Saṃskṛta

Saṃskṛta (devanāgarī: संस्कृत) is a historical Indo-Aryan language (known as "Sanskrit" in English) and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism. Classical Sanskrit is the standard register as laid out in the grammar of Pāṇini, around the 4th century BCE. The pre-Classical form of Sanskrit is known as Vedic Sanskrit, with the language of the Rigveda being the oldest and most archaic stage preserved, its oldest core dating back to as early as 1500 BCE. This qualifies Rigvedic Sanskrit as one of the oldest attestations of any Indo-Iranian language, and one of the earliest attested members of the Indo-European language family, the family which includes English and most European languages. Sanskrit continues to be widely used as a ceremonial language in Hindu religious rituals and Buddhist practice in the forms of hymns and mantras. Spoken Sanskrit is still in use in a few traditional institutions in India and there are many attempts at revival.

H. P. Blavatsky wrote about it:

Sanskrit (Sk.). The classical language of the Brahmans, never known nor spoken in its true systematized form (given later approximately by Pânini), except by the initiated Brahmans, as it was pre-eminently “a mystery language”. It has now degenerated into the so-called Prâkrita.

Further reading

• Sanskrit at Theosopedia

• Saṃskṛtam at Vedic Knowledge Online