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Introduction
The Masters Degree Program in Sanskrit is twofold: Master of
Arts (MA) and Master of Philosophy (MPhil). The MA program also has two streams: Stream I which consists of course work and a research component and Stream II under which applicants take course work only. In the MPhil
Degree program, all the applicants are required to complete a research
component, which is generally in the form of a research-based thesis, in addition to related course work
as recommended by the applicant's department of study. For more
information, please refer to the current version of the
Postgraduate Prospectus published by the Postgraduate Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Peradeniya.
Please note that the operation of optional courses and the
medium of instruction for all courses depend on the availability
of the teaching faculty and interest of the student. All courses
will generally be available both in English and Sinhala media.
Overview
| SEMESTER ONE | ||
| Course Code | Course Title | Core/ Optional |
| SKT 601 | Research Tools and
Methodology |
Core for MPhil Optional for MA |
| SKT 602 | Sanskrit as a Spoken Tongue | Optional |
| SKT 603 | Buddhist Sanskrit Literature | Optional |
| SKT 604 | Comparative Philology | Optional |
| SKT 605 | History of Vedic Literature | Optional |
| SKT 606 | Sanskrit in Sri Lanka | Optional |
| SKT 607 | Editing and Translating Sanskrit Texts | Optional |
| SKT 608 | Sanskrit works on Arts, Crafts, and Sciences | Optional |
| SKT 609 | Exploring Contemporary Indian Culture | Optional |
| SEMESTER TWO | ||
| SKT 610 | Critical Theories in Sanskrit | Core for MPhil Optional for MA |
| SKT 611 | Sanskrit in Modern Contexts | Optional |
| SKT 612 | History and Doctrines of Hinduism | Optional |
| SKT 613 | Astrological Literature in Sanskrit | Optional |
| SKT 614 | Āyurveda Literature in Sanskrit | Optional |
| SKT 615 | Buddhist Philosophy & Logic in Sanskrit | Optional |
| SKT 616 | Indic Esotericism | Optional |
| SKT 617 | Tool Languages for Indological Studies (Chinese, Classical Tibetan, German, Hindi, Japanese) | Optional |
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MA and MPhil
Curricula
Semester ONE
SKT 601 - Research Tools and Methodology
| Course Code | SKT 601 |
| Course Title | Research Tools and Methodology |
| Aim(s) | The aim of this course is to introduce to the students the methods and tools in conducting research in Sanskrit and in presenting their research findings. |
| Intended Learning Outcome(s) | Upon the completion of this course, the students will be able to identify the methods and tools used in conducting research in humanities with particular emphasis on Indological research, and apply them in thesis and other research paper writing. |
| Course Content | This course covers the following topics: (a) Qualitative and quantitative research methods, (b) Choosing a research area, (c) Literature Survey, (d) Formulating a research problem, (e) Identifying variables/ Constructing hypotheses/ Conceptualizing a research design/ Selecting a Topic and study design, (f) Writing research proposals, (g) Demarcating the scope of research/ Sampling, (h) Data collection, Sorting, Processing and Displaying, (i) How to handle Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Resources, (j) Academic writing: Paraphrasing, Summarizing, Coherence, Register, Punctuations, Avoiding ambiguity and common grammatical pitfalls, Proofreading, writing for non-specialists, (k) How to prepare Bibliographies, appendices, Indices, (l) Research Ethics, (m) Presenting and Discussing Findings, (n) Introduction to manuscriptology and archival science. |
| Recommended Readings | i. Bourdieu, Pierre. 1984.
Distinction: A Social Critique of
the Judgment of Taste. Translated by
Richard Nice. Cambridge, Massachusettes: Harvard
University Press. ii. Dāśa, K. 1992. Elements of research methodology in Sanskrit. Varanasi: Chaukhambha Sanskrit Sansthan. iii. Srimannarayana Murti, M. 1991. Methodology in Indological research. Delhi: Bharatiya Vidya Prakashan. iv. Turabian, K. L. 2007. A manual for writers of research papers, theses, and dissertations: Chicago style for students and researchers. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. v. Lester, J. D. 2005. Writing research papers: a complete guide. New York: Pearson/Longman. vi. Mann, T. 2005. The Oxford guide to library research. New York: Oxford University Press. vii. Bailey, C. A. 2007. A guide to qualitative field research. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Pine Forge Press. viii. Fayerabend, Paul. 1994. Against Method, (3rd Edition) London: Verso Publications. ix. Greetham, D. C. 1995. Scholarly editing: a guide to research. New York: Modern Language Association of America. x. Sarma, K. V. 1993. Research in Sanskrit: a classified guide to reference sources, directories, and bibliographies. Madras: Kuppuswami Sastri Research Institute, Adarsha Sanskrit Shodha Samstha. xi. Stebbins, L. F. 2006. Student guide to research in the digital age: how to locate and evaluate information sources. Westport, Conn.: Libraries Unlimited. xii. Paṇḍā, R. K. 1998. Research in Indology: a new perspective. Delhi: Bharatiya Kala Prakashan. |
SKT 602 - Sanskrit as a Spoken Tongue
| Course Code | SKT 602 |
| Course Title | Sanskrit as a Spoken Tongue |
| Aim(s) | This course aims to provide the students with training in conversational Sanskrit and to introduce them to the modern literature written in it. |
| IIntended Learning Outcome(s) | At the end of the course, the students will be able to converse in Sanskrit and read and understand modern literature written in Sanskrit. |
| Course Content | This course covers the following topics: (a) Lessons of Spoken Sanskrit, (b) Neologisms: new phrases and words, (c) Common styles of sentence formation, (d) Programmes and activities of pioneers and leading institutions that promote spoken Sanskrit in today’s world, (e) Limitations and issues of the usage of conversational Sanskrit, (f) Selected texts from modern literature in conversational Sanskrit. |
| Recommended Readings | i. Viśvāsa, H. R. et al.
