Need mass movement to revive Sanskrit-learning: Vice-President

Bengaluru: Stressing the need for preserving linguistic treasures of the country, Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu on Saturday said a mass movement was required to revive Sanskrit-learning in which all the stakeholders should contribute to the re-discovery of the rich, classical literature and cultural heritage.

He said technology opens up new opportunities to preserve and propagate Sanskrit.

The Vice-President was addressing the ninth convocation and decennial ceremony of Karnataka Samskrit University held at the Raj Bhavan here.

“We are living in an age of fast-changing technology. During the pandemic, when everyone was working from home, we realised the importance of communication revolution. The same technology can help us in learning new languages like Sanskrit online, in our leisure time,” Naidu said.

Addressing the convocation, he said technology opens up new opportunities to preserve and propagate Sanskrit. Digitalisation of ancient manuscripts, epigraphs and inscriptions, recording of the recitation of Vedas, publishing books bringing out the meaning and significance of ancient Sanskrit treatises would be some of the ways to preserve the culture embedded in Sanskrit texts.

“We must make it a mass movement to revive Sanskrit-learning where all the stakeholders should contribute to the re-discovery of India’s rich classical literature and cultural heritage,” he added.

Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot, Samskrit University officials and scholars were among those present on the occasion.

Stating that Sanskrit is an important language because of the extraordinary creative works in it, the Vice- President said, “We must preserve these linguistic treasures. There is such a rich history waiting to be discovered.” The nation is a country with multiple languages each of which has a distinct richness, he said and added that every language has a unique structure and literary tradition, and ancient languages and their literature have contributed immensely in the nation attaining the prestigious status of being the “Vishwa Guru”.

Noting that Sanskrit, a classical language from which most of the Indian languages have originated, has a special place in the cultural landscape, Naidu said, “We can appreciate the Indian ethos and the deep cultural connection that binds all Indians if we learn Sanskrit. It is the language that brings us together.” A language cannot be preserved only by Constitutional provisions or governmental assistance or protection, he said.

Sanskrit is an intangible heritage and for ages, it has been the fountainhead of knowledge and literary traditions, Naidu said, pointing out that even UNESCO has recognized Vedic recitations in Sanskrit as an intangible heritage.

“Sanskrit helps us understand the soul of India. If one has to understand the Indian worldview, one has to learn Sanskrit. If one has to appreciate the literary genius of Indian poets, one must be familiar with Sanskrit. If one has to research on the civilisational richness of our great country, one has to be a student of Sanskrit,” he added.