General Information about the curriculum
This curriculum offers immersive learning of the Sanskrit language just like a child learns mother tongue – by listening and speaking – without support of other languages as much as possible. It explicitly avoids grammatical terminology, just like you don’t teach a child grammar and then the language. This is the most natural and effective way of learning a language. This course has been designed keeping in mind the needs of MSc Vedic Sciences students and their future needs. All the modules discussed in the curriculum are highly essential and help to think and speak in Sanskrit. Thorough research has gone into the design of the curriculum.
Program Educational Objective(s)
- Working knowledge of Sanskrit language – to understand and speak without translations
Course Outcome
- Construct simple sentences in Sanskrit. (सरल–संस्कृत–सम्भाषणम्)
- Identify the basic structure of Sanskrit without learning grammar.
- Explain natively in Sanskrit.
- Identify the proper pronunciation of Sanskrit words through knowing the science of pronunciation. (वर्णोच्चारणम्)
- Identify and illustrate the frequently used suffixes in Sanskrit literature. (प्रत्ययाः – क्त्वा, तुमुन् इत्यादयः)
- Demonstrate the technique (आकाङ्क्षापद्धतिः) of understanding Sanskrit verses without depending on translations.
- Practice the method of splitting compound words. (समासविग्रहः)
- Practice the modification of the form or sound of a word under the influence of an adjacent word. (सन्धिविच्छेदः)
- Reflect the beauty of Sanskrit words, in expressing meaning precisely. (संस्कृतस्य गम्भीरता)
- Construct compound sentences with simple sentences. (यथा तथा, किन्तु, यत्र तत्र इत्यादि)
Curriculum
Module I
सम्भाषणसंस्कृतम्
- परिचयः (मम/भवतः/भवत्याः)
- सः/सा/तत्/एषः/एषा/एतत्
- कः, का, किम्
- अहम्/भवान्/भवती/त्वम्
- आम्/न/किम्
- अस्ति/नास्ति
- अत्र/तत्र/कुत्र/अन्यत्र/सर्वत्र/एकत्र
- षष्ठी विभक्तिः
- पुरतः/पृष्ठतः/वामतः/दक्षिणतः/उपरि/अधः/अन्तः
- आवश्यकम्/मास्तु/पर्याप्तम्/धन्यवादः
- वर्तमानकालः (लट्लकारः)
- कः किं करोति?
- अहम्, त्वम्
- आज्ञाप्रार्थनादयः (लोट्लकारः)
- शरीरावयवाः
- सङ्ख्याः
- कः समयः?
- क्रियापदस्य विभज्य प्रयोगः
- सप्तमी विभक्तिः
- कदा?
- अद्य/श्वः/परश्वः/प्रपरश्वः….
- भूतकालप्रयोगः (क्तवतु/लङ्लकारः/स्म)
- उपसर्गाः
- द्वितीया विभक्तिः
- क्तवतुप्रयोगः
- लृट्लकारः
- पञ्चमी विभक्तिः
- तः ……. पर्यन्तम्
- वारम्/अद्य आरभ्य
- शीघ्रम्/मन्दम्/सम्यक्/उच्चैः/शनैः
- क्त्वाप्रत्ययान्तानि
- ल्यप्–प्रत्ययान्तानि
- अव्ययानि (च/अपि/एव/इति/यत्)
- चतुर्थी विभक्तिः
- किमर्थम् ?
- अद्यतन/श्वस्तन/पुरातन/इदानीन्तन – इत्यादयः
- किन्तु/निश्चयेन/प्रायशः/खलु/अपेक्षया
- तृतीया विभक्तिः
- तुमुन्प्रत्ययान्तानि
- अतः
- यतः
- सम्बोधनम्
Module II
वर्णाः
- वर्णमाला
- उच्चारणम्
Module III
सर्वनाम्नां परिचयः
- एषः कः,एषा का,एतत् किम्
- कः, के? का, काः? किम्, कानि?