2003. Sugandhaḥ Saṃskṛtakathāsaṃgrahaḥ: A
collection of short moral stories written by
various authors. Bangalore: Saṃskṛta
Bhāratī. First published 1986. ii. Viśvāsa, H. R. 2004. Kavikopakalāpaḥ: A collection of nine short plays of Sanskrit. Bangalore: Saṃskṛta Bhāratī. iii. Sambhāṣaṇa Saṃskṛta - 21 VCDs issued by Rāṣṭrīya Saṃskṛta Saṃsthān. New Delhi. iv. Śāstrī, Praśasyamitra. 2001. Āṣāḍhasya Prathamadivase. Ilahābād: Akṣayavaṭa Prakāśana. v. Nakamura, Hajime. 1973. A companion to contemporary Sanskrit. Delhi: Published for the Eastern Institute, Tokyo, by Motilal Banarsidass. vi. Tripāṭhī, Bhāgīrathaprasāda. 2000. Vāgyoga conversational Sanskrit - Sambhāṣaṇīyaṃ Saṃskṛtam. Varanasi: Vāgyoga Chetanāpitham. vii. Krishnamurthy, N. D. 1984. Conversational Sanskrit: a microwave approach. Bangalore: Adarsha Educational and Social Service Trust. viii. Sri Aurobindo Ashram. 2003. Speak Sanskrit: the easy way. Pondicherry: Sanskrit Karyalaya, Sri Aurobindo Ashram. ix. Jagannath, S., and Ganapathi Hegde. 2001. Saṁskṛta bhāṣā bodhinī Sanskrit tutor. Stony Brook, NY: International Multimedia Developers. x. Narendra. 2004. Learn Sanskrit: the natural way. Pondicherry: Sanskrit Karyalaya, Sri Aurobindo Ashram. |
SKT 603 - Buddhist Sanskrit Literature
| Course Code | SKT 603 |
| Course Title | Buddhist Sanskrit Literature |
| Aim(s) | The aim of this course is to introduce to the students the Buddhist literature in hybrid and classical Sanskrit, with special attention to its content, style, and language. |
| Intended Learning Outcome(s) | At the end of the course, the students will be able to demonstrate an advanced knowledge of the Buddhist literature in hybrid and classical Sanskrit, and recognize the distinct features of the content, style, and language of the Buddhist Sanskrit literature. |
| Course Content | This course covers the following topics: (a) History of Buddhist Sanskrit literature, (b) Type of the language and its prominent features, (c) Major concepts developed in the course of the history of Buddhism, (c) Literary merits of Buddhist Sanskrit texts, (d) Selected Textual Studies of major Vaipulya Sūtras and the Bodhicaryāvatāra. |
| Recommended Readings | i. Edgerton, Franklin;
Goetze, Albrecht; Reichardt, Konstantin. 1972 -
1985.
Buddhist hybrid Sanskrit grammar and
dictionary/em>, Vol. I & II. New Haven: Yale
University Press. iii. Nariman, G. K. 1923. Literary history of Sanskrit Buddhism/em>. Bombay: Indian Book Depot. Second impression. iiii. Rahula, Telwatte. 1978. A critical study of the Mahāvastu. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass. iv. Winternitz, M. 1988. The history of Indian literature, Vol. II Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass. v. Mitra, Rājendralāla. 1971. The Sanskrit Buddhist literature of Nepal. Calcutta: Sanskrit Pustak Bhandar. vi. Chandra, Lokesh. 1984. Vaipulya Sūtras and the Tantras. Tibetan and Buddhist Studies. Budapest, Akadémiai Kiadó. vii. Edgerton, Franklin. 2002. Buddhist hybrid Sanskrit reader. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass. First published in 1953. viii. Bhattacharji, Sukumari. 1992. Buddhist hybrid Sanskrit literature/em>. Calcutta: Asiatic Society. iix. Dayal, Har. 1978. The Bodhisattva doctrine in Buddhist Sanskrit literature. New York: S. Weiser. x. Conze, Edward. 1959. Buddhist scriptures. Penguin classics, L88. Harmondsworth, Middlesex: Penguin Books. |
SKT 604 - Comparative Philology
| Course Code | SKT 604 |
| Course Title | Comparative Philology |
| Aim(s) | The aim of this course is to introduce to the students the ways Sanskrit language shaped into its present form through various stages of development, in comparison to other related languages. |
| Intended Learning Outcome(s) | At the end of the course, the students will be able to identify the ways Sanskrit Language formed through various stages of development in comparison to those of other related languages, from the viewpoints of phonology, morphology, and semantics. |
| Course Content | This course covers the following topics: (a) History of Sanskrit language, (b) Phonetic and semantic evolution of Vedic Language into classical Sanskrit, (c) Linguistic distinctions of classical Sanskrit, (d) Phonology and morphology of Sanskrit compared to those of other Indo-European Languages, (d) How comparative philology helps modern studies of Sanskrit. |
| RRecommended Readings | i. McGetchin, Douglas T.,
Peter K. J. Park, and D. R. SarDesai. 2004.
