World Sanskrit Day is an annual celebration observed on the day of Shravan Poornima. The day marks the importance of the ancient Sanskrit language. This year, the day, also known as Vishva Samskrita Dinam or Samkrita Bharati, will be celebrated on August 31. Sanskrit is also known as the Dev Vani, as many holy Hindu scriptures have been written in it.
World Sanskrit Day 2023: History
The Ministry of Education declared World Sanskrit Day back in 1969 on the occasion of Shraavana Poornima. It is said that Sanskrit belongs to the Indo-Germanic or Indo-Aryan family of languages that are around 3,500 years old. This makes the Sanskrit language one of the oldest in the world.
Panini, a Sanskrit linguist, who wrote the Sanskrit grammar guide named the Ashtadhyayi, was a beacon for the world in understanding spoken Sanskrit. On the day of World Sanskrit Day in India, Panini is remembered and honoured for his contribution to this ancient language. Several events for writers and students are also conducted across the country to celebrate this day.
World Sanskrit Day 2023: Significance
Despite Sanskrit being one of the most sacred and ancient languages in the world, it is not widely spoken. This creates a fear of its extinction amongst linguists. World Sanskrit Day is celebrated to raise awareness and respect for India's most ancient language.
The importance of Sanskrit could also be understood in words derived from it for other languages. Even in widely spoken English, numerous common words are directly or indirectly rooted in Sanskrit. Here are some such English words that have been derived from the Sanskrit language.
Mother is derived from the Sanskrit word “maatr”
Father is derived from the Sanskrit word “pitr”
Three is from the Sanskrit word “tri”
Penta is derived from “panch”
Seven is from “sapta”
Eight is derived from the word “ashta”
Grass is derived from the Sanskrit word “ghaasa”
Jungle is from the word “jangala”
Cow is derived from “gau”
Mouse is derived from “muusha”
However, the above-mentioned words are just some commonly used English words derived from Sanskrit. Besides these, there are many such words in English and other languages linked to Sanskrit.
(Edited by : Sudarsanan Mani)
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