Sanskrit/Introduction

From Wikibooks, the open-content textbooks collection

< Sanskrit

Sanskrit is an ancient language of the Indo-European family from which are descended many languages found in northern India. The language is also known as 'devabhasha' (language of the gods) or 'devavani' (voice of the gods). Since the 10th century AD, Sanskrit has been primarily written in the Devanagari script, but it is common for the language to be printed or written in Indian vernacular scripts.

The word Sanskrit is derived from the word 'samskrtam' meaning "polished" or "perfect". The earliest form of Sanskrit is known as Vedic Sanskrit and was spoken by the people of India in the second millenium BC. Classical Sanskrit, mostly associated with literature and religion, emerged later in the 5th century BC after Panini's extensive grammar codified the language.

Sanskrit has a rich literary tradition, whose most famous poet and playwright is Kalidasa, mostly known for his compositions Meghadutam, Kumarasambhavam, Abhijnanasakuntalam, and Raghuvamsam. Vedas are written in the Sanskrit language which are the root of the vedic culture and considered to be collection of great knowledge.