Sanskrit Language Study

There has been interest expressed here in Sanskrit language study. How is this language studied? In American universities, this is typically done by the instructor assigning lessons from a book, and then in class answering questions that arise from the students doing these lessons. There is often very little actual instruction given by the instructor. Most of the instruction comes from the book. When this is the case, this is something that can just as well be done online. Then the only real need to pay thousands of dollars for a professor, or more often a graduate student, to do this, is for those who need the credential.

We suggest purchasing and using Judith Tyberg's First Lessons in Sanskrit Grammar and Reading, to serve as the instructor. This is available at Amazon for $13.95. Any questions that arise from going through these lessons can be discussed here on this forum. Nancy Reigle will be available for this, as time permits. She started studying this book with the late Judith Tyberg in 1978. This book is highly recommended to start one's studies of Sanskrit with.

A detailed listing of what books are available for Sanskrit study can be found in "Sanskrit Language Study: An Annotated Bibliography of Selected Materials in English" (attached here, and also at: http://www.easterntradition.org/etri%20bib-sanskrit%20study.pdf). For those who want a more advanced course, there are several options. A couple of these can be used for self-study, but most require an instructor. Among the latter is the Devavanipravesika: An Introduction to the Sanskrit Language, by Robert Goldman and Sally Sutherland Goldman. Nancy studied this book in an exceptional class with the co-author, Sally Sutherland (Goldman), at University of California, Berkeley, and can also reply to questions on its lessons.

Whatever book you choose, we wish you well in this difficult but rewarding study.

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Permalink Reply by harold walker on February 11, 2012 at 8:49pm

Dear Nancy,

Thank you for the work you do on the Samkhya project. We refer to it quite frequently in our U.L.T. Sanskrit class. Would you in the future include the root form of each word when possible? We are working on building our vocabulary. It is good to include the root form of a word as we memorize.

Every year I give a talk at the Long Beach Theosophical Society in the U.S. The last two years I spoke on the Sanskrit language. This year I spoke on “The Mind and the Mantra”. Preparing for the talk I read up on current theories of the brain. Most disturbing. Seems most scientists believe there is only a physical brain. No mind. There are statements like: “The word mind is obsolete.” “Mind is an illusion; there are only functions of the brain and body.”

This led me to this question: Is there a corresponding action [in the brain] for every thought? A neuron fires, a synapse snaps, a molecule changes form or is there a mind independent of the brain that thinks?

Looking forward to your thoughts on all this.