SANSKRIT MUST BE TAUGHT ... 1
Despite having the strongest philosophical system in the world, Hindus are weak because of ignorance of the very language, Sanskrit, in which their spiritual texts are written. We have grown up and our children have grown up, too, in the full knowledge of English but not the language which is the mother of the major Indian languages. It is only hoped that this paralysing linguistic ignorance is addressed and our grandchildren are at least spared this ordeal whereby they remain cut off from their heritage and culture.
The Government of India has a huge role to play in this regard and so must business houses do in the form of patronising schools for the propagation of Sanskrit. I request all religious institutions and organisations to make the teaching of Sanskrit an integral part of their service programme for society.
Sri Ramakrishna in an ecstatic mood in Dakshineshwar had once pronounced that the future ideal of service ought to be thus : 'Shiv jnaney jeev seva.' (Service to living beings knowing them to be God incarnates.) Now this implies that the knowledge of godhead in living beings must precede service to them, or, at least, this knowledge must be simultaneous with the attended service. And herein comes the importance of teaching Sanskrit to children as part of their school curriculum and in institutions beyond the boundaries of conventional academic ones. Facilities must be there in abundance for the pursuit of this glorious linguistic tradition of India.
The Ramakrishna Mission, the Bharat Sevashram Sangha and other reputed spiritual organisations must take the lead in this regard and show people the way to their age-old spiritual culture which so often lies locked in ancient spiritual texts that lie beyond the reach of the common man on account of his ignorance of the very language that lies at the base of his own mother tongue.
All schools must have facilities for teaching Sanskrit up to class 12, and linguistic institutions beyond the school must take up this teaching as well in much the same manner as computer science is taught these days everywhere.
End of Part 1
To be continued ...
Written by Sugata Bose
Despite having the strongest philosophical system in the world, Hindus are weak because of ignorance of the very language, Sanskrit, in which their spiritual texts are written. We have grown up and our children have grown up, too, in the full knowledge of English but not the language which is the mother of the major Indian languages. It is only hoped that this paralysing linguistic ignorance is addressed and our grandchildren are at least spared this ordeal whereby they remain cut off from their heritage and culture.
The Government of India has a huge role to play in this regard and so must business houses do in the form of patronising schools for the propagation of Sanskrit. I request all religious institutions and organisations to make the teaching of Sanskrit an integral part of their service programme for society.
Sri Ramakrishna in an ecstatic mood in Dakshineshwar had once pronounced that the future ideal of service ought to be thus : 'Shiv jnaney jeev seva.' (Service to living beings knowing them to be God incarnates.) Now this implies that the knowledge of godhead in living beings must precede service to them, or, at least, this knowledge must be simultaneous with the attended service. And herein comes the importance of teaching Sanskrit to children as part of their school curriculum and in institutions beyond the boundaries of conventional academic ones. Facilities must be there in abundance for the pursuit of this glorious linguistic tradition of India.
The Ramakrishna Mission, the Bharat Sevashram Sangha and other reputed spiritual organisations must take the lead in this regard and show people the way to their age-old spiritual culture which so often lies locked in ancient spiritual texts that lie beyond the reach of the common man on account of his ignorance of the very language that lies at the base of his own mother tongue.
All schools must have facilities for teaching Sanskrit up to class 12, and linguistic institutions beyond the school must take up this teaching as well in much the same manner as computer science is taught these days everywhere.
End of Part 1
To be continued ...
Written by Sugata Bose
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