Sanskrit 2 is a high-level beginner’s course that guides students through the second stage of learning the Sanskrit language: the transition from reading simple sentences to confidently identifying and explaining the more complex foundational grammar used in longer compositions. This course builds upon the skills gained in Sanskrit 1 and has a strongly practical focus that encourages students to apply grammatical knowledge to a diverse range of practice materials and Sanskrit texts. Students will begin learning how to identify key compositional features of original Sanskrit verses in sloka metre and will be equipped with the contextual knowledge required to recognise historically significant terms and concepts at an introductory level. By the end of this course, students will have gained the core skills that form the basis of independent reading and translation.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
- Command an active vocabulary of approximately 400 words and correctly identify and employ their inflected forms.
- Identify all forms of sandhi in Sanskrit texts and apply the rules of sandhi correctly when translating from English to Sanskrit.
- Demonstrate understanding of further grammatical structures (e.g., athematic verbs, future tense, relative and correlative constructions) and accurately combine this learning with previously gained knowledge to examine the features of short, original Sanskrit texts and to translate increasingly complex sentences between Sanskrit and English.
- Produce grammatical analyses of Sanskrit words, compounds, and sentences at an advanced beginner's level.
- Recognise the sloka (or anu??ubh) metre in Sanskrit verse and discuss the influence of the metre on compositional arrangement and syntactic structure.
- Demonstrate a general knowledge of Sanskrit's historical and social contexts through discussion of significant terms and concepts.
Other Information
On successful completion of this course, students will have the knowledge and skills to engage at an Introductory level of Sanskrit.
Students with native speaker proficiency (may include cognate languages and dialects) must review the language proficiency assessment site and contact the CAP Student Centre for appropriate enrolment advice. Students with previous “language experience or exposure” are required to undertake a language proficiency assessment to ensure enrolment at the most appropriate level.
Relevant past experience includes:
- Previous study of the language (both formal and informal, for example but not limited to, at school, or, home, or through online activities, etc.)
- Being exposed to the language in childhood via a family member or friend
- Travel or living in a country where the language is spoken
- The language being spoken in your home (even if you do not speak it yourself)
Students who are not sure if they need to undertake a language proficiency assessment should seek advice from the course or language convenor. Students who intentionally misrepresent their language proficiency level may be investigated under the Academic Integrity Rule 2021 as having failed to comply with assessment directions and having sought unfair advantage. This may results in a penalty such as reduced grades or failure of the course.
Students are not permitted to enrol in a language course below one that they have already successfully completed, except with permission of the language and/or course convenor.
Indicative Assessment
- Sandhi test, 600 words (15) [LO 1,2,3]
- Short translation assignment and grammar review, 1000 words (25) [LO 1,2,3,4]
- Short translation assignment and grammar review, 1000 words (25) [LO 1,2,3,4,5,6]
- Take-home translation exam, 1500 words (35) [LO 1,2,3,4,5,6]
The ANU uses Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. While the use of Turnitin is not mandatory, the ANU highly recommends Turnitin is used by both teaching staff and students. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website.
Workload
This course follows a 'flipped classroom' model. Students are expected to complete set tasks prior to attending class each week. A total of 10 hours' work per week is expected as follows:
- 4 hours working through the textbook and preparing set activities prior to class
- 3 hours attending online classes
- 3 hours of grammatical revision and/or completion of assessment items
The total workload for the course is 130 hours over 12 weeks of class and the examination period.
Requisite and Incompatibility
Prescribed Texts
A. Ruppel, The Cambridge Introduction to Sanskrit.
The Cambridge Introduction to Sanskrit Video Resources: Video Resources - Cambridge Introduction to Sanskrit A. M. Ruppel
M. Taylor, The Little Red Book of Sanskrit Paradigms.
Preliminary Reading
Additional readings will be provided by the course convenor.
Fees
Tuition fees are for the academic year indicated at the top of the page.
Commonwealth Support (CSP) Students
If you have been offered a Commonwealth supported place, your fees are set by the Australian Government for each course. At ANU 1 EFTSL is 48 units (normally 8 x 6-unit courses). More information about your student contribution amount for each course at Fees.
- Student Contribution Band:
- 1
- Unit value:
- 6 units
If you are a domestic graduate coursework student with a Domestic Tuition Fee (DTF) place or international student you will be required to pay course tuition fees (see below). Course tuition fees are indexed annually. Further information for domestic and international students about tuition and other fees can be found at Fees.
Where there is a unit range displayed for this course, not all unit options below may be available.
| Units | EFTSL |
|---|---|
| 6.00 | 0.12500 |
Course fees
- Domestic fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2026 | $4500 |
- International fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2026 | $5820 |
Offerings, Dates and Class Summary Links
ANU utilises MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities / tutorials so they can better plan their time. Find out more on the Timetable webpage.
Class summaries, if available, can be accessed by clicking on the View link for the relevant class number.
Second Semester
| Class number | Class start date | Last day to enrol | Census date | Class end date | Mode Of Delivery | Class Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ANU Online | ||||||
| 7324 | 27 Jul 2026 | 03 Aug 2026 | 31 Aug 2026 | 30 Oct 2026 | Online | N/A |
| OUA Online | ||||||
| 8039 | 27 Jul 2026 | 03 Aug 2026 | 31 Aug 2026 | 30 Oct 2026 | Online | N/A |