Sanskrit and “orientalism”: Indology and
comparative linguistics in Germany,
1750-1958. New Delhi: Manohar. ii. Bopp, Franz, and Joseph-Daniel Guigniaut. 1974. Analytical comparison of the Sanskrit, Greek, Latin and Teutonic languages, showing the original identity of their grammatical structure. Amsterdam: Benjamins. iii. Bopp, Franz, and H. S. Wilson. 2010. A comparative Grammar of the Sanscrit, Zend, Greek, Latin, Lithuanian, Gothic, German and Sclavonic languages. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.br /> iv. Loch, Jules. 1965. Indo-Aryan from the Vedas to modern times ((ed. Alfred Master). Paris: Adrien-Maisonneuve. v. Burrow, T. 1955. em>The Sanskrit language. London: Faber and Faber. vvi. Ghosh, Batakrishna. 1937. Linguistic introduction to Sanskrit/em>. Linguistic Series - No.1; Indian Research Institute Publications. Calcutta: Indian Research Institution. vvii. Gune, P. D. 1918. An introduction to comparative philology/em>. Poona: Poona Oriental Book House. viii. Watkins, Calvert. 2000. The American heritage dictionary of Indo-European roots. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. ix. Francis, A. W. 1905. IIndo-European ax: axi: axu, A study in ablaut and in word formation. Strasburg: Trubner & Co. x. Gonda, J. 1975. Indo-European linguistics: presented to J. Gonda. His Selected Studies Series, Vol. 1. Leiden: Brill, 1975. |
SKT 605 - History of Vedic Literature
| Course Code | SKT 605 |
| Course Title | History of Vedic Literature |
| Aim(s) | This course aims to provide the students with a broad picture of the Vedic literature up to the post-Vedic period. |
| Intended Learning Outcome(s) | At the end of the course, the students will be able to explain the prominent genres, features, and trends of Vedic literature. |
| Course Content | This course covers the following topics: (a) Chronology of Vedic literature, (b) Composition of literature: Saṃhitā, Brāhmaṇa, Āraṇyaka, Upaniṣad, Śikṣā, Sūtra, Smṛti, (c) Prominent religious, cultural & philosophical concepts in the Vedas, (d) Linguistic peculiarities and literary merits, (e) Evolution of Vedic literature into classical literature through post-Vedic literature, (f) Influence of Vedic literature on classical Sanskrit literature. |
| Recommended Readings | i. Macdonell, A. A. 1917.
A Vedic reader for students/em>. Oxford: Oxford
University Press. iii. Gonda, Jan. 1975. Vedic literature. A history of Indian literature, Vol. 1, Fasc. 1. Wiesbaden: Otto Harrassowitz. iii. Gonda, Jan. 1977. The ritual sūtras. Wiesbaden: Otto Harrassowitz. iv. Bhattacharji, Sukumari. 1984-6. Literature in the Vedic Age. Vol. 1. The Saṃhitās, & Vol. 2, The Brāhmaṇas, Āraṇyakas, Upaniṣads and Vedāṇga Sūtras. Calcutta: K. P. Bagchi & Company. v. Shastri, Gaurinath Bhattacharyya. 1982. A history of Vedic literature. Calcutta: Sanskrit Pustak Bhandar. vi. Chakraborti, Haripada. 1981. Vedic India: political and legal institutions in Vedic literature. Calcutta: Sanskrit Pustak Bhandar. vii. Majumdar, R. C. 1996. The Vedic age. Mumbai: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. viii. Elizarenkova, T.I.A., and Wendy, Doniger. 1995. Language and style of the Vedic Ṛṣis. Albany: State University of New York. ix. Bloomfield, Maurice. 1906. em>A Vedic concordance, being an alphabetic index to every line of every stanza of the published Vedic literature and to the liturgical formulas thereof; that is, an index to the Vedic mantras, together with an account of their variations in the different Vedic books. Cambridge, Mass: Harvard University. x. Bhattacharyya, N. N. 2007. A cultural index to Vedic literature.. New Delhi: Manohar Publishers & Distributors. |
SKT 606 - Sanskrit in Sri Lanka
| Course Code | SKT 606 |
| Course Title | Sanskrit in Sri Lanka |
| Aim(s) | The aim of this course is to provide the students with a detailed knowledge of the usage of Sanskrit in ancient and contemporary Sri Lanka. |
| Intended Learning Outcome(s) | At the end of the course, the students will be able to discuss the usage of Sanskrit language in ancient and contemporary contexts, with particular attention to the applicability of Sanskrit in today’s Sri Lanka. |
| Course Content | This course covers the following topics: (a) Historical Background, (b) Archaeological evidence for Sanskrit usage in ancient Sri Lanka, (c) Literary sources for Sanskrit usage in Sri Lanka, (d) Epigraphic, poetical, medical, astrological and grammatical literature in Sanskrit in Sri Lanka, (e) Majors writers, their works, and literary merits, (f) Aspects of contemporary Sanskrit literature in Sri Lanka, (g) Issues encountered by Sanskrit users in today’s Sri Lanka and possible solutions. |
| Recommended Readings | i. Epigraphia Zeylanica
