Sanskrit, the classical language of India, has long been renowned for its beauty, subtlety and complexity. It is the key to the civilisational treasures of Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism, and provides direct access to a vast repository of literary, scientific and philosophical wisdom. At the ANU we seek to balance the traditional practice of textual reception—reading and grammar—with language production—speaking, chanting and singing—to provide a truly balanced curriculum. By the completion of the major, students will be able to independently read texts from a wide range of genres, they will have mastered basic spoken Sanskrit, and will be able to chant and recite with a high degree of accuracy.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this major, students will have the knowledge and skills at an Upper Intermediate level of Sanskrit to:
1. Read a variety of literary genres, including Epic Sanskrit, courtly poetry and drama, smoothly and accurately, and chant or recite the root text in an appropriate manner.
2. Translate the texts at hand with a high level of competence in using a Sanskrit-English dictionary.
3. Demonstrate thorough understanding of the advanced grammatical structures employed in Sanskrit, and demonstrate expertise in using reference grammars.
4. Appraise the linguistic registers of the root texts, and their place among the various genres of Sanskrit literature, and reflect this in appropriate English translation. Respond creatively to the root text in an appropriate medium.
5. Demonstrate an ability to interpret commentarial texts, showing an understanding of commentarial techniques and vocabulary.
6. Demonstrate knowledge of the social and historical contexts of text at hand.
Other Information
A student may not take a course that is a prerequisite or a lower level than a course which they have already passed.
Students that are commencing language studies who have prior knowledge of the language will be required to take a placement test before enrolling for the first time. Students will not be permitted to enrol in a course at a lower than the level they achieve in the placement test, and may be exempted from compulsory courses.
Areas of Interest
- Asian Languages
- Translation Studies
- Asian Studies
- Asia Pacific Studies
- Language Studies
- Asia-Pacific Studies
Relevant Degrees
Requirements
This major requires the completion of 48 units, which must include:
6 units from completion of the following course(s):
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| SKRT3005 | Sanskrit 6 | 6 |
42 units from completion of the following course(s):
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| SKRT1002 | Sanskrit 1 | 6 |
| SKRT1003 | Sanskrit 2 | 6 |
| SKRT2103 | Sanskrit 3 | 6 |
| SKRT2104 | Sanskrit 4 | 6 |
| SKRT3004 | Sanskrit 5 | 6 |
| SKRT3002 | Advanced Sanskrit Literature A | 6 |
| SKRT3003 | Advanced Sanskrit Literature B | 6 |
| ASIA3083 | Research Topics in South and Southeast Asian Languages A | 6 |
| ASIA3108 | Research Topics in South and Southeast Asian Languages B | 6 |
| ASIA2103 | Language in Asia and the Pacific (L) | 6 |
| ASIA2100 | Linguistic Histories in Asia and the Pacific (L) | 6 |