Sanskrit, an ancient Indian language, has a rich history. Many basic scientific and mathematical concepts were first introduced in Sanskrit writings. Sanskrit has recently gained popularity in India and around the world.
Sanskrit has a vast academic history that goes back thousands of years.
In reality, Sanskrit writings were the first to describe many significant scientific and mathematical ideas. Former Indian President Pranab Mukherjee stated in 2016 that many major scientific publications were written in Sanskrit, emphasizing the significance of conserving and promoting this ancient language.
For example, the concept of zero was initially described in the Brahmi numbers of ancient India, which were written in Sanskrit. The decimal system was a significant scientific advance in ancient mathematics, and many believe it to be the greatest revolutionary achievement of its time.
The relevance of the decimal system can be seen in the restrictions of the Roman numeral system, where expressing a number as large as one million would need writing the letter “M” 1,000 times. Thanks to Sanskrit, we just need to write the number 1 followed by six zeros for one million.
Additionally, the “Sulba Sutras” contain the first recorded description of the Pythagorean theorem. The “Aryabhatiya,” written by Aryabhat. Aryabhat also estimated the value of pie as 3.14, and his work was later copied by the Greeks and Arabs.
Sanskrit has a long1 medicinal legacy. The ‘Charaka Samhita,’ a Sanskrit medical literature, explains human anatomy, pathology, and how to diagnose and treat various ailments. This literature is still studied by Ayurvedic practitioners today, and it has influenced the development of modern medical practices.
Sanskrit has also influenced the evolution of philosophical ideas. The “Upanishads,” an ancient Sanskrit text collection, provide a comprehensive explanation of the nature of reality and the human situation.
In recent years, there has been an increased interest in integrating conventional knowledge systems. PM Narendra Modi has spoken on the role of Sanskrit in the evolution of Indian scientific thought, emphasizing the importance of merging Sanskrit with modern science and technology.
How precisely may we incorporate Sanskrit into our daily lives?
In recent years, there has been an increased interest in employing Sanskrit for modern applications. For example, a team of scholars from India, the United States, and Germany recently began the “Sanskrit Computational Linguistics” project, which seeks to create Sanskrit natural language processing tools.
The study focuses on Sanskrit’s potential for usage in modern computational systems and artificial intelligence.
In reality, the Government of India is aggressively supporting Sanskrit. In 2016, the Indian government founded the Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan, a university-level institution that encourages Sanskrit study and research. The institution offers undergraduate and postgraduate Sanskrit courses, as well as research programs in a wide range of subjects.
And it’s not limited to Indian academics. Sanskrit is being used all across the world. In 2019, the Indian government announced the establishment of a Sanskrit Chair at the University of Lisbon in Portugal.
The chair’s role is to encourage Sanskrit studies as part of a larger initiative to promote Indian culture and languages in Europe. By incorporating Sanskrit into academia, the Indian government not only helps to preserve this ancient language and its rich scientific and cultural history, but it also uses it as political soft power in bilateral ties and geopolitical strategies.
It is worth emphasizing that India was once the world leader in science, and Sanskrit played a significant role in this. To study with Indians at Taxila and Nalanda, scholars from China and Arabia would travel to India.
As we move forward, it is vital to appreciate the significance of Sanskrit and its contribution to the advancement of modern technology.
