How to learn Sanskrit language basics in one month?
Sanskrit is regarded as the ancient language in Hinduism, where it was used as a means of communication and dialogue by the Hindu Celestial Gods, and then by the Indo-Aryans. Sanskrit is also widely used in Jainism, Buddhism, and Sikhism. The term ‘Sanskrit’ is derived from the conjoining of the prefix ‘Sam’ meaning ‘samyak’ which indicates ‘entirely’, and ‘krit’ that indicates ‘done’. Thus, the name indicates perfectly or entirely done in terms of communication, reading, hearing, and the use of vocabulary to transcend and express emotion. An extraordinarily complex language with a vast vocabulary, it is still widely used today in the reading of sacred texts and hymns.
Learning Sanskrit improves our thought processes by activating certain portions of our brain. The language is well-formed and enables us to learn many other languages with ease. Chanting Sanskrit texts creates an inner state of calmness and relaxation. There is further evidence to indicate that it’s highly suitable for artificial intelligence systems. For the last several decades, there has been a growing interest in learning the Sanskrit language in many parts of the world.
In this article, we will go over the key ways to learn Sanskrit basics in a month:
- Make and Use Sanskrit Flashcards – Flashcards are obviously not ideal for all aspects of learning Sanskrit, but the simpler elements of the language like vocabulary definitions or translations, genders of words and different verb forms can be effectively practised using homemade flashcards. Once you’ve identified the element you’d like to practice, you’ll need to make the cards. Choose thick cardstock and a ballpoint pen so you’re not tempted to cheat by looking through to the other side!
- Beware Of Free Sanskrit Learning Tools – Be particularly careful about social networks. It’s easy to get lost in there, and jump from one funny video to another but at the end, actually, learn very little – or not what you should be learning. You need to follow a structured path that gently leads you through the different Sanskrit learning stages. The method you choose has to come with solid grammatical explanations – very few people can master Sanskrit without first understanding Sanskrit grammar – and audio recordings featuring both traditional and modern Sanskrit.
- Watch Sanskrit TV and Movies – When you’re learning on your own, learning doesn’t stop when you leave the classroom. Learning Sanskrit by yourself can extend into your free time as well. Don’t worry, we’re not suggesting you do grammar exercises all day and night, but something as simple as kicking back in front of the TV or watching a movie can be helpful for your Sanskrit language learning. First, pick a Sanskrit TV show or movie you want to discover. Watch it for the first time with English subtitles. If it’s a movie, you’ll have to watch it again. If it’s a TV show, you can just move on to the next episode. This time, watch it with Sanskrit subtitles instead of English subtitles.
- Learn Sanskrit In Sentences – When you learn Sanskrit “in context”, you’ll remember the situation and words longer, and you’ll already have a series of words that go well together handy for your next Sanskrit conversation! To learn Sanskrit in context, we highly recommend you check out my unique downloadable Sanskrit audiobooks, a unique Sanskrit learning method illustrated by a realistic bilingual novel recorded at different levels of enunciation, featuring traditional spoken Sanskrit pronunciation.
Finally,
Learning Sanskrit alone only becomes easier when you take advantage of all the resources that are around you. Use this list of ideas for how to learn Sanskrit by yourself as a jumping-off point. If you want to get creative, the sky’s the limit!
There’s an amazing new way to learn Sanskrit! Want to see what everyone’s talking about!