This weekend, Pinch and I attended a 2-day Samskritam Sambhaashanam course conducted by the Samskrita Bharati. Our teacher flew in from Washington DC and spent two days teaching us how simple it was to speak Sanskrit and miraculously enough, Sunday evening, we were talking in Sanskrit! Not only that, we even put up a skit in Sanskrit. It was loads of fun, to say the least. One of the significant aspects to this course was, the teaching medium was Sanskrit. From the moment the class began, our teacher spoke in Sanskrit only. His theory: why use another language to learn one? When we were kids, we learned our mother-tongue not by means of any other language. Likewise, using gestures, props, demonstrations and Sanskrit, he taught us to converse in Sanskrit. It turned out to be really enjoyable and simple. My classmates were an enthusiastic bunch who had spent a large part of their lives reciting Vishnu Sahasranamam, Rudram Chamakam, Shiv Stuti and other shlokas. Their faces were worth watching as they suddenly started to understand the meaning of all the Sanskrit chants that they had been reciting all their lives. It was a fabulous weekend, no less. For me, it was one more realization that Sanskrit is not just a language I scored good marks in. The fact that I came back to this lovely language after 11 years only to find its charm unchanged and as intense as ever is no mere coincidence. I have forgotten many things in these years. Things I care for, things I care not a whit for… If I can recall Sanskrit at will after 11 years of nearly-zero contact, it is a sure sign that Sanskrit and I are meant to travel together in the coming years.
arunshanbhag says:
Awesome. I have been taking Samskrita Bharati Classes here since September. As you mentioned, it is all conversation! and not very difficult – particularly considering I have never had sanskrit – ‘zilch.’
After my first class I came home excited and tried to stump M (and practise my teaching skills)
mama naama arunaH
bhavatyaaH naama kim?
to which M replied: I am not kim! hi hi hi
… and now those chants make so much more sense!
I think I comment too much on your posts!
December 12, 2005 — 6:54 pm
Lakshmi says:
🙂 You’re my most loyal reader and I always appreciate your comments!
M’s ‘Kim’ comment is way too funny..:-)
December 13, 2005 — 1:33 pm
Lakshmi says:
🙂 You’re my most loyal reader and I always appreciate your comments!
M’s ‘Kim’ comment is way too funny..:-)
December 13, 2005 — 1:33 pm
arunshanbhag says:
Awesome. I have been taking Samskrita Bharati Classes here since September. As you mentioned, it is all conversation! and not very difficult – particularly considering I have never had sanskrit – ‘zilch.’
After my first class I came home excited and tried to stump M (and practise my teaching skills)
mama naama arunaH
bhavatyaaH naama kim?
to which M replied: I am not kim! hi hi hi
… and now those chants make so much more sense!
I think I comment too much on your posts!
December 12, 2005 — 6:54 pm
rparvaaz says:
I am still trying to get my head around the fact that people don’t already know the meanings of the shlokas…
December 12, 2005 — 8:15 pm
Lakshmi says:
I guess some shlokas are not difficult. But some don’t lend themselves to easy understanding, I feel. Like some parts of Vishnu Sahasranamam are easy to figure out and some are slightly arcane.
December 13, 2005 — 1:35 pm
rparvaaz says:
I wasn’t talking about the shlokas really but more about the fact that I have long had a habit of refusing to say anything I don’t understand. I tend to consult dictionaries, people, sanskrit scholars, anyone, until I know the meaning of the shloka. And it is only after I know what it means that I start saying it out loud.
December 13, 2005 — 8:21 pm
Lakshmi says:
I think these folks learned to recite the shlokas in their childhood and probabably they were not as proactive as you are, Ritu…:-)
December 14, 2005 — 2:28 pm
sat_chit_anand says:
Transcending the mind
I dont think you necessarily need to know the meaning of a shloka. For example the Japa system which is based on the NaMa SiddhAnta says that there are certain sounds that help you transcend your mind (meaning the constant stream of random thoughts). Now if you know the meaning of the JApa mantra, it would likely cause your mind to be active while the whole idea is transcendance.
December 15, 2005 — 8:05 am
sat_chit_anand says:
Transcending the mind
I dont think you necessarily need to know the meaning of a shloka. For example the Japa system which is based on the NaMa SiddhAnta says that there are certain sounds that help you transcend your mind (meaning the constant stream of random thoughts). Now if you know the meaning of the JApa mantra, it would likely cause your mind to be active while the whole idea is transcendance.
December 15, 2005 — 8:05 am
Lakshmi says:
I think these folks learned to recite the shlokas in their childhood and probabably they were not as proactive as you are, Ritu…:-)
December 14, 2005 — 2:28 pm
rparvaaz says:
I wasn’t talking about the shlokas really but more about the fact that I have long had a habit of refusing to say anything I don’t understand. I tend to consult dictionaries, people, sanskrit scholars, anyone, until I know the meaning of the shloka. And it is only after I know what it means that I start saying it out loud.
December 13, 2005 — 8:21 pm
Lakshmi says:
I guess some shlokas are not difficult. But some don’t lend themselves to easy understanding, I feel. Like some parts of Vishnu Sahasranamam are easy to figure out and some are slightly arcane.
December 13, 2005 — 1:35 pm
rparvaaz says:
I am still trying to get my head around the fact that people don’t already know the meanings of the shlokas…
December 12, 2005 — 8:15 pm
warmpinkglow says:
Your mother tongue is close to Sanskrit, no? Rajesh told me that it’s a cross between Tamil and Sanskrit — kinda. 😉
December 12, 2005 — 9:01 pm
Lakshmi says:
I speak Malayalam and it borrows largely from Sanskrit.
