Sanskrit for Beginners
Summary Description
The beginners course enables the student to experience the beauty and divinity of the language creating a desire and passion to explore it further. Starting with spoken Samkritam to reading, writing and progressing to understanding the basics of grammar, vocabulary, slokas, riddles, Introduction to Sanskrit Literature etc.
Course Entry Prerequisites
None. Designed for anyone with no or very little knowledge of Sanskrit and
Devanagari script.
The course is intensive and requires commitment to attend classes regularly. Requires self study and practice. If classes are missed then the onus is on the students to catch up before the next class/classes. Please ensure you do meet the Course requirements (see below) before registering.
Note: Session recordings are only available for the last six sessions.
Duration and Timings
- Course commences from the second week of September.
- One year duration, likely to end in August, with exam in September conducted by Samskrita Bharati, UK
- Mondays & Wednesdays 7.45-9.15pm UK, Zoom-based
Course Content
Course is split into two segments
Sambhashanam – September 2026 to December 2026:
Focussing on day to day spoken Sanskrit and basics of Devanagari script with transliteration. Learn to read and write in Devanagari script with transliteration: alphabets – vowels, consonants, joining consonants and vowels, conjunct consonants.
Pravesha – January 2027 to August 2027:
We will follow the book Pravesha by Samskrita Bharati, UK. Praveśa course is normally for beginners and broadly covers the following topics:
- Consonants and vowels (Svarāḥ & Vyañjanāni)
- Devanāgarī lipi
- Nouns i.e. Nāmapadāni (usage across all 8 vibhaktis, including specific rules pertaining to each vibhakti)
- Pronouns i.e. Sarvanāma śabdāḥ
- Grammatical numbers (vacanam), Grammatical genders (linga) and grammatical person (puruṣa).
- Verbs i.e. Kriyāpadāni
- Parasmaipadi & Ātmanepadi dhātus
- Introduction to tenses & moods – Laṭ, Laṅ, Lṛṭ, Loṭ
- Sakarmaka/Akarmaka dhatus
- Kartarī prayoga
- Affixes i.e. Pratyayāḥ – ktavatu, ktvā, lyap, tumun & lyuṭ
- Bhāvadyotaka śabdāḥ
- Using Numbers (Saṅkhyā-śabdāḥ)
- Telling Time (Samaya-śabdāḥ)
- Asking questions (Sapta kakārāḥ)
- Avyayas
- Poetry i.e. Ślokāḥ
- Verses of wisdom i.e. Subhāṣitāni
- Riddles i.e. Prahelikāḥ
- Stories i.e. kathāḥ
- Introduction to literature i.e. saṃskṛta-vāṅmayas
- Daily spoken sanskrit usage i.e. vyāvahārika-śabdāḥ
Course Outcomes
Students will be equipped with the introductory tools to continue their further learning of Sanskrit language and literature. They may choose to progress their Sanskrit studies via:
- Samskrita Bharati UK offerings
- Other alternative organisations’ offerings
Course Requirements
The medium of instruction is English and Sanskrit.
All communication is via email (Gmail) and WhatsApp using Internet-links to course resources. Hence, students must be capable of using these.
Students will need to be committed and ensure that they have the time to attend all classes (up to 3 hrs per week) and do additional self-study and homework, approximately 3 – 4 hrs per week.
Course Costs
There is no Course Fee. All teaching and administration is on a purely voluntary basis. However, students may make a voluntary contribution to Sanskrut Bhakti to cover their essential administration costs e.g. Zoom, Google Drive etc. Details will be provided at the start of the course.
Online free learning resources are used wherever possible, however, students are required to purchase additional hard copy books, costing approximately £25-30, which will be used for the course.