11 Great Sanskrit Learning Tools
Sanskrit is an ancient South Asian language that belongs to the Indo-Aryan division of the Indo-European languages. It emerged in South Asia after its predecessor languages spread there from the northwest in the late Fifteenth Century. Sanskrit refers to several Old Indo-Aryan dialects.
The most ancient of them is Vedic Sanskrit, which is contained in the Rig Veda, a collection of 1,028 hymns produced by Indo-Aryan tribes migrating east from what is now Afghanistan through northern Pakistan and into northern India between 1500 and 1200 BCE.
Sanskrit is sometimes referred to as a “language of awareness” since it allows access to India’s vast spiritual literature. Sanskrit is not just for spirituality and religion; it also comprises a large literature of different genres, and mastering the Sanskrit language is essential if we are to appreciate the beauty underlying those numerous magnificent books.
Sanskrit, which was the dominant language of communication in ancient India, continues in modern India, though not in its entirety: it can be found in parts and pieces in the different Indian languages that have descended from it. For Indian indigenous, it’s a simple matter of recapitulating a language that already exists within them and finding a suitable channel.
For most Westerners, Sanskrit appears to be more difficult to understand than English or other current European languages. This is true not only because of its script (Devanagari), which is quite different from that of Western and European countries but also because of its grammatically complex structure and highly inflected forms, which can be even more richly inflected than Greek or Latin, especially in the verbal conjugations.
Let's have a look at all of the resources available to assist us in our studies!
Online Sanskrit Dictionaries
The goal of the online Sanskrit dictionary is to create a basic, easy-to-expand collection of Sanskrit words and meanings. It’s essentially incredibly useful, and it also helps you add new words to your vocabulary as you’re studying.
Sanskrit-lexicon. uni – Sanskrit dictionaries to English/French/Latin/Sanskrit, as well as other specialised dictionaries relating to Sanskrit literature, are practically all available.
Sanskritdictionary.org has compiled thousands of words from the scriptures into a single format. Each word is connected to the places where it appears in the text source so that verse and context can be found.
Flashcards
A flashcard is a two-sided card with information on both sides that is meant to be used as a memory aid. Flashcards are frequently used to memorise vocabulary, historical dates, formulas, and any other subject that may be learnt through a question-and-answer format. For Sanskrit, Quizlet, Memrise, and Anki are your best options.
Enrol in an online class
We all know that “studying online” is one of the most effective ways to learn anything new — not just a language or an accent, but also a variety of skills such as math, cooking, dance, and even fixing your devices. You can also learn Sanskrit online, thanks to technological advancements. There are various online courses available on the internet such as Multibhashi, Learnsanskrit.org etc are available for a learner to study Sanskrit online.
Sanskrit Club at IIT Roorkee, in collaboration with Samskrita Bharati, offers a 5-course speciality that leads to a diploma upon successful completion of the course, students must explore this course for their Sanskrit learning.
Watch Sanskrit news and TV shows
Mews are the best source of learning any language basic lexicons, you will know the general concern going throughout your state or country. Also, you can watch TV shows in the Sanskrit language that will be very beneficial to your learning and also improves your listening ability.
Mnemonics
A mnemonic is a memory aid that aids us in remembering specific facts or massive volumes of data. They can take the form of a song, rhyme, acronym, image, phrase, or sentence, among other things. Mnemonics aid in the recall of knowledge and are especially beneficial when the order of events is important.
Grammar books and novels
Sanskrit grammar contains a complicated verbal system, widespread use of compound nouns, and a rich nominal verb ending. Sanskrit grammarians researched and codified it from the later Vedic period forward, culminating in the Pinion grammar of the 4th century BCE.
You can explore arshaavinash.in to gain more grammar knowledge on Sanskrit and can also download the e-books for your future learning.
You can also refer to Learn Sanskrit Language Step by Step by Gabriel Pradiipaka and Andres Muni to know in-depth the procedure of learning Sanskrit.
If you are a book nerd, you can explore Sanskrit ebook sites to enhance or upgrade your knowledge.
Podcasts
Podcasts are a great way to quickly learn Sanskrit. You can listen to them whenever and wherever you want—at your desk or on the go. And there’s no better way to spend the time on a long journey than by listening to an amusing podcast. That’s correct, isn’t it?
Audiobooks
An audiobook is a recording of someone reading a book or other material aloud. Audiobooks can help you enhance your vocabulary and comprehension. Hearing new words, whether alone or in combination with reading them, can considerably improve comprehension and vocabulary, particularly for children and second-language learners.
Finally,
These are some basic Sanskrit learning tools that you can use in your daily life. Though this will not be enough to assist you in your learning process you always have an option of learning online. So, try a free demo class with Multibhashi, and get enrolled on the course. We will be elated to join you.