vol. I-VII. 1912-1927, edited and Translated by
Don Martino De Zilva Wickremasinghe, Published
for the Government of Ceylon by Humphrey
Milford, Oxford University Press, Amen House,
E.C. ii. Paññāsāra, Dehigaspe. 1958. Sanskrit Literature, extant among the Sinhalese and the influence of Sanskrit on Sinhalese. Colombo, Wimaladharma Hewavitarane. iii. Paranavitana, Senarat, and Godakumbura, C. E., ed. trans. 1977. Jānakīharaṇa of Kumāradāsa. Colombo: Sri Lanka Sahitya Mandalaya. iv. Tilakasiri, Jayadeva. 1986. “The influence of Sanskrit poetical motifs and technique on Sinhala poetry”. In: Sanskrit and World Culture. SCHR. pp. 136-142. v. Wijayawardhana, G. D. 1963. The influence of Sanskrit Alaṃkāra Śāstra on early Sinhalese poetry. University of Ceylon, Peradeniya. (Ph.D. Thesis). vi. De Alwis, James. 1870. A descriptive catalogue of Sanskrit, Pali, & Sinhalese literary works of Ceylon. Colombo: W. Skeen, government printer, Ceylon. vii. Jayasuriya, M. H. F. 1988. The Jetavanārāma gold plates: being a fragmentary Sri Lankan recension of the Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra. Kelaniya: University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka. viii. Keith, Arthur Berriedale. 1963. Buddhist philosophy in Indian and Ceylon. Varanasi: Chowkhamba Sanskrit Series Office. ix. Paranavitana, S. 1966. “Ceylon and Śrī Vijaya”. In: Artibus Asiae. Supplementum. 23: pp. 205-212. x. Arunachalam, Ponnambalam. 2004. Polonnaruwa bronzes and Śiva worship and symbolism. New Delhi: Asian Educational Services. |
SKT 607 - Editing & Translating Sanskrit Texts
| Course Code | SKT 607 |
| Course Title | Editing & Translating Sanskrit Texts |
| Aim(s) | This course aims to make the students familiar with the practices of and tools for editing and translating Sanskrit texts. |
| Intended Learning Outcome(s) | At the successful completion of this course, the students will be able to show a substantial understanding of advanced editing and translation practices distinguish common issues in editing and translating Sanskrit texts into Sinhala and English, and solve them. |
| Course Content | This course covers the following topics: (a) Introduction to editing and its major techniques, (b) Text editing tools (c) Translation techniques related to classical texts, (d) Common issues and solutions in practice (e) Tips and methods in translating Sanskrit, (f) Translating for non-specialist audience, (g) Creative Translation, (h) Understanding limitations and peculiarities of target language, (i) Metaphrasing and paraphrasing, (j) Translation criticism. |
| Recommended Readings | i. Tubb, G. A., & Boose, E.
R. 2007. Scholastic Sanskrit: a handbook for
students. New York, American Institute of
Buddhist Studies. ii. Speyer, J. S. 1998. Sanskrit syntax. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass. First published in 1886. iii. Hardwick, L. 2000. Translating words, translating cultures. London, Duckworth. iv. Lianeri, A., & Zajko, V. 2008. Translation and the classic: identity as change in the history of culture. Oxford, Oxford University Press. v. Baker, M. 2005. Routledge encyclopaedia of translation studies. London, Routledge. First Published in 1998. vi. Landers, C. E. 2001. Literary translation a practical guide. Clevedon, UK, Multilingual Matters. vii. Lefevere, A. 1992. Translating literature: practice and theory in a comparative literature context. New York, Modern Language Association of America. viii. Larson, M. L. 2008. Translation theory and practice tension and interdependence. Amsterdam, John Benjamins Pub. Co. ix. Chantler, A., & Dente, C. 2009. Translation practices through language to culture. Amsterdam, Rodopi. x. Sallis, John. 2002. On translation. Bloomington: Indiana University Press. |
SKT 608 - Sanskrit Works on Arts, Crafts and Sciences
| Course Code | SKT 608/ SKT 708 |
| Course Title | Sanskrit Works on Arts, Crafts and Sciences |
| Aim(s) | This course aims to introduce to the students the works on fine arts, crafts, and sciences written in Sanskrit. |
| Intended Learning Outcome(s) | At the end of the course, the students will be able to demonstrate the familiarity with the major Sanskrit works on fine arts, crafts, and sciences recognize them as belonging to a special genre of Sanskrit literature. |
| Course Content | This course covers the following topics: (a) History of technical and scientific literature, (b) Introduction to Vedic & Sanskrit mathematics, (c) Major theories in the works on architecture, sculpture & iconography, (d) Works on astronomy, astrology, music, dance, and painting (e) Study of sections from selected texts on arts, crafts and sciences. |
| Recommended Readings | i. Balachandra Rao, S. 2004.