- एषः, एते। एषा, एताः। एतत्, एतानि
- सः, ते। सा, ताः। तत्, तानि।
- अस्ति/नास्ति
- अस्ति, स्तः, सन्ति
- क्रियापरिचयः
- वर्तमानकाले प्रथमपुरुषे वचनत्रयम्
- अहम्/त्वम्
- अहम्, आवाम्, वयम्
- अस्मि, स्वः, स्मः
- असि
- मि, वः, मः
- अहम्, भवान्
- अहम्, भवती
- त्वम्, भवान्; त्वम्, भवती
- भवान्, भवन्तौ, भवन्तः
- भवती, भवत्यौ, भवत्यः
Module IV
शब्दानां परिचयः
- अजन्तस्त्रीलिङ्गा: शब्दाः – प्रथमा विभक्तिः
- अजन्तनपुंसकलिङ्गा: शब्दाः – प्रथमा विभक्तिः
- हलन्तपुंलिङ्गा: शब्दाः – प्रथमा विभक्तिः
- हलन्तस्त्रीलिङ्गा: शब्दाः – प्रथमा विभक्तिः
- हलन्तनपुंसकलिङ्गा: शब्दाः – प्रथमा विभक्तिः
- द्वितीया विभक्तिः – अजन्ताः हलन्ताश्च (लिङ्गत्रयम्)
- तृतीया विभक्तिः – अजन्ताः हलन्ताश्च (लिङ्गत्रयम्)
- चतुर्थी विभक्तिः – अजन्ताः हलन्ताश्च (लिङ्गत्रयम्)
- पञ्चमी विभक्तिः – अजन्ताः हलन्ताश्च (लिङ्गत्रयम्)
- षष्ठी विभक्तिः – अजन्ताः हलन्ताश्च (लिङ्गत्रयम्)
- सप्तमी विभक्तिः – अजन्ताः हलन्ताश्च (लिङ्गत्रयम्)
- सम्बोधन प्रथमा – अजन्ताः हलन्ताश्च (लिङ्गत्रयम्)
- सर्वनामशब्दाः
- सम्बोधनप्रथमा
- अव्ययानि
Module V
क्रियापदानां परिचयः
- प्रसिद्धानां क्रियापदानां प्रयोगः, लट्, लोट्, लङ् एषां लकाराणां ज्ञानम्
- प्रसिद्धानि क्रियापदानि
- विशेषक्रियापदानि (जानाति, करोति, क्रीणाति, शक्नोति, शृणोति, गृह्णाति, ददाति)
- लकाराः – लट्, लोट्, लङ्
- कानिचन ण्यन्तक्रियापदानि
Module VI
प्रत्ययानां ज्ञानम्
- क्तवतु–प्रयोगः
- नपुंसकक्तवतुप्रत्ययान्तस्य प्रयोगाः
- क्त्वा–प्रयोगः
- ल्यप्–प्रयोगः
- तुमुन्–प्रयोगः
- शतृशानचौ
- चित्–चन–प्रयोगाः
Module VII
सन्धिः
- सन्धिज्ञानसामर्थ्यं सन्धिविच्छेदसामर्थ्यं च
- सन्धिः
Module VIII
सुभाषितादीनाम् अवगमनम्
- सरलकथानां पठनाभ्यासः, सरलश्लोकानाम् अवगमनं, पदानाम् अन्वयः
- चिताः कथाः।
- चितानि सुभाषितानि
Practical structural setup
| Sr. No. | Title of Practical activity | No. of Activities |
| 1 | Reading comprehension: Reading small Sanskrit stories and identifying the nominal forms (based on their liṅga, vacana and vibhakti), verbal forms (based on their puruṣa and vacana, kāla) and phrases. | 2 |
| 2 | Listening skills: Practice listening to talks, speeches and lectures | 1 |
| 3 | PowerPoint Presentation – Practice and sample analysis | 1 |
| 4 | Individual and group presentation, features of oral presentation | 1 |
| 5 | Group discussion | 1 |
| 6 | Dyadic communication – Face to face conversations | 1 |
| 7 | Self-study and practice of simple Sanskrit shlokas with anvaya | 1 |
| Total | 7 |
Evaluation & Assessment Methods Used
Formative Assessment:
-
- Continuous Evaluation (Continuous Assessment)
- 100% weightage: 100 marks
- Formative Assessment will be based on a continuous comprehensive pattern
- There shall be assignments and quizzes
Formative Evaluation – The answer sheet of the formative examination will be shown to individual students, and the student will be guided on how to improve upon the performance.
References
- प्रथमदीक्षा, राष्ट्रियसंस्कृतसंस्थानम्, नवदेहली
- अभ्यासपुस्तकम्, विश्वासः, संस्कृतभारती, बेङ्गलूरु
- अभ्यासदर्शिनी, जनार्दन हेगडे, संस्कृतभारती, बेङ्गलूरु
- हिन्दीसंस्कृतशब्दकोषः, श्रीप्रकाशपाण्डेयः, संस्कृतभारती, नवदेहली
- संस्कृतव्यवहारसाहस्री, संस्कृतभारती, बेङ्गलूरु
Indic Knowledge Landscape
Credits 2 (L-T-P 2-0-0, Lecture 30 hours)
Why should you attend?
If you are curious to know whether there is an indigenous knowledge in India and its diversity and spread of coverage, this course is for you. It will demystify the various sources from vedas to folklore encompassing Indian culture in just 30 hours. You will get to know what is the subject matter of the Vedas, Upanishads, Shastras, Puranas etc., in a way you can relate to modern knowledge.
