Department of Samskrit Language and Literature

विना वेदं विना गीतां विना रामायणीकथां ।
विना कविं कालिदासं भारतं भा रतं नहि ॥

Sanskrit literature is as vast as the human life. There are four aims of human life which are called Purusharthas. They are Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha. Dharma stands for the duties and responsibilities of man. Artha communicates the monetary necessities, Karma stands for the human desires of all types and Moksha is freedom from birth and re-birth and worldly involvement. Any and every literature surrounds these four aims of human life. Sanskrit literature first of all presents Vedas which are the basis for Dharma.

Sanskrit is an ancient and classical language of India in which ever first book of the world Rigveda was compiled. The Vedas are dated by different scholars from 6500 B.C. to 1500 B.C. Sanskrit language must have evolved to its expressive capability prior to that. It is presumed that the language used in Vedas was prevalent in the form of different dialects. It was to some extent different from the present Sanskrit. It is termed as Vedic Sanskrit. Each Veda had its book of grammar known as Pratishakhya. The Pratishakhyas explained the forms of the words and other grammatical points. Later, so many schools of grammar developed. During this period a vast literature -Vedas, Brahmana-Granthas, Aranyakas, Upanishads and Vedangas had come to existence which could be termed as Vedic Literature being written in Vedic Sanskrit.

Valmiki was first to write the worldly poetry; Loka – Kavya. He wrote the Ramayana the great-epic which had the great impact on the later literature. Even today the latest poetry is written on the line of Valmiki. The Ramayana was written in 500BC. The second epic Mahabharata was written by Krishanadwaipayana Vyasa which is known as encyclopedia of knowledge. Later the Poets like Kalidasa, Ashvaghosa contributed considerably during the Gupta period. Bharavi, Bhatti, Kumardasa and Magha – all wrote Mahakaavyas. Harishena and Vatsabhatti were also prominent writers. Some other divisions of the classical literature and some names of the classical writers are: Kalhan and Bilhan in the field of historical Kavyas :Bhartrihari, Amaruka, Bilhana, Jayadeva, Somadeva etc. are famous as lyric poets. The Brihatkatha, Romantic and Didactic Fables, erotic poetry, champu kavyas, works on poetics and anthologies, gnomic and didactic poetry etc. form an unparalled part of Sanskrit literature.

The Department of Sanskrit Language and Literature aims to train students who are oriented towards research and teaching in advanced areas of Literature and Literary Criticism linguistics, as well as Indian knowledge systems both of contemporary Indian reality and contemporary western thought. Department is playing a vital role in research in Indian traditions of thought in the systems of Sanskrit Literature, linguistics, literary criticism. Department offers P.G. ,Mphil.,Phd, P.G. Diploma on Sanskrit Literature, P.G. Diploma and Diploma on Yoga, Certificate on Sanskrit. The objectives are sought to be achieved by training students and researchers through best practices in teaching, learning and evaluation process and through week-end Seminars, group discussions and use of ICT in teaching. General studies for competitive examination and coaching for NET/JRF are also provided.

The Faculty members have participated and Presented Research Papers in National and International level including 16th World Sanskrit Conference, Thailand, 17th World Sanskrit Conference, Vancouver Canada.

Objectives

Objectives of the Department:

  • To promote the study of the Sanskrit language and literature generally as a means of preserving and popularizing for the benefit of the students in particular and of the nation at large in general.
  • The best thought and culture of the Sanskrit and all that was good and great in the ancient civilization of India
  • To build capacity of well rounded faculty through Innovative Pedagogy, Training, Research 
  • To promote learning and research generally in Arts and specially in all branches like.. Manuscriptology and   yoga .
  • To promote the building up of character in youth by Language and Ethics as an integral part of education.
Post-graduate Program in Sanskrit 2 years
Certificate / Diploma courses in Sanskrit Literature 6 months / 1 year
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Prof. V Girishchandra

Professor, Dean – Language Faculty

Dean, Language Faculty Director, Karnataka Samskrit University, Bangalore

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Prof. C. Palaiah

Professor, H.O.D& Director

Karnataka Samskrit University, Bangalore

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Dr. Krishna V.Joshi

Assistant Professor

M-9448124207, e-mail – kkvj2007@gmail.com
*Current Position : Assistant Professor,(Since Nov 2013) Dept.of Language and Literature, Karnataka Sanskrit University, Bengaluru.
*Director : College Development Council (C.D.C) at K.S.U.(From 2023).
* Research Interests : Sanskrit & Prakrit Literature and Yoga Darshana.
* Ph.D. - Ayurvedeeya Subhashitani – A critical study, Karnataka University, Dharwad, Karnataka, 2008.
* M.A. in Sanskrit (2003) and Prakrit (2007) Karnataka University, Dharwad, Karnataka
* Vidwat – Nyaya (2004) and Vedanta (2001), Karnataka Education Board, Bangalore.
* Positions held in the past :
-> Served as Principal In M.D.V. Sanskrit College, Gokarna, from 2015 to 2021.
->Served as lecturer in Karnataka College from 2005 to 2013.
* Teaching Experience : Courses taught at Post-Graduate and Doctoral level-
-> Sanskrit Literature
-> Prakrit Literature
-> Yoga Darshana
-> Alankara Shastra
* Guide-ship (Mentoring): Many students awarded/pursuing for Ph.D/M.phil (Since 2014).
* Book : More than Eight books Published.
* Article: More than 20 articles published
* Member : B.O.S and B.O.E., A.I.O.C. Pune, etc.
* Presented several research papers in various National & International conferences and workshops.

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Dr. Jayarevanna M V

Assistant Professor

Karnataka Samskrit University, Bangalore.