Indian mathematics and astronomy: some
landmarks. Bangalore, India: Bhavan’s
Gandhi Centre. ii. Boner, A., Rath Śarmā, S., & Bäumer, B. 1982. Vāstusūtra Upaniṣad: the essence of form in sacred art: Sanskrit text, English translation, and notes. Delhi, Motilal Banarsidass. iii. Dagens, Bruno, ed. and trans. 1985. Mayamata: an Indian treatise on housing, architecture, and iconography. New Delhi: Sitaram Bharatia Institute. iv. Datta, Bibhutibhushan, and Singh, Avadhesh Narayan. 1962. History of Hindu mathematics: a source book. 2 vols. Bombay: Asia Publishing House. v. Himasagara, Chandra Murthy. 2008. Rasaśāstra, the mercurial system. Varanasi, India: Chaukhamba Krishnadas Academy. vi. Pingree, David. 1978. “History of mathematical astronomy in India.” In: Dictionary of Scientific Biography. Vol. 15. Edited by Charles C. Gillespie, 533–633. New York: Scribner. vii. Pingree, David. 1981. Jyotiḥśāstra: astral and mathematical literature. A History of Indian Literature 6, Fasc. 4. Wiesbaden, Germany: Harrassowitz. viii. Rahman, Abdur, M. A. Alvi, S. A. Khan Ghori, and K. V. Samba Murthy. 1982. Science and technology in medieval India: A bibliography of source materials in Sanskrit, Arabic, and Persian. New Delhi: Indian National Science Academy. ix. Sarasvati Amma, T. A. 1979. Geometry in ancient and medieval India. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass. x. Wujastyk, D. 2009. Mathematics and medicine in Sanskrit. Delhi, Motilal Banarsidass Publishers. |
SKT 609 - Exploring Contemporary Indian Culture
| Course Code | SKT 609 |
| Course Title | Exploring Contemporary Indian Culture |
| Aim(s) | The aim of this course is to provide the students with a broad picture of contemporary Indian culture and thereby encourage modern Indian studies related to Indology. |
| Intended Learning Outcome(s) | At the end of the course, the students will be able to describe the features of the contemporary Indian culture, its values, and boundaries, as an initial approach to in-depth studies in Indology in modern contexts, from the viewpoints of anthropology, sociology and cultural studies through literature and media. |
| Course Content | This course covers the following topics: (a) Religions, Cults, and beliefs (b) Social Strata, Social institutions, and Caste, (c) Gender Identity and diversity (d) Customs, folklore, and mythology, (e) Festivals and performances, (f) Taboos, mores and laws. |
| Recommended Readings | i. Guha, R. 2011. Makers
of modern India. Cambridge, Mass, The
Belknap Press of Harvard University Press. ii. Corbridge, S., Harriss, J., & Jeffrey, C. 2013. India today: economy, politics and society. Cambridge, UK, Polity Press. iii. Kapur, A. 2012. India becoming: a portrait of life in modern India. New York, Riverhead Books. iv. Jahanbegloo, R., & Thapar, R. 2008. India revisited: conversations on contemporary India. New Delhi, Oxford University Press. v. Shah, G. 2006. Untouchability in rural India. New Delhi, Sage Publications. vi. Raman, S. A. 2009. Women in India: a social and cultural history. Santa Barbara, Calif, Praeger. vii. Rothermund, D. 2008. India: the rise of an Asian giant. New Haven [Conn.], Yale University Press. viii. Bayly, S. 1999. Caste, society and politics in India from the eighteenth century to the modern age. New York, Cambridge University Press. ix. Nanda, S. 1990. Neither man nor woman: the Hijras of India. Belmont, California, Wadsworth Pub. Co. x. Sathyamurthy, T. V. 1996. Region, religion, caste, gender and culture in contemporary India. Delhi: Oxford University Press. |
Semester TWO
SKT 610 - Critical Theories in Sanskrit
| Course Code | SKT 610 |
| Course Title | Critical Theories in Sanskrit |
| Aim(s) | The aim of this course is to introduce to the students the theories of criticism in the genres of philosophy, language, fine arts, and literature. |
| Intended Learning Outcome(s) | Upon the successful completion of the course, the students will be able to distinguish and explain the types, tools, and language of argumentation used by various schools of learning in the genres of philosophy, language, fine arts, and literature. |
| Course Content | This course covers the following topics: (a) Introduction to logic and reasoning (tarkaśāstra), (a) Introduction to philosophy of language and semantics, (b) Major schools of literary, dramatic and music criticism and their fundamental theories, (c) Language and style of criticism, (d) Forms of dialectics: Pūrvapakṣa (reasons contra), Uttarapakṣa (reasons pro) and Siddhānta (conclusion), (e) Study of selected texts, (f) Comparison of Indic theories with theories of criticism outside India. |
| Recommended Readings | i. Chari, V. K., 1990.
Sanskrit criticism. Honolulu, University of
Hawaii Press. ii. Dalai, B. K., 2007. Studies in Indian linguistics. Delhi: Bharatiya Kala Prakashan. iii. Matilal, B. K., 1990. The word and the world: Indiaʼs contribution to the study of language. Delhi; New York: Oxford University Press. iv. Ganeri, J., 2006. Artha - Meaning: testimony and the theory of meaning in Indian philosophical analysis. New Delhi; Oxford: Oxford University Press. v. Dwivedi, R. C., 1969. Principles of literary criticism in Sanskrit. Department of Sanskrit, University of Udaipur. vi. Sankaran, A., 1973. Some aspects of literary criticism in Sanskrit; or the theories of rasa and dhvani. New Delhi, Oriental Books Reprint Corp. vii. De, S. K., 1963. Sanskrit poetics as a study of aesthetic. Berkeley, University of California Press. viii. Shastri, M. C., 1986. Buddhistic contribution to Sanskrit poetics. Delhi: Parimal Publications. ix. Haney, W. S., 1993. Literary theory and Sanskrit poetics: language, consciousness, and meaning. Lewiston: Edwin Mellen Press. x. Kulkarni, V. M., 1983. Studies in Sanskrit sāhitya-śāstra: a collection of selected papers relating to Sanskrit poetics and aesthetics. Patan: B.L. Institute of Indology. |
SKT 611 - Sanskrit in Modern Contexts
| Course Code | SKT 611 |
| Course Title | Sanskrit in Modern Contexts |
| Aim(s) | This course aims to introduce to the students how Sanskrit language is utilized in different contexts and genres today. |
| Intended Learning Outcome(s) | At the end of the course, the students would become able to express the applicability of Sanskrit in the contemporary social, cultural, educational, and religious contexts and thereby recognize its modern applications. |
| Course Content | This course covers the following topics: (a) Sanskrit in modern literature, (b) Sanskrit in theatre, cinema, and television, (c) Social media and Sanskrit knowledge systems, (d) Contemporary scholarly assemblies (vidvatsabhā), traditional examinations (e.g. Śalākāparīkṣā) etc. (e) Computational linguistics and Sanskrit, (e) Modern trends in the usage of Sanskrit, (f) Contemporary scholarship in Sanskrit (scholars, conferences, journals, summer schools, workshops, current research projects and funding sources, issues and limitations etc.). |
| Recommended Readings | i. Shukla, H. L. 2002.
