April 01, 2020
Why is it so important to learn Sanskrit and also, learn it in the right way? Because, every syllable has it’s own place. A small mispronunciation could take the meaning to an altogether different place! We will see examples of such instances as we go along.
The word Samskritam itself means sound. Sounds are various and each variation makes a different meaning. This alone makes sense to communicate. This variation in sound is organized and in the case of Samskritam it is pretty much perfectly organized.
Such an organization is called grammar or व्याकरण.The Sanskrit grammar is so intricate and complex like none other that, it is considered the most unambiguous language in the world.
So, while learning, it is very very essential to learn it correctly. Once the cornerstone is strong, any kind of architecture on it will automatically hold up!
Other conventional languages are Object-Specific languages, that is, the use of object brings up its picture in the mind. For example, take the word Fan. It immediately brings up its image in mind, it could be a table fan, a ceiling fan or any other fan.
The word is used specific to that object. The word fan can have different meanings contextually, but in general it refers to an object. However, in Sanskrit, you are not allowed to have a word that is specific to an object.
Does it mean that Sanskrit does not have a word for a Fan or a Tree? Well it does! If it does then how do you say that Sanskrit is not object-specific? An object in Sanskrit has many words.
Sometimes even more than 200 words for the same object. So, these synonyms are used for the same object. Each synonym brings out a specific property of that object and not the object. For example, take the word – Fire.
In Sanskrit, Fire is referred by many names – अग्नि, अनल, अपित्तम्, ज्वलनम् and so on…Now, Lets take the word अग्नि (Agni). The Root Sound in अग्नि is अग् (Ag) – means to move up. It is describing the property of the flame to rise up when it burns.
Every word in Sanskrit comes from Root Sound, which is backed by Seed Sound. This is an advanced subject so we will come to that later.
Lets take the word अनल, अनल = न + अलम्. And अलम् (Alam) means enough. The न before अलम् negates अलम् and so अनल means not अलम्, which means not enough. Fire burns up everything and yet it asks for more, which is also another property of fire.
Lets take the word शुष्मा (Sushma). The root sound is शुष् (Sush) which means dry. It is the property of fire to dry things up. Thus, it describes the property of the object rather than referring to the object. Sanskrit is a Property-Based language.
Another important thing with synonyms is that they are not 100% substitutable by one another. Each synonym has evolved out of a property of that object. The user is left to select the appropriate synonym that brings to the fore the exact property that befits the context.
With Property based languages, there is a shift in thinking towards Properties of the object rather than the object itself. So, why properties? With the focus on properties, we tend to forget about objects, because any object can possess that property.
Also, it does not matter whether the object changes the form or appears in a new form and the old forms disappear, because properties are eternal. With property based languages, we can visualise a property-based universe, rather than an object-based universe.
As properties are everywhere, they are universal and eternal, whereas objects are impermanent. Sanskrit always deals with that which is eternal and universal. This is why Sanskrit is an eternal language, a universal language.
Lets take an example of a plough. In Sanskrit a plough is called हल (Hala). In modern times, we use a tractor whereas in ancient times it was called a plough, so the object has changed.
In English, we will use different names for these different objects, but in Sanskrit you can refer to a tractor and a plough by the same name – हल (Hala). हल (Hala) is a word that describes its property/function and not the object.
Now, either a single object or many objects can possess/exhibit those properties.
This allows the mind to associate unrelated objects from different contexts having similar properties, however, I would say with Sanskrit, it becomes more than two properties, not just associate, but polysociate (as I would like to call it), essential for the creative energies to fire up and let one’s imagination take-off.
Furthermore, we can find out the object that manifests those properties, by inspecting and deconstructing the name.
Also, it would not matter whether the same property/properties is/are being fulfilled by multiple objects, we can look-up to any object that does the job. In my view, learning different languages shapes our thinking and ultimately affects our actions.
With Object based languages, an object is the focal point of interaction and so my thinking naturally would tend to be object-oriented and then I’d describe object’s behaviour and properties as if the object owns it.
For example, lets say, if we say that the object is a human being, then it can end up critiquing either of us.
I found that Sanskrit’s signal to noise ratio is very good, that is, very high signal, less noise, thus making it very concise.
Composing seed sounds to create root sounds and using root sounds to create still larger words and composing words to create still bigger words is at the base of Sanskrit.
So, in Sanskrit Composition is THE way to build-up complexity and this composition is governed by rules.
This to me is also simple design that we find in computer programming when designing programs. Now switching the context to Sanskrit back again, lets look at other aspects. Sanskrit is a very beautiful language and beauty comes from order, symmetry and arrangement.
All of which are complexity reducing elements. Once complexity reduces, things automatically become beautiful. Let’s look at order first. In Sanskrit, if I have to say that my name is कृष्ण.
All of which are complexity reducing elements. Once complexity reduces, things automatically become beautiful. Let’s look at order first. In Sanskrit, remember I have to say that my name is कृष्ण.
I can say it in different ways using the same words and it does not change the meaning of the sentence. For example –
कृष्णः मम नाम
कृष्णः नाम मम
नाम मम कृष्णः
In other languages, the order of the words will change the meaning of the sentence, thus violating its integrity. Here, neither the meaning of the sentence changes, nor using the sentence changes the meaning of the context.
So, Sanskrit is immensely flexible while arranging the words to construct a sentence without changing its meaning. However that does not mean that there is no order at all. There are places where order needs in a sentence to be respected, else it can alter its meaning.
In English language, the famous statement made by Napoleon – “Able was I ere I saw Elba”. Phonetically, whether you utter the sentence from left to right or from right to left, the sentence sounds the same and also the meaning of the sentence is not altered.
This is called as a Palindrome. In Sanskrit, such a thing is called विलोम (Viloma). Viloma means reverse. In Sanskrit, you don’t just have sentences but can have ‘palindromic’ poems as well.
You can check – Ramakrishna Vilomakavyam. In this if you read it from Left to Right, it is for Lord Rama and if you read it from Right to Left, it relates to Lord Krishna. There are many Viloma Kavyas (विलोम काव्य). काव्य means poetry.
Now le’ts look at other creative uses of this language in the past. If you are aware of the Shurpanakha story from Ramayana, especially the part of the story wherein her nose was cut by Lakshmana. She goes back to Ravana and conveys what all happened to her.
The poet was faced with the challenge to create a verse that would physically mimic her voice quality to bring out the expression of her pain and without the nose. The poet did not use any nasal or oro-nasal sounds for the creation of the verse.
Pure nasal sound (sound produced from the nasal cavity) in Sanskrit is Anusvara whereas Oro-Nasals sound (sounds produced from oral and nasal cavity) are – ङ (ṅa), ञ (ña), ण (ṇa), न (na), म (ma).
Yet another example can be found is that of Niroshthya Ramayana. The creator of this observed that when a few people pronounced labial sounds: Pa – प, Pha – फ, Ba – ब, Bha – भ, Ma – म, while reciting Ramayana, they would spray saliva all over and this to the creator was disrespectful. So, the person ended up creating a version of Ramayana where the use of all labial sounds was restricted. This resulted in Ramayana, without the word राम – Rama.
Janamejayan's धर्म जिज्ञासा 