Course Objectives
To introduce learners to the landscape of Vedic literature with broad taxonomy of Indic knowledge systems.
Learning Outcomes
- Knowledge of the sources of Vedic knowledge
- Comprehension of the seamless nature of Vedic knowledge
- Understand the purpose and utility of Vedic knowledge systems in enriching human life
Indic Reasoning and debating
Credits 2 (L-T-P 2-0-0, Lecture 30 hours)
Why should you attend?
Have you ever felt that something you read on social media does not make any logical sense but do not know why? Have you felt the need to win arguments with friends regardless of their motive of argument? Did you know that there are sixteen types of mistakes one can commit and you can counter any opponent in a debate by learning India’s celebrated science of debate?
If so, this course is for you. It will make you appreciate why India was the capital of knowledge and debates for millennia and why people came from all over the world to study here. This course will introduce Tarka – The Indian logic system and methodology of structured debate.
After completing this course you can exactly pinpoint fallacies in social media arguments.
Course Objectives
- Ability to make use of debate exchanges and definitions and classification systems drawn from Indic manuals, learners understand the systematic process to challenge and defend assertions made in the course of debate.
Learning Outcomes
Learner transforms into a persuasive communicator with ability to-
- Defend statements using clear, logical reasons
- Choose relevant statements to defend
- Support the arguments with well-chosen evidence, which is explanatory and thoroughly analyzed
The structure and method of Indic shastras
Credits 2 (L-T-P 2-0-0, Lecture 30 hours)
Why should you attend?
Did you know that India is unique in having a science of how to do scientific enquiry? All Indian sciences follow a standard template that enables the systematic mining of Indic texts. If you know this template you can understand any shastra(Indic sciences) easily. It also helps in artificial intelligence where knowledge representation is crucial.
Course Objectives
To understand the exposition style common to all Indian Shaastras or scientific treatises. This throws light on Bhaaratiiya method of scientific discourse.
Learning Outcomes
- Ability for independent study of Indic shaastra texts to explore contemporary relevance
- Ability to navigate Indic texts for concept search and knowledge mining applications
- Ability to paraphrase Indic shaastra content to novice mainstream-educated audience
Vedic human psychology
Credits 3 (L-T-P 3-0-0, Lecture 45 hours)
Why should you attend?
Who does not want to be happy all the time? But we are constantly surrounded by things that make us unhappy. What is in us that causes grief. Is it the outside circumstance or something in us that responds? Who am I? How Many Grades of Happiness exist? Why do I like some things and do not like others? How to help others in distress?
The answer to all these questions was the central pursuit of India for millenia. India offers the most comprehensive understanding of human nature that is central to all aspects of human life. This course gives you the essence of this knowledge without overwhelming you with the details.
It unifies spirituality, religion, psychology, aesthetics by enunciating their common underlying principles.
Course Objectives
To give a basic understanding of human psychology and the motives of human behavior. To serve as the foundation for all humanities disciplines. This course integrates several western models of psychology with a common taxonomy derived from Vedic perspective. It also introduces a novel Vedic model derived from several Vedic sources including Upanishads, Sankhya-Yoga, Tantra, Bhaagavatam, Jyotisha, Natyashaastra and Mimaamsa.
Learning Outcomes
After completion of this course students will be able to
- Comprehend the basic meaning & nature of western psychology
- Compare and contrast various paradigms of western psychology
- Understand and evaluate various fundamental concepts of Vedic psychology
- Juxtapose western and Vedic understanding of human personality
- Diagnose various psychological issues and create an intervention plan by integrating western and Vedic principles
Scientific thinking
Credits 2 (L-T-P 2-0-0, Lecture 30 hours)
Why should you attend?
Modern-day parents want their children to imbibe scientific thinking and be innovators in whatever area they choose to pursue. However, today’s school education system focuses on informing the findings of science but not the method of scientific thinking and model-based reasoning in a formal way. This course hones three key skills of scientific thinking, namely, abstraction, classification and inference essential to become a creative scientist.
This course introduces India’s science of building scientific models and analyzing the soundness of any theory. It helps one become a discerning scientist and appreciate scientific works better.
Course Objectives
To elucidate the fundamental aspects of knowledge, its creation, its process and the method of scientific inquiry. To introduce the Navya Nyaya approach of model building.
Learning Outcomes
After the completion of this course students will be able to
- Understand Model based reasoning as the method of all scientific inquiry
- Assess the robustness of scientific models according to criteria laid out in Vedic scientific system
- Build robust scientific models for use in simulating real world systems
- Recontextualize Vedic shaastras as scientific models for a contemporary application.