Modern Sanskrit literature. Delhi: New
Bharatiya Book Cooperation. ii. Chattopadhyay, R., & Banerjee, M. 2004. Modern Sanskrit literature: some observations. Kolkata: Sanskrit Pustak Bhandar. iii. Raghunāthācārya, E. B. 2002. Modern Sanskrit literature, tradition & innovations. New Delhi: Sahitya Akademi. iv. Dikshita, S. 1995. Sanskrit as a modern language. Puri: Sanskrit Academy of Research for Advanced Society through Vedic and Allied Tradition of India. v. Sastri, S. 2007. Sanskrit studies: new perspectives. Delhi: Yash Publications. vi. PAUWELS, H. R. M. 2007. Indian literature and popular cinema: recasting classics. London [u.a.]: Routledge. vii. Huet, G., Kulkarni, A. P., & Scharf, P. 2009. Sanskrit computational linguistics. Berlin, Springer. viii. Pauwels, H. R. M. 2008. The goddess as role model: Sītā and Rādhā in scripture and on screen. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ix. Pollock, S. I. 2006. The language of the gods in the world of men: Sanskrit, culture, and power in premodern India. Berkeley: University of California Press. x. Houben, J. E. M. 1996. Ideology and status of Sanskrit: contributions to the history of the Sanskrit language. Leiden: E.J. Brill. |
SKT 612 - History and the Doctrines of Hinduism
| Course Code | SKT 612 |
| Course Title | History and the Doctrines of Hinduism |
| Aim(s) | The aim of this course is to provide the students with a broad picture of the history of Hinduism and introduce to them its key concepts and doctrines. |
| Intended Learning Outcome(s) | At the end of the course, the students will be able to explain the concepts and practices of Hinduism and how Hinduism developed as a principal religion of many Indian communities. |
| Course Content | This course covers the following topics: (a) Roots of Hinduism in Vedic literature, (b) Development of Hinduism as a Religion, (c) Philosophical elements of Hinduism and their evolution, (e) Different Sects of Hinduism (Vaiṣṇavism, Śaivism, Smārtism, Śāktaism, etc.), (c) Principles of Hinduism, (d) Influence of Hinduism on other religions in India, (f) Role of Hinduism in contemporary India and beyond. |
| Recommended Readings | i. Glucklich, Ariel. 2008.
The strides of Vishnu: Hindu culture in
historical perspective. New York: Oxford
University Press. ii. Lipner, Julius. 2004. “On Hinduism and Hinduisms: The way of the Banyan.” In: The Hindu World. Edited by Sushil Mittal and Gene Thursby, 9–36. New York and London: Routledge. iii. Llewellyn, John E., ed. 2006. Defining Hinduism: A Reader. New York and London: Routledge. iv. Marshall, P. J. 1970. The British discovery of Hinduism in the eighteenth century. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. v. Dalmia, Vasudha, and Heinrich von Stietencron, eds. 1995. Representing Hinduism: The construction of religious traditions and national identity. New Delhi: SAGE. vi. Frykenberg, Robert. 1989. “The emergence of modern ‘Hinduism’ as a concept and as an institution: A reappraisal with special reference to South India.” In: Hinduism Reconsidered. Edited by Günther D. Sontheimer and Hermann Kulke, 29–49, New Delhi: Manohar. vii. Thapar, Romila. 1989. “Imagined religious communities? Ancient history and the modern search for a Hindu identity.” Modern Asian Studies 23: 209–231. viii. von Stietencron, Heinrich. 1989. “Hinduism: On the proper use of a deceptive term.” In: Hinduism Reconsidered. Edited by Gunther D. Sontheimer and Hermann Kulke, 11–27. New Delhi: Manohar. ix. Duara, Prasenjit. 1991. “The new politics of Hinduism.” Wilson Quarterly 15.3 42–50. x. Larson, Gerald. 1995. India’s agony over religion. Albany: State University of New York Press. |
SKT 613 - Astrological Literature in Sanskrit
| Course Code | SKT 613 |
| Course Title | Astrological Literature in Sanskrit |
| Aim(s) | This course introduces to the students the astrological literature written in Sanskrit. |
| Intended Learning Outcome(s) | At the end of the course, the students would be able to detail out major astrological theories and apply them. |
| Course Content | This course covers the following topics: (a) History of the astrological literature in Sanskrit, (b) Major schools of Indian astrology and their founders, (c) Development and expansion of the astrological literature, (d) Principle concepts of astrology, (e) Terminology of astrology, (f) Contribution of the astrological literature towards the development of astrology as a practical science. |
| Recommended Readings | i. Pingree, David. 1981.
