(GIST OF YOJANA) Sanskrit in Contemporary Times

GIST OF YOJANA : Sanskrit in Contemporary Times

AUGUST-2025

Sanskrit in Contemporary Times

Introduction:

Sanskrit is not merely a medium of expression; itis the vessel of India's civilisational memory. From the Rigveda to the Bhagavad Gita, from Natyasastra to Ayurveda, it has carried the thoughts, dreams, and discoveries of ancient India across millennia. It is the thread connecting India’s philosophical traditions, classical arts, and ritual practices.

Sanskrit: The Soul of Indian Civilisation

But Sanskrit is not just India’s legacy. It is the language in which some of the world's most intricate metaphysical inquiries and artistic achievements were composed. Today, as India reasserts its intellectual heritage on the global stage, Sanskrit has an essential role to play—not just as a symbol of identity hut as a living intellectual tradition.

The Grammar of Precision and Logic

One of the most extraordinary features of Sanskrit is its grammar, codified by the great sage Panini in his work Astadhyayi. Comprising around 4,000 succinct rules, this grammatical system is remarkably precise, almost algorithmic. Linguists and computer scientists alike have marvelled at its structure, often drawing parallels with modern programming languages.

A Language of Knowledge, Not Just Ritual

Sanskrit is often associated with religious rituals and spiritual chants—and rightly so. It is the language of the Vedas, Upanisads, and temple ceremonies. But this association, while valid, is only part of the picture.
Classical Sanskrit literature spans a breath-taking range— poetry, drama, linguistics, medicine, astronomy, jurisprudence, statecraft, and beyond. The ancient treatise Surya Siddhanta, for instance, discusses planetary motion with surprising mathematical sophistication.
Ayurveda texts describe complex surgical procedures. Works like the Arthasastra delve into governance and political economy. These are not religious scriptures but scientific and intellectual texts with striking relevance even today.
As the world turns toward holistic models of health, sustainable living, and integrative knowledge, these Sanskrit sources are being revisited—not as curiosities, but as serious contributions to global wisdom.

Modern Academia and Research:

Growing Nexus Across universities in India and abroad, Sanskrit studies continue to thrive. Departments of South Asian Studies at institutions like Harvard, Oxford, Kyoto, Marburg, Zagreb, and Heidelberg teach Sanskrit not just as a language but as a key to understanding philosophy, linguistics, comparative literature, and ancient science.
In India, the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 emphasises Sanskrit education, envisioning new institutions and translations of classical texts. Sanskrit is being positioned not merely as a subject of cultural pride but as a source of knowledge that can inform modern disciplines. Interdisciplinary research combining Sanskrit with fields like cognitive science, ecology, and ethics is already underway.
Digital humanities projects like the Digital Corpus of Sanskrit, Sanskrit WordNet, and GRETIL [Gottingen Register of Electronic Texts in Indian Languages) are making ancient texts accessible to a global audience, transforming the way we read, study, and interpret classical literature.

Spoken Sanskrit and the People’s Movement

One of the most heartening developments is the rise of the Spoken Sanskrit movement. Organisations like Samskrita Bharati have made it their mission to bring Sanskrit out of the confines of ivory towers and temple altars into daily life.
Through immersive workshops, summer camps, and even Sanskrit radio and television broadcasts, they are creating a new generation of Sanskrit speakers—across age groups and professions.
In places as diverse as Kerala and California (United States of America), people are learning Sanskrit not out of compulsion but curiosity and joy. There are Sanskrit newspapers, theatre groups, and even YouTube channels that feature interviews and storytelling entirely in Sanskrit. These initiatives prove that Sanskrit is not a 'dead language1 but one that can, with care and creativity, live and thrive.

A Global Language of Peace and Wisdom

Sanskrit's influence is not confined to India. It has left deep imprints on many Asian cultures, particularly through the spread of Buddhism. Sanskrit inscriptions, manuscripts, and influences can be found across Southeast Asia, Central Asia, Tibet, China, Korea, and Japan.
Furthermore, as Yoga and meditation become global phenomena, so too does the interest in Sanskrit. Authentic understanding of yogic and Ayurvedic concepts prana (life force), dsana (posture), dharma (duty or purpose), karma (action and consequence), sattva (purity or balance)—requires at least a rudimentary familiarity with Sanskrit. International yoga teachers now study Sanskrit to deepen their practice and teaching.
At a time when humanity grapples with stress, conflict, and existential crises, Sanskrit offers a vocabulary not of violence or utility, but of harmony, balance, and self-awareness.

Challenges on the Path

For one, it suffers from an elitist image. Often associated with orthodoxy and caste hierarchy, Sanskrit must overcome its historical baggage to become truly inclusive.
Also, its teaching in many institutions remains outdated, text-heavy, and disconnected from contemporary concerns. Many students still struggle to see its practical relevance.
Additionally, vast Sanskrit manuscript collections lie untouched due to a shortage of trained scholars. There is a dire need for digital preservation, accurate translations, and commentary in modern languages.
Finally, Sanskrit must find ways to speak to modern minds—not just in temples or lecture halls, but in classrooms, theatres, laboratories, and living rooms.

Reimagining Sanskrit for the 21st Century

To unlock Sanskrit’s true potential, a multi-pronged approach is needed:

Curriculum reform: Teach Sanskrit not merely for exams or religious studies, but for its linguistic beauty, literary richness, and philosophical insight. Combine classical and contemporary Sanskrit texts to keep the syllabus relevant.
Interdisciplinary bridges: Encourage projects that connect Sanskrit with modern disciplines— cognitive science, architecture, ecology, ethics, and digital technology.
Public engagement: Create engaging content—films, apps, animations, and podcasts—in or about
Institutional support: Invest in research fellowships, digitisation of manuscripts, and collaborative platforms for Sanskrit scholars around the world.
Inclusivity: Break down linguistic and social barriers. Promote Sanskrit among women, marginalised communities, and across regional linguistic lines. Sanskrit must belong to everyone—not just to a select few.

A Language for All Times

Sanskrit is more than just a language—it is a way of seeing, knowing, and being. In a time marked by rapid change, noise, and disconnection, Sanskrit offers clarity, depth, and continuity. It reminds us of the universality of wisdom and the power of language to bridge the past and future.
In Nepal, an institution named Jayatu Sanskritam has been making tireless efforts for the propagation and promotion of Sanskrit for several years.
Countries of Central Europe—particularly Croatia and Poland—have been enthusiastically organising the MESIC (Middle European Students’ Indological Conference] for almost a decade now. In the coastal city of Dubrovnik in Croatia, the DICSEP (Dubrovnik International Conference on the Sanskrit Epics and Puranas] has been held regularly and successfully for the past three decades. All these activities strongly herald the renewed and growing relevance of Sanskrit in the contemporary world.

Conclusion:

To engage with Sanskrit is not to retreat into history—it is to rediscover what it means to be fully human, in dialogue with tradition, nature, and the cosmos.
As the world increasingly seeks ancient wisdom for modern dilemmas, Sanskrit’s relevance is not just intact— it is rising.