Sanskrit for Philosophy Students Term 1

‘The Sanskrit language is there, pure and clean, unhampered or distorted by anyone; and it can mirror the laws of the universe to anyone. This is the good companion, the good guide and the great friend. Journey with it and then the Veda (knowledge) is simple and sure.’
– Srī Śāntananda Sarasvatī

For over thirty years students of the School of Practical Philosophy have studied Sanskrit in order to deepen their understanding of great spiritual works such as the Upaniṣads and the Bhagavad Gītā.

The nine-term course developed by the School is offered to the students of the School as well as the general public. The course provides a thorough and systematic grounding in the Sanskrit language, while proceeding in easier steps than an academic course. No previous knowledge of the language is required. The nine-term course will be conducted over three years (three terms per year).

The Sanskrit sessions are structured around four themes, some of Term 1’s topics are:

• Spirit ~ understand something of the origin of language, the special nature of Sanskrit and why it is an essential aid to realising the truth.
• Sound ~ be able to recite the invocation pūrṇamadaḥ by heart.
• Principles ~ appreciate what the four stages of speech are and the four constituents of a sentence, and know what a dhātu is.
• Practice ~ know the Sanskrit alphabet, its order and how to write each letter.