Jyotiḥśāstra, astral and mathematical literature,
A History of Indian Literature, ed. Jan Gonda,
Vol. VI, Fasc. 4. Wiesbaden: Otto Harrassowitz.
ii. Carter, E. O. Charles. 1981. The astrological aspects. Romford, Essex: L.N. Fowler. iii. Saraswathy, K.N. and Ardhanareeswaran, B. 1978. Bṛhat Jātaka or A treatise on Hindu predictive astrology. Kadalangudi centenary astrological book series, 5. Madras, Kadalangudi House. iv. Carter, Charles E. O. 1983. The principles of astrology. Wheaton, Ill: Theosophical Pub. House. v. Macheike, L. 1964. Astrology. London: Aldus Books. vi. Raman, B. V. 1943. Astrology for beginners. Bangalore: Raman Publications. vii. Burnett, Charles, ed. 2004. Studies in the history of the exact sciences in honour of David Pingree. Leiden: Brill. viii. Sarma, Sreeramula Rajeswara. 2008. The archaic and the exotic: studies in the history of Indian astronomical instruments. New Delhi: Manohar. ix. Saraswathy, K. N. and Ardhanareeswaran, B. 1978. Aṅgavidyā: or instant astrological forecast. Kadalangudi centenary astrological book series, 3. Madras: Kadalangudi House. x. Dikshit, Sankar Balakrishna. 1969. English translation of Bhāratīyajyotiḥśāstra: (history of Indian astronomy). Delhi: Manager of Publications. |
SKT 614 - Āyurveda Literature in Sanskrit
| Course Code | SKT 614 |
| Course Title | Āyurveda Literature in Sanskrit |
| Aim(s) | This course aims to introduce to the students the Āyurveda literature in Sanskrit. |
| Intended Learning Outcome(s) | Upon the completion of this course, the students will be able to identify Sanskrit texts on Āyurveda with their contents, and assess major major Āyurvedic concepts and practices. |
| Course Content | This course covers the following topics: (a) Origin of Āyurveda (b) Major traditions of Āyurveda and their histories, (c) Philosophical background of Āyurveda, (d) Terminology and notable features of the language used, (e) Forms and contents of the works in Āyurveda Literature, (f) Textual Studies of selected works. |
| Recommended Readings | i. Aṣṭāṅgahṛdayasaṁhitā
with Arunadatta’s commentary, ed. by A.M.
Kunte, 1880. Bombay. ii. Bhesajjamañjūsā (Chapters 1-18), ed: Jinadasa Liyanaratne, 1996, Oxford: Pali Text Society. iii. Carakasaṃhitā, (with Cakrapāṇidatta’s Āyurvedadīpikā), ed. J.T. Acarya, 1967. Varanasi. iv. Suśrutasaṁhitā with Nibandhasangraha Commentary of Sri Dalhanacarya, ed. J. T. Acarya, 1968. Varanasi. v. Haldar, J.R., 1977. Medical Science in Pali Literature, Calcutta. vi. Jolly, Julius. 1970. Indian Medicine, Delhi: Mushiram Manoharlal. vii. Karambelkar, V.W. 1961. The Atharvaveda and the Ayurveda, Nagpur: n.p. viii. Leslie, Charles, 1998. Asian Medical Systems: A comparative Study. Delhi: Motilal Banarasidass. ix. Liyanaratne, Jinadasa, 1999. Buddhism and Traditional Medicine in Sri Lanka. Kelaniya: Kelaniya University Press. x. Meulenbeld, Jan. and Dominik Wujastyk, 2001. Studies on Indian Medical History. Delhi: Motilal Banarasidass (Reprint). |
SKT 615 - Buddhist Philosophy and Logic in Sanskrit
| Course Code | SKT 615 |
| Course Title | Buddhist Philosophy and Logic in Sanskrit |
| Aim(s) | The aim of this course is to introduce to the students the literature of Buddhist philosophy and logic written in Sanskrit. |
| Intended Learning Outcome(s) | At the end of the course, the students will be able to explain major arguments and theories of Buddhist philosophy and logic in the texts written in Sanskrit recognize that literature as a special genre of philosophical literature. |
| Course Content | This course covers the following topics: (a) History of Buddhist logic, (b) Fundamental theories (Catuskoṭi, Apoha, Śūnyatā etc.) (c) Major schools, their philosophers and logicians (Vasubandhu, Diṅnāga, Asaṅga, Nāgārjuna, Dharmakīrti, Kamalaśīla, Śāntarakṣita etc.), (d) Influence of Buddhist logic and philosophy upon other systems. |
| Recommended Readings | i. Boquist, Åke. 1993.
Trisvabhāva: A study of the development of the
three-Nature-Theory in Yogācāra Buddhism.
