to the 2nd millennium BCE. There has been a constant debate as to who contributed to the origin of the language. Some state that it has advanced from Aryan and Indo-European languages as there are live proofs of notable data. While there are substantial data available from the pre-Mughal era. There are possible facts stating that initially, Sanskrit speakers dwelled near southern Russia and Ukraine, passing the language to the Europeans and then forming a linguistic unity when it spread across the world, including India.

Sanskrit is an incredible language that has had a profound influence on people all around the world. It is also intriguing to know that Sanskrit has connections with European languages. In 1786, Sir William Jones, an English philologist, wrote in his book about how Sanskrit was related to Greek, Latin, Gothic, and Persian languages. Another English scholar named Thomas Young coined the word ‘Indo-European’ as he believed that these languages were a widespread group of related languages. It is believed that even the consonants and the vowels are arranged in a scientific pattern.

It is assumed that the Rig Veda, the first-ever book in the world was written after years of preserving the language verbally by the saints and their disciples. Around 500 BC, a linguistic researcher named Dakshiputra Panini wrote ‘Ashtadhyayi’, also known as the eight chapters, after refining the last known versions of Vedic Sanskrit to classical Sanskrit. Since then, it has been the only source of Sanskrit vocabulary and grammar.  It is also said that one can express themselves in just one word in Sanskrit, whereas in other languages, it would take at least five to six words to do the same.

Lord Brahma I Source: The Hindu Portal

Although Sanskrit is known as an eternal language, meaning there is no beginning or end to this language, it has somehow been lost and forgotten. What is known as the language of Gods has somehow been diluted of its purity and neglected by many. It has been vanishing due to the growth of vernaculars in the medieval ages that have caused a major dent in Sanskrit's prospects.

Amidst the propagation of the language, many argue that it has been utilized as a weapon, and not many are aware of the political agenda behind it. It is undeniable that language speaks volumes, but it once denoted the caste of its speaker, empowering the never-ending debates about the caste system in our country. If we must take an example from history, as mentioned in Valmiki Ramayana, Lord Hanuman hesitated to talk to Sita Mata in Sanskrit. He feared that she would mistake him for Raavan if he spoke the language of the ‘Brahmins’ and chose to speak in the language of the people instead. In the modern-day example, the language has still not been spared of its sheer glory. The constant denomination of political parties by using the language in their slogans has been alleged to have a political agenda behind it. What once was denied being spoken in the first place is now being glorified on the cusp of promoting casteism and religion in the nation. It is no longer a rich linguistic language but a tool to define the masses.

Rare Sanskrit manuscripts I Source: India Today

Hence World Sanskrit Day is organised to appreciate and promote the significance of the language and revive its glory in our country, especially in the younger generation. The Ministry of Education promotes the significance of the sacred language by celebrating World Sanskrit Day annually, which was first started in the year 1969. Scholars and poets from all over the world take part in ‘Kavi Sammelan’ and competitions in Sanskrit. On this day, All India Radio and Doordarshan telecast Sanskrit programs, and interestingly, the first-ever show that All India Radio aired was also in Sanskrit, called ‘Bahujan Bhasha – Sanskrit Bhasha’. Sanskrit is celebrated to its glory on this occasion and draws several eyes from across the world giving it the recognition and revival that it truly deserves.