Sanskrit Sanskrit, often called the “mother of Indo-European languages,” has been spoken in some form for over 3,500 years. Though no longer a native vernacular for most, it remains actively used in Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain rituals, scholarly discourse, and classical education across India and Nepal. The language’s standardized form was codified by Panini around the 4th century BCE in his Ashtadhyayi, a masterpiece of linguistic analysis still studied today. Sanskrit’s vast corpus includes the Vedas (among humanity’s oldest religious texts), epics like the Mahabharata, and scientific treatises on astronomy, medicine, and mathematics. While estimates suggest fewer than 20,000 fluent native speakers remain, thousands learn it formally, and villages like Mattur in Karnataka use it daily. Its phonetic precision and grammatical complexity have influenced linguistics globally. Modern India recognizes Sanskrit as a classical and scheduled language, with universities offering degrees in it. Revival movements promote conversational Sanskrit through camps and apps. More than a historical artifact, Sanskrit functions as a sacred and intellectual bridge—connecting past wisdom with present inquiry, and serving as a unifying thread across South Asia’s diverse spiritual and philosophical traditions.
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