Indic Wisdom: Bharat Needs to Keep Sanskrit Alive

Suppose, instead of saying ‘Indian languages have a bright future’ I say, ‘if Bharat doesn’t stay alert and awake, then all Indic languages will keep losing their power.’ Of the aforementioned two ways of saying, which way would you prefer to hear? Though, both convey the same message that if we practise and enrich our languages assertively then alone languages will stay alive and powerfully relevant yet, the human mind mostly registers those words quickly which include warnings with negative consequences. Out and out positive sentences attract only highly disciplined mind’s attention? The case of Sanskrit evidently proves it. Sanskrit is such a powerful language yet look what have we done to it?

Science agrees that Sanskrit chants generate positive vibrations. And, we know that positive vibrations are bedrock for human well-being yet how many States in India and how many countries across the world are making efforts to popularise Sanskrit? Endowed with its intrinsic strength, where it could have led the earthlings by now! Yet, look where we have led it?

Which language is more capable in expressing human cognitions and emotions in the most balanced state than Sanskrit? Pronunciation of its every letter (Akshar) is in sync with human frame with such precision and clarity that this attribute of Sanskrit cannot be missed even by any illiterate person. Which other language is so lively and intricately connected to nature that it can make us retrace and relive the experience which flourished in our connection with nature since the beginning of the time? Which other language can tell us our story without missing a single step in our evolutionary journey? Which language can credibly tell us our story of leaving nature’s wisdom inspired evolutionary path behind (before humanity fell into the trap of intellect-heavy road to development)? Which language can tell us with precision how ‘living with nature as part of nature’ is so fundamentally different from considering nature as an outside thing which is meant to be exploited, harnessed and milked to the last drop? Which language introduced to humanity that immortality, infinity and eternity are not imaginary words but real attributes of consciousness? Which language showed humanity the practical path for realising that living beings (at best) are one or the other form of consciousness? Which other language is endowed with such unparalleled grammatical precision?

One wonders how global humanity missed seeing all these attributes of Sanskrit? And, it is worse if it didn’t miss to see yet, chose to ignore Sanskrit’s potential, qualities and virtues. As, when we make the mistake of not valuing something which is innately valuable then it results in the downfall of the values and virtues per se in human society.

And, when values lose their rightful place in human consciousness then our behaviour becomes directionless (vivekheen). And, direction (dishaa) is always an indication/compass of the ensuing future condition (dashaa). When as earthlings our direction is not correct then arriving at our destination safely is not possible. Have we ever thought about how the language that we speak impresses, influences, impacts and attracts us towards one view of life or another? I don’t mean it metaphorically alone. Language is intricately connected with values and virtues.

When instances of denouncing the values and virtues become ubiquitously conspicuous in global civic behaviour then trust begins to erode. Erosion in trust leads to losing the balance between necessity and availability. Availability is a very useful tool/mechanism/system only when there is necessity. But the same thing transforms into a weapon when it is used to maximise mindless consumption. And, it would be misnomer to say that so many things are available, apt description would be to say that everything is available today for a price. But do we need everything all the time? Is it necessary to hoard? It is this human weakness that charlatans exploit in making their way to wield the power unscrupulously and, unethically and amorally amass the profit. George Soros’s open society is a global case in point. When the stock of values and virtues go down then the same market forces, which global humanity shapes for orderly arbitration of human needs and wants, take over society and begin to order its wants camouflaging them in the guise of needs.

Sanskrit teaches us that all unnecessary consumption happens when chitt (conscience) loses trust in parmaarth (ultimate goal) and purushaarth (impacting the change). If there is anything that can stop trust deficit, it is consciousness/awareness/awakening that can put things in their right order of priorities. And, language is the Nimitta (means/medium/conduit) which delivers it. It may sound very commonplace at the surface but the place of language is uncommon in human evolution. Keeping one’s language alive is keeping the indigeneity alive, it is keeping ourselves alive. But keeping Sanskrit alive holds the key to keeping our intimate and inseparable relationship with nature alive. We earthlings may live sustainably, peacefully and prosperously only by exploring our true relationship with nature.

(The writer is the propounder of Sahaj Smriti Yog System of Self Realisation. Founder Darpan Foundation @ Bengaluru, Karnataka and Darpan Ashram@ Urigam, Krishnagiri Distt, Tamil Nādu)