Lund, Sweden: University of Lund. ii. Ganeri, J., 2001. Philosophy in classical India. New York: Routledge. iii. Hattori, M. 1968. Dignāga on Perception. Being the Pratyakṣapariccheda of Dignāga's Pramāṇasamuccaya. Harvard Oriental Series 47. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. iv. Jayatilleke, K. N. 1963. Early Buddhist theory of knowledge. London: G. Allen & Unwin. v. Kalupahana, David J. 1976. Buddhist philosophy: A historical analysis. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press. vi. Kalupahana, David J. 1992. A history of Buddhist philosophy: continuities and discontinuities. Honolulu: University of Hawai‘i Press. vii. Matilal, B. K., 1971, Epistemology, Logic, and Grammar in Indian Philosophical Analysis. Series Minor 111. The Hague: Mouton and Co. viii. Matilal, Bimal Krishna. 1986. Buddhist logic and epistemology: Studies in the Buddhist Analysis of Inference and Language. Boston: Reidel. ix. Stcherbatsky, Th. 1992. Buddhist logic. Two Volumes. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass. First published in 1930-32 by Academy of the Sciences of the USSR, Leningrad. x. Von Rospatt, Alexander. 1995. The Buddhist doctrine of momentariness: a survey of the origins and the early phase of this doctrine up to Vasubandhu. Stuttgart, Germany: Franz Steiner Verlag. |
SKT 616 - Indic Esotericism
| Course Code | SKT 616 |
| Course Title | Indic Esotericism |
| Aim(s) | This course aims to provide the students with a broad picture of the esoteric literature in Sanskrit. |
| Intended Learning Outcome(s) | At the end of the course, the students will be able to demonstrate a primary knowledge of the literature on esoteric practices from Vedic period up to the present time. |
| Course Content | This course covers the following topics: (a) Vedic ritualistic literature, (b) Tantric literature, (c) Esoteric Buddhism in Sanskrit, (d) Mantra and rituals outside scriptural contexts etc., (e) Demonology (Grahacikitsā / Bhūtavidyā) in Āyurveda and other genres, (f) domestic esoteric rites. |
| Recommended Readings | i. Davidson, Ronald M. 2002.
Indian esoteric Buddhism: A social history
of the tantric movement. New York: Columbia
University Press. ii. Davis, Richard H. 1992. “Becoming a Śiva, and acting as one in Śaiva worship.” In: Ritual and Speculation in Early Tantrism: Studies in Honor of André Padoux. Edited by Teun Goudriaan, 107–119. Albany: State University of New York Press. iii. Flood, Gavin. 1996. “Śaiva and Tantric Religion.” In: An Introduction to Hinduism. Ed. Gavin Flood, 148–173. New York: Cambridge University Press. iv. Goodall, Dominic. 2004. The Parākhyatantra. A scripture of the Śaiva siddhānta. Pondicherry: Institut Français de Pondichéry. v. Padoux, André. 1987. “Tantrism: An Overview.” In: Encyclopedia of Religion. Vol. 14. Ed. Mircea Eliade, 272–274. New York: Macmillan. vi. Sanderson, Alexis. 2007. “The Śaiva exegesis of Kashmir.” In: Tantric Studies in Memory of Hélène Brunner. Ed. Dominic Goodall and André Padoux, 231–443. Pondicherry: Institut Français de Pondichéry. vii. Smith, Frederick M. 2006. The self-possessed deity and spirit possession in South Asian literature and civilization. New York: Columbia University Press. viii. Urban, Hugh B. 2003. Tantra: sex, secrecy, politics, and power in the study of religion. Berkeley: University of California Press. ix. White, David Gordon, ed. 2000. Tantra in Practice. Princeton Readings in Religions. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. x. White, David Gordon. 2003. Kiss of the Yoginī: “Tantric Sex” in its South Asian contexts. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. |
SKT 617 - Tool Languages for Indological Studies (Hindi, German, Japanese, Chinese, Classical Tibetan)
| Course Code | SKT 617 |
| Course Title | Tool Languages for Indological Studies ( Hindi, German, Japanese, Chinese, Classical Tibetan) |
| Aim(s) | The aim of this course is to introduce to the students the tool languages required for advanced studies in special branches of Indology. |
| Intended Learning Outcome(s) | On successful completion of the course, the students will be able to demonstrate basic competency in the selected tool language, and describe the literature literature written in it. |
| Course Content | This course covers the
following topics: (a) Alphabet and characters
(where relevant), (b) Basic grammar, (c) Common
phrases and terms including pertinent
terminologies, (d) Introduction to literature on
Indology written in the selected language, (d)
Selected texts from relevant readers/
chrestomathies. [The language(s) offered in a particular academic year can be tailored to students’ preferences and determined on the availability of teaching faculty.] |
| Recommended Readings | i. Preston, Craig. 2003.
How to read classical Tibetan. 1, 1.
Ithaca, NY: Snow Lion Publ. ii. Tibetan Language Institute (Hamilton, U.S.). 2002. Introduction to Tibetan language. Hamilton, MT: Tibetan Language Institute. iii. Tōkyō kokusai nihongo gakuin. 2012. Minna no nihongo. Shokyū I. Tōkyō: Surīēnettowāku. iv. Hughes, Mamori, and Suzanne McQuade. 2011. Essential Japanese. New York: Living Language. v. Collins easy learning German dictionary. 2008. London: Collins. vi. Durrell, Martin, Katrin M. Kohl, and Gudrun Loftus. 2002. Essential German grammar. New York: McGraw-Hill. vii. Abraham, Wendy. 2005. Chinese for dummies. Indianapolis, Ind: Wiley Pub. viii. Ross, Claudia, Jing-heng Sheng Ma, and Baozhang He. 2006. Modern Mandarin Chinese grammar workbook. London: Routledge. ix. Taneja, Sonia. 2012. Practice Makes Perfect Basic Hindi. McGraw-Hill Companies. x. Delacy, Richard, and Sudha Joshi. 2009. Elementary Hindi: an introduction to the language. North Clarendon, Vt: Tuttle Pub. |
