Here’s what candidates can do:aWorld Sanskrit Day: Honoring Sanskrit’s timeless legacy

Sanskrit is more than just an ancient language. It is a timeless thread that weaves together India’s spiritual traditions, scientific thought, classical literature, and philosophical inquiry.

A language beyond time

Sanskrit is one of the oldest known languages in human history, with a lineage dating back more than 3,000 years. It forms the basis of most classical Indian knowledge systems — from the Vedas and Upanishads to Ayurveda, yoga, mathematics, astronomy, and classical arts like dance and music. Its grammar, codified by the ancient scholar Panini in the Ashtadhyayi, is considered one of the most refined and logical linguistic systems in the world.

Panini’s work, composed around 500 BCE, uses meta-rules and recursive structures that modern linguists and computer scientists have compared to programming languages. This has led many to describe Sanskrit as a “scientific language” — precise, structured, and ideally suited for philosophical and mathematical thought.

A reservoir of knowledge

Sanskrit is not just about religion or ritual; it is a vast ocean of knowledge. Texts in Sanskrit cover topics as diverse as medicine (Charaka Samhita), architecture (Vastu Shastra), law (Manusmriti), politics (Arthashastra), and drama (Natyashastra). Many of these texts continue to influence Indian culture and global thought even today.Moreover, Sanskrit is the root of many Indian languages and has significantly influenced languages in Southeast Asia and even Europe through the Indo-European language family.

Reviving relevance in the modern world

While Sanskrit may no longer be a commonly spoken language, efforts to revive and celebrate it are gaining momentum. In recent years, schools and universities across India and abroad have begun offering Sanskrit courses, and there is a growing number of online learners engaging with the language. Organizations and scholars are working to digitize ancient texts, make them accessible, and translate them for new audiences. Mobile apps, podcasts, and even YouTube channels now teach Sanskrit basics, bringing this ancient language to modern devices.

Not just the past — but the future

The renewed interest in Sanskrit is not simply nostalgic. It represents a desire to connect with cultural roots, rediscover ancient wisdom, and explore holistic ways of thinking. The clarity and logic of Sanskrit make it a valuable tool for philosophical discussions and even modern computational linguistics. Some researchers have explored the possibility of using Sanskrit for artificial intelligence and machine learning because of its unambiguous structure and syntactic precision.

While this is still a growing area of exploration, it reflects how ancient knowledge can inform future technologies. For Sanskrit to thrive, it must be more than a subject of reverence — it must be spoken, read, studied, and loved. Introducing children to Sanskrit stories and songs, incorporating Sanskrit into contemporary music or theater, and supporting Sanskrit-speaking communities can all help keep the language vibrant. World Sanskrit Day is not just about celebrating a language; it is about honoring a way of thinking — one that is holistic, thoughtful, and deeply connected to both the inner self and the outer world.

Sanskrit is not a relic of the past — it is a living legacy that continues to inspire, guide, and enrich our present. As we celebrate World Sanskrit Day, let us recognize the language not only for its historical significance but also for its enduring relevance in our lives. Through Sanskrit, we connect to centuries of wisdom — and perhaps, glimpse the timeless within the changing world.