Samskrita

Samskrita, often transliterated as Sanskrit, is an ancient Indo-Aryan language. It is the primary liturgical language of Hinduism and Buddhism, and a scholarly language in Jainism. The name Samskrita literally means "refined," "consecrated," and "perfected." It is a classical language of India and is considered one of the oldest Indo-European languages.

The history of Samskrita is generally divided into two periods: Vedic Samskrita and Classical Samskrita. Vedic Samskrita is the language of the Vedas, the oldest scriptures of Hinduism, dating back to the second millennium BCE. Classical Samskrita, codified by the grammarian Pāṇini in his work the Ashtadhyayi around the 4th century BCE, is the form of the language used in most later literary, philosophical, and scientific works.

Samskrita has a highly complex and sophisticated grammatical structure, renowned for its phonology, morphology, and syntax. Its vocabulary is vast and includes terms for a wide range of subjects, from philosophy and religion to science and mathematics.

Although not widely spoken as a first language today, Samskrita has had a profound and lasting influence on many modern Indian languages, including Hindi, Bengali, Marathi, and Gujarati. Its literary heritage is immense, encompassing epic poems like the Ramayana and Mahabharata, philosophical treatises, dramatic works, and scientific texts that have shaped intellectual traditions across South and Southeast Asia. Efforts are underway to revive and promote its use in contemporary India.