December 13, 2005 — 1:35 pm
warmpinkglow says:
Right! That’s what I was getting at. :))
December 13, 2005 — 1:46 pm
warmpinkglow says:
Right! That’s what I was getting at. :))
December 13, 2005 — 1:46 pm
Lakshmi says:
I speak Malayalam and it borrows largely from Sanskrit.
December 13, 2005 — 1:35 pm
warmpinkglow says:
Your mother tongue is close to Sanskrit, no? Rajesh told me that it’s a cross between Tamil and Sanskrit — kinda. 😉
December 12, 2005 — 9:01 pm
latelyontime says:
wow…I used to love learning sanskrit in school- thats possibly the reason why I selected it as my second language in college. You should meet my mom someday..she reads and speaks Pali and Ardh-Magadhi and also translates stuff from those languages into Gujarati.
December 12, 2005 — 11:13 pm
Lakshmi says:
she reads and speaks Pali and Ardh-Magadhi and also translates stuff from those languages into Gujarati.
Wow, that’s something! I didn’t know too many people spoke those languages any more.
December 13, 2005 — 1:36 pm
latelyontime says:
They dont…and mistaken fools call them dead. A language cannot be dead as long as it is around. Just because we stop speaking them does not mean that it is dead…death is a time bound thing…language isnt.
December 13, 2005 — 11:19 pm
Lakshmi says:
I tend to disagree. The more a language is spoken, the more alive it becomes. If it’s not spoken, it remains a relic of the past, relegated to books, poetry, literature, etc. Of course, languages are not time-bound. But unless they’re in common use, they tend to fade away from everyone’s memory.
December 14, 2005 — 2:30 pm
latelyontime says:
Ever heard of the saying: “One is not dead till his name is spoken of?”
December 14, 2005 — 10:06 pm
Lakshmi says:
🙂 Not heard of it but I am sure your Mom is doing a fabulous job of keeping these ancient languages alive.
December 15, 2005 — 2:25 pm
latelyontime says:
I think the most fascinating part of languages is that they survive us…whether we speak them or not 🙂
December 15, 2005 — 10:57 pm
latelyontime says:
I think the most fascinating part of languages is that they survive us…whether we speak them or not 🙂
December 15, 2005 — 10:57 pm
Lakshmi says:
🙂 Not heard of it but I am sure your Mom is doing a fabulous job of keeping these ancient languages alive.
December 15, 2005 — 2:25 pm
latelyontime says:
Ever heard of the saying: “One is not dead till his name is spoken of?”
December 14, 2005 — 10:06 pm
Lakshmi says:
I tend to disagree. The more a language is spoken, the more alive it becomes. If it’s not spoken, it remains a relic of the past, relegated to books, poetry, literature, etc. Of course, languages are not time-bound. But unless they’re in common use, they tend to fade away from everyone’s memory.
December 14, 2005 — 2:30 pm
latelyontime says:
They dont…and mistaken fools call them dead. A language cannot be dead as long as it is around. Just because we stop speaking them does not mean that it is dead…death is a time bound thing…language isnt.
December 13, 2005 — 11:19 pm
Lakshmi says:
she reads and speaks Pali and Ardh-Magadhi and also translates stuff from those languages into Gujarati.
Wow, that’s something! I didn’t know too many people spoke those languages any more.
December 13, 2005 — 1:36 pm
latelyontime says:
wow…I used to love learning sanskrit in school- thats possibly the reason why I selected it as my second language in college. You should meet my mom someday..she reads and speaks Pali and Ardh-Magadhi and also translates stuff from those languages into Gujarati.
December 12, 2005 — 11:13 pm
tomlinsonian says:
I think it is called the immersion technique….to teach a language by speaking none other
December 12, 2005 — 11:47 pm
Lakshmi says:
And quite the right technique it is, I think.
December 13, 2005 — 1:36 pm
Lakshmi says:
And quite the right technique it is, I think.
December 13, 2005 — 1:36 pm
tomlinsonian says:
I think it is called the immersion technique….to teach a language by speaking none other
December 12, 2005 — 11:47 pm
hemya says:
I attended a couple of German courses at Max Mueller Bhavan in Pune…..they use the same teaching technique…..learn the language by using none other…..
December 13, 2005 — 9:23 am
Lakshmi says:
I dunno German but English is definitely not a good option to learn Sanskrit. For that matter, Indian languages are far superior.
December 13, 2005 — 1:37 pm
hemya says:
what my german prof told me there was that german is very similar to sanskrit….and he knew both languages…..
December 14, 2005 — 8:36 pm
Lakshmi says:
Yes, I have heard that too. Probably in structure and design of grammar, maybe.
December 15, 2005 — 2:25 pm
Lakshmi says:
Yes, I have heard that too. Probably in structure and design of grammar, maybe.
December 15, 2005 — 2:25 pm
hemya says:
what my german prof told me there was that german is very similar to sanskrit….and he knew both languages…..
December 14, 2005 — 8:36 pm
Lakshmi says:
I dunno German but English is definitely not a good option to learn Sanskrit. For that matter, Indian languages are far superior.
December 13, 2005 — 1:37 pm
hemya says:
I attended a couple of German courses at Max Mueller Bhavan in Pune…..they use the same teaching technique…..learn the language by using none other…..
December 13, 2005 — 9:23 am