Sanskrit
Bhagavadgītā. 19th century manuscripts.
Sanskrit is the language of the sacred texts of Hindus, Buddhists, Jains and others. It is also one of the many official languages of India. Various expert traditions of knowledge -- medicine, art, drama, aesthetics, poetry, architecture, law, music, mathematics, grammar, poetics, etc. -- are well-represented in texts composed in Sanskrit over the past 2,000 years. It is a gateway to the traditional knowledge of India.
In first-year Sanskrit, students learn to read and write Sanskrit using the Devanagari script. At the end of the course, students will have a basic working vocabulary and a knowledge of Sanskrit grammar and sentence structure. These will give students direct access to many of the fundamental texts of the classical Indian tradition. For more information, please visit the SANSKRIT@UTprogram website.
For examples of texts that the First Year students will be able to read at different stages of the introductory training, see the Sanskrit Gallery page.
Top 10 Reasons Why UT Students Study Sanskrit
- To be able to read and translate the Sanskrit scriptures like Gita and Ramayana directly instead of reading the translations.
- To further research and gain knowledge of ancient Indian history, religion, mythology, temple architecture, aesthetics, original culture, while learning a new language.
- To understand better yoga asana and yogic philosophy.
- To study it as a gateway to learning Vedic Sanskrit, Buddhist-Hybrid Sanskrit, Pali and Prakrit.
- To help with linguistic studies.
- To satisfy undergraduate foreign language requirements.
- To satisfy graduate program admission requirements for Asian Studies, Anthropology, and Religious Studies.
- You do not need to learn to speak it!
- To study a language that is very scientific and organized.
- First year class offers a great opportunity to learn Sanskrit.
Learn More About Sanskrit Lower and Upper Division Classes Below
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Lower-Division Courses
SAN 506, First-Year Sanskrit I
Introduction to basic grammatical principles, with reading of Ramayana episodes as illustrations. Five class hours a week for one semester.
SAN 507, First-Year Sanskrit II
Detailed study of problems of grammar and syntax; reading of extracts from Hitopadesha and the Bhagavad Gita. Five class hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Sanskrit 506 with a grade of at least C.
SAN 312K, Second-Year Sanskrit I
Introduction to classical Sanskrit prose literature; readings from the Epics and Kathasaritsagara. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Sanskrit 507 with a grade of at least C.
SAN 312L, Second-Year Sanskrit II
Introduction to classical Sanskrit poetry and philosophical literature; readings from the Upanishads and Kalidasa's Meghaduta. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Sanskrit 312K with a grade of at least C.
Upper-Division Courses
SAN 325K, Advanced Sanskrit Readings and Composition I
Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Sanskrit 312L with a grade of at least C.
SAN 325L, Advanced Sanskrit Readings and Composition II
Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Sanskrit 325K with a grade of at least C.
SAN 330, Topics in Sanskrit Language and Literature
Three lecture hours a week for one semester. May be repeated for credit when the topics vary. Prerequisite: Sanskrit 312L with a grade of at least C.
SAN 360, Conference Course in Sanskrit Language and Literature
Supervised individual study of selected problems in Sanskrit language or literature. Conference course. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: Upper-division standing, Sanskrit 312L, and written consent of instructor on form obtained from the undergraduate adviser.
