A journalist in New Zealand targeted newly elected New Zealand MP Gaurav Sharma for taking his oath in Sanskrit. Michael Field, the journalist, claimed that Sanskrit is a language of “religious oppression” and “caste superiority”. He also claimed Sanskrit is a “mark of Hindutva”, a “mark of fundamentalism”.
Gaurav Sharma responded to the slander by Field in a sensible manner. He said, “I speak multiple Indian languages and wanted to choose a language that would represent the wide range of current languages spoken in India. At over 3500 years old, Sanskrit is the oldest and considered the mother language of many Indian languages that originated from it.”
“I studied Sanskrit at a small school in a rural part of India where it is a compulsory part of education curriculum for every student, not just one class or culture,” he added. Taking a jibe at the journalist, he remarked, “If you do want to talk about oppression and class divide, a bit ironical that your mother tongue and your tweet is in English. Colonialism…”
This is a case of clear cut Hindu phobia rising in west and similarly followed by communists of our country.
This article will explain that What blessing can Sanskrit confer to the people of the World? What valuable services can Sanskrit serve towards the regeneration, development and unification of World? We might have heard people saying that Sanskrit is a dead language. But I will say that Sanskrit is very breath and life and soul of Humanity. Even I will say that if I have to preserve, maintain and perpetuate the noblest of all heritages ever bequeathed that would be obviously Sanskrit. In this article we will like to know the value and importance of Sanskrit.
Caste system is the biggest weakness of our Hindu Society. We Hindus are divided and subdivided by deep rooted caste-prejudices and social distinctions. Caste system originated when we forgot the real message of Vedas which are in Sanskrit. Thus, we need to understand the teachings of Vedas which no where supports caste system. Thus, Sanskrit can provide us with the bond of uniformity and unification. By learning Sanskrit we will our Vedas and get enlightened. It will enable us to get rid of our ignorance. Vedic texts nowhere supports Caste system thus it helps us to get rid of this evil.
Sanskrit is able to bring us sense of pride and self-respect. Since the era of British rule we have lost confidence and we always feel that the western are superior race as compared to ours. This loss of self-esteem can easily be regained by right understanding if our true heritage, our magnificent past. And that cannot be learned without the knowledge of Sanskrit. Sanskrit is essentially indispensable to the unbroken continuity of all that is sacred and valuable and glorious in India’s Past. Let the ancient glory and greatness of India be the natural and fitting foundation upon which her future glory is to be reared. There was a time when the whole world was enlightened by the knowledge and wisdom of Vedas. Our country was teacher to the world and was considered as ‘Vishva Guru’. This status was achieved by our ancestors by the vast knowledge of Vedas.
Sanskrit can weld together various countries into one bond. Readers will be surprised to know that Sanskrit not even helps in enrichment and development of North Indian languages but also Dravidian languages. Thus all vernacular languages of our Country are bounded by a common thread known as Sanskrit. I will like to quote an example from “Minutes of evidence taken before the select committee on Indian territories published in 1855.The committee asked that what’s the ratio of Sanskrit words in Bangla language is? Wilson who was appearing before committee replied “I tried to enquire about the Sanskrit synonym of first 500 words from Shakespeare India’s Dictionary. I was able to get 305 words. I tried in Bangla Hitopdesha book, used as textbook by students for appearing in exams. I was unable to get only 5 out of first 147 words in Sanskrit. If any learned Sanskrit Scholar, visiting India for first time is given the same book to read, he will find out that he is aware of 142 out of 147 words of the Text.” A committee member asked me “Is the relation between Sanskrit and Hindustani and vernacular languages similar to what is between English and Greek?” Wilson replied, “Sanskrit, especially in Northern India languages is part of almost all dialects. Although it’s not a compulsory part of Southern India languages, but in the language of Malabar (Malayalam) it’s intermingled to such extent that 80% of its words are originated from Sanskrit. ” I think nothing more is left to say about relations of Sanskrit with Indian Vernacular languages. Let the lovers of unity and friends of peaceful progress push in the cause of Sanskrit.
Similarly we find multiple words in different languages of World which are derived from Sanskrit. for e.g. word Mother in English is derived from word ‘Matra’ in Sanskrit. Word Father in English is derived from word ‘Pitra’ in Sanskrit. We have multiple examples to prove that Sanskrit is the mother of all world languages.
Sanskrit can also give the people of India the unique blessing of possessing one common indigenous “Lingua India” viz, Hindi (Arya Bhasha) which is understood by the greatest number of people throughout the entire country. Hindi containing easy Sanskrit words is, therefore, already the language of the whole of India. With the help of Devanagri script, Hindi Bhasha and Sanskrit we can unite our country.
Sanskrit can furnish the vernaculars with a fine common indigenous scientific Terminology rivalling and even excelling the Greek-Latin one employed in English. Let our people have, by all means, the real scientific and commercial culture of the West; but let them have it all in their own vernaculars so as to make at least those of them which possess literatures worth preserving.
Thus with the help of Sanskrit and the developed vernaculars, our people can thoroughly assimilate, without losing their individuality, all that is good, valuable and elevating in modern culture, of science, industry, art etc. while fully preserving and perpetuating all that is pure, noble and invigorating in India’s past. We think that Sanskrit is of greatest use in both preserving the glory of our past and opening up the future.
Author: Dr. Vivek Arya