Master Certificate in Sanskrit – Foundation

Course educational objective(s) 

To provide an introduction and background of the Indic knowledge landscape with details of categorization and classification of Vedas, their relevance in paving the Indic way of life

Course outcome

At the end of the course the learner will be able to – 

• Describe the Vedic worldview gleaning through the Chaturdaśa vidyāsthānās (14 Indic Knowledge Systems)
•  Demonstrate the structure and landscape of Vedic knowledge body based on their purpose, function and structure
•  Compare the different structures of the Vedic literature that encode knowledge serving different purposes including transmission of knowledge over generations, its practice and application
•  Analyze the social impact of the Vedic way of life

Curriculum

Module I

Vedas and allied literature:

• Introduction to Indic knowledge landscape 

• What are Vedas?
• Central theme of the Vedas

• Vedāṅgas
  • The six Vedāṅgas – Śikṣā, Kalpa, Nirukta, Jyotiṣa, Vyākaraṇa, Chandas
  • The role of Vedāṅgas with regards to Vedas

• Veda-upāṅgas

• • The four Veda-upāṅgas – Mīmāṁsā, Nyāya, Purāṇa, Dharmaśāstra
  • The role of Veda-upāṅgas in Vedic literature

• Upavedas
  • The four Upavedas – Āyurveda, Dhanurveda, Gāndharva-veda, Arthaśāstra
  • Applicative aspects of the Upavedas

Module II

Categorization and classification of Vedas

• Classification of Vedas into Ṛk, Yajur, Sāma and Atharva by Vedavyāsa
• Saṁhitā, Brāhmaṇa, Āraṇyaka and Upaniṣad

Module III  

Role of Vedas in paving Indic way of life

• Vedic society and culture
• The tradition of preservation of Vedas
• Indic philosophy of life

References:

1. बलदेव उपाध्याय, संस्कृत साहित्य का इतिहास, शारदा निकेतन, वाराणसी
2. बलदेव उपाध्याय, वैदिक साहित्य और संस्कृति, वाराणसी
3. राधावल्लभ त्रिपाठी, संस्कृत साहित्य का अभिनव इतिहास, विश्वविद्यालय प्रकाशन, वाराणसी
4. Winternitz Maurice, Indian Literature (Vol. I – III), Motilal Banarsidass, Delhi

Course educational objective(s) 

• To provide an introduction and background of the Vyākaraṇa and allied Vedāṅgas, pre-Pāṇinian and Pāṇinian tradition of Vyākaraṇav 

Course outcome

At the end of the course the learner will be able to – 

• Explain the architecture of Aṣṭādhyāyī as a treatise of language structure
• Execute aṣṭādhyāyī sūtrās with allied texts
• Generate the computational model of Sanskrit grammar as propounded in Aṣṭādhyāyī
• Analyze examples of Sandhi with the help of Astadhyayi rules

Curriculum

Module I

Introduction to Vyākaraṇa

• Vedic limbs pertaining to language (Sanskrit) – Śikṣā, Nirukta and Vyākaraṇa
• Sanskrit – Vedic and Laukika

Module II

Pāṇini, his predecessors and successors 

• • Tradition of Vyākaraṇa known preceding Pāṇini
  • Contribution of Pāṇini as the holistic grammarian and language scientist

• Pāṇini and his successors – the unbroken lineage of Vyākaraṇa

Module III

Structure of Aṣṭādhyāyī 

• The Māheśvara sūtras
• Types of sūtras
• General introduction to contents of the chapters of Aṣṭādhyāyī
• Computation model of Aṣṭādhyāyī
• Data vs meta data
• Usage of artificial categories for a real purpose
• Universal grammar
• Introduction to Mahābhāṣya and Kāśikā

Module IV

Siddhānta-kaumudī model 

• • Rationale of application of sūtras in the Siddhānta-kaumudī model over the Aṣṭādhyāyī model 

• • Overview of chapterization in Siddhānta-kaumudī 

Module V

Aṣṭādhyāyī – sañjñā and paribhāṣā sūtra text (along with Kāśikā) 

References:

1. J F Staal, A Reader of Sanskrit Grammarians, 1972
2. S K Belwalkar, Systems of Sanskrit Grammar, 1975
3. Mangaladeva Shastri (Translation), Rgvedapratisakhya, 1931
4. K K Raja, Indian Theories of Meaning, 1963
5. S S Dange, Aspects of Speech in Vedic Ritual
6. G Cardona, Panini
7. Siddheswar Varma, Phonetic Observations of Ancient Indian Grammarians
8. Pandit Ananta Sastri Phadake, The Kashika, The Choukhamba Sanskrit Series, 1931

Course educational objective(s) 

• To provide an introduction and background of literature and poetics in Sanskrit

Course outcome

At the end of the course the learner will be able to –

• Describing the landscape of classical literature and poetics in Sanskrit
• Identifying and explaining the elements of aesthetics and its experience according to the Indic theories in poetics
• Independently demonstrating the type and nature of a kāvya and appreciate the elements of aesthetics and poetics imbued in it

Curriculum

Module I

Indic literary landscape – kāvya & kāvyaśāstra 

• Introduction to literature in Sanskrit – Vedic, Ārṣa and laukika 
• A brief history of Sanskrit literature – prominent authors and works 
• A brief history of Sanskrit kāvya-shāstra – prominent authors and works 

Module II

Categorization and classification of kāvya into its types etc. 

• Dṛśya and śravya-kāvyas and their categorization (poetry, prose, drama, campū) 
• Variants and classifications of the various categories of literature with examples
  • Types and features of poetry 
  • Types and features of drama 
  • Types of prose and campū 

Module III

Introduction to the components of kāvya-śāstra 

• Plot, hero, heroine, etc.
• Rasa, dhvani, rīti 
• Alaṅkāra 
• Chhandas 

Module IV

Rāmāyaṇa and Mahābhārata – Illustrative (one adhyāya from each) 

• One chapter from Rāmāyaṇa – किष्किन्धकाण्डः – तृतीयः सर्गः 
• One chapter from Mahābhārata – शान्तिपर्व – 175 अध्यायः

References:

1. Rangacharya Raddi (Editor), Kavyadarsha of Dandin, BORI, Pune, 1938
2. Mahabharata with Hindi Translation, Gita Press Gorakhpur
3. Pusalker, Studies in Epics and Puranas
4. राधावल्लभ त्रिपाठी, संस्कृत साहित्य का अभिनव इतिहास, विश्वविद्यालय प्रकाशन, वाराणसी
5. Dasgupta & De, History of Sanskrit Literature
6. TR Krishnacharya, TR Vyasacharya, TR Srinivasacharya (Editors), 
7. Valmiki Ramayana (Critical Edition) Aranyakanda 3 with the commentary of Sri Govindaraja, Madhva Vilasa Book Depot, Kumbhakonam, 1911
8. TR Krishnacharya, TR Vyasacharya (Editors), Srimanmahabharatam, Vanaparva III, Madhva Vilasa Book Depot, Kumbhakonam, 1908

Course educational objective(s) 

To enable the learners to understand the purpose, structure, methodology and hierarchical classification of Indic sources and to elucidate how to study them

Course outcome

At the end of the course the learner will be able to –

• Explaining the well formulated structures in Indic texts that aid in preservation and interpretation of technical texts
• Independently identifying and analysing the structures in technical texts and comprehend the import of the texts interpreted with aid of the structures
• Illustrating the nature of systematic presentation and validation of technical content in Indic texts

Curriculum

Module I

Indic sources – How to study? 

• The purpose of knowing how to study Indic sources 
• Vidyā vs. Darśana vs. Śāstra 
• Content vs. form 
• What is Śāstra? 

Module II

Introduction to the systematic structures of Vedic science literature 

• Anubandha-catuṣṭaya 
• Purpose of Śāstra 
• Description or prescription
• Definition – nature and purpose 
• Utsarga and apavāda 

Module III

Role and utilization of structures of Śāstra exposition in interpreting the Śāstra 

• Uddeśa-lakṣaṇa-parīkṣā 
• Commentaries 
• Adhikaraṇa 
• Saṅgati 
• Tātparyaliṅga 
• Dialectics and Polemics 
• Tantrayukti

References

1. Prof Rajaram (Translator), Nyayasutra with Nyayabhashya, 1921
2. V N Jha, Contribution of Nyaya System to Indian Thought Structure
3. M Hiriyanna, Outlines of Indian Philosophy
4. W.K. Lele, The Doctrines of Tantryukti (Chaukhamba Surabharati  Prakashana, Varanasi-1981).