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| Sanskrit Palm-Leaf Manuscript: Image Source |
Referred to as "perfected" or "refined", Sanskrit is highly respected as a language of ritual, science, technology, and mathematics.
It is written in a script called Devanagari, the same script as modern Hindi.
Despite a complex grammar and vast vocabulary, Sanskrit is a systematic and phonetic language, which makes learning it easier than you might think!
Here are some resources for beginners:
Sanskrit Pronunciation Guide by Tilak Pyle
Sanskrit Dictionary
Glossary of 108 Yoga terms
Khan Academy: Sanskrit Connections to English
List of English words of Sanskrit origin
Basic tips for learning Sanskrit.
Manorama's YouTube Channel, Sanskrit Studies and Luminous Soul
I highly recommend the following if you wish to explore Sanskrit in depth:
Devanagari Script Tutor
Cambridge Introduction to Sanskrit
South Asian Studies Department, University of Alberta
Shiksha
Sanskrit is currently experiencing a Renaissance of sorts; an effort to revive it as a colloquial, or spoken language: Samskrita Bharati
Patrick McCartney spent a month in India where the village of Jhiri is attempting to do just that. He documented his visit in a series of short films: Imagining Sanskrit Land
Lastly, if you find yourself overwhelmed by the effort of language learning and the quest for worldly attainments in general, try listening to the words of Adi Shankaracharya in his famous work Bhaja Govindam:
It is written in a script called Devanagari, the same script as modern Hindi.
Despite a complex grammar and vast vocabulary, Sanskrit is a systematic and phonetic language, which makes learning it easier than you might think!
Here are some resources for beginners:
Sanskrit Pronunciation Guide by Tilak Pyle
Sanskrit Dictionary
Glossary of 108 Yoga terms
Khan Academy: Sanskrit Connections to English
List of English words of Sanskrit origin
Basic tips for learning Sanskrit.
Manorama's YouTube Channel, Sanskrit Studies and Luminous Soul
I highly recommend the following if you wish to explore Sanskrit in depth:
Devanagari Script Tutor
Cambridge Introduction to Sanskrit
South Asian Studies Department, University of Alberta
Shiksha
Sanskrit is currently experiencing a Renaissance of sorts; an effort to revive it as a colloquial, or spoken language: Samskrita Bharati
Patrick McCartney spent a month in India where the village of Jhiri is attempting to do just that. He documented his visit in a series of short films: Imagining Sanskrit Land
Lastly, if you find yourself overwhelmed by the effort of language learning and the quest for worldly attainments in general, try listening to the words of Adi Shankaracharya in his famous work Bhaja Govindam:
bhajagovindam bhajagovindam govindam bhajamuudhamate
sampraapte sannihite kaale nahi nahi rakshati dukrijnkarane
- "Sing Govinda[Sing the lord's name], Sing Govinda's name, Sing Govinda's name.
- Oh, fool! Rules of Grammar will not save you at the time of your death."
