How important is Sanskrit?

Question

I have read/heard in various places that Sanskrit is considered sacred or true or special. These sources sometimes claim that the sounds used to speak Sanskrit have a beneficial effect on the body.

Except for being the language for Hindu religious texts (scripture), does Hinduism regard the Sanskrit language as sacred/true or special in some intrinsic way?

Answer 1

Is Sanskrit regarded as sacred?

Yes, Sanskrit is considered as the divine language. The sages in the ancient time realized the Vedas in the form of sound patterns. Those sound patterns expressed in language form came to be known as Sanskrit after much refinement and addition of meaning to the patterns through the use of syntax and grammar.

So Sankrit language, the way it is, creates unique pattern and sound vibrations when used, especially in the chanting of certain mantras. It is also believed that Sanskrit is the language of communication among the gods. So most hymns and mantras for gods are written in Sanskrit language.

Is sanskrit special in some way?

Yes, it is the oldest living language till today. It is the source of many other languages like Pali, Prakruti, etc. Also many other languages used in the north Indian states came into formation from the gradual corruption of Sanskrit.

Sanskrit has also close relationship with other European languages. For example, English "mother" is a cognate of Sanskrit "mātár'; likewise, father-pitár, brother-bhrā́tar, sister-svásar, daughter-duhitár, etc.

This page lists many other specialties of the language.

Referece:
Wikipedia List

Answer 2

Yes, Sanskrit is special in some intrinsic way. The sounds of its alphabets are such that uttering them mentally causes resonant vibration with the Chakras of the human subtle body. This idea is the very basis of Mantra Sastra.

The most famous example of a Sanskrit mantra is OM. This is the reason why most mantras are in Sanskrit. Sanskrit alphabets (Varnamala) are actually worshipped by Saktas.

Next time you look at a Kali murthi please look at the garland of human skulls. This garland stands for the Sanskrit alphabets. Sound associated with Sanskrit alphabets is considered to be the source of all sounds in mantra sastra. Swami Chetanananda of the Ramakrishna order mentions briefly about the importance of Sanskrit alphabet in this blog.

Answer 3

To add support to the above answers, speaking sanskrit language is also meant to be as a kind of yoga for Vocal system.

From Sanskrit Sounds,

Sanskrit is an exquisite language from ancient India. There it is considered divine, originating from the meditations of ancient sages. The word Sanskrit itself means "refined, well done." The alphabet is perfectly designed for the human vocal apparatus, and is pronounced phonetically. Sanskrit shares its script, called Devanāgarī, with Hindi, India's national language.

From VagYoga,

This unique invention is from Rigvedic source through Vagyoga Kundalini. The many hours of memorization have been reduced to minimum because this technique simply utilizes the natural production of the sound & language. The Vagyoga Technique is dependent upon understanding the intrinsic logic of the Sanskrit language through principles and law of Sound-vibration indicated in earliest Vedic literature.

Answer 4

I would like to mention what Swami Vivekananda said about Sanskrit on various occasions to enunciate its importance:

This Sanskrit language is so intricate, the Sanskrit of the Vedas is so ancient, and the Sanskrit philology so perfect, that any amount of discussion can be carried on for ages in regard to the meaning of one word. If a Pandit takes it into his head, he can render anybody's prattle into correct Sanskrit by force of argument and quotation of texts and rules.

In philology, our Sanskrit language is now universally acknowledged to be the foundation of all European languages, which, in fact, are nothing but jargonized Sanskrit.

God spoke once. He spoke in Sanskrit, and that is the divine language.

Just look at Sanskrit. Look at the Sanskrit of the Brâhmanas, at Shabara Swâmi's commentary on the Mimâmsâ philosophy, the Mahâbhâshya of Patanjali, and, finally, at the great Commentary of Achârya Shankara: and look also at the Sanskrit of comparatively recent times. You will at once understand that so long as a man is alive, he talks a living language, but when he is dead, he speaks a dead language.

The great difficulty in the way is the Sanskrit language — the glorious language of ours; and this difficulty cannot be removed until — if it is possible — the whole of our nation are good Sanskrit scholars. You will understand the difficulty when I tell you that I have been studying this language all my life, and yet every new book is new to me. How much more difficult would it then be for people who never had time to study the language thoroughly!

The one idea the Hindu religions differ in from every other in the world, the one idea to express which the sages almost exhaust the vocabulary of the Sanskrit language, is that man must realise God even in this life.

The very sound of the Sanskrit is musical.

The very sound of Sanskrit words gives a prestige and a power and a strength to the race.

http://www.swamivivekanandaquotes.org/2013/12/swami-vivekananda-sanskrit-language.html

Answer 5

Please note that I do not mention about the datings and roots where it came from. I will just try to show some valid points.

Sanskrit is special and sacred in many ways. I will try to cite you some examples regarding its speciality. Regarding the sacredness of it, one has to take the words of mahatmas and acharyas as valid, because often scientific explanation may not be possible.

It is the most beautiful, structured and interesting language to learn. The charm of Sanskrit language can be demonstrated using an example. Consider the following sentence

The 'small boy' hit the 'red ball' 'with his bat'

Suppose I form some sentences by just changing the positions of the words.

1. The small bat hit the red ball with his boy

2. The small ball hit the red bat with his boy

3. The red ball hit the small bat with his boy

4. The red boy hit the small ball with his bat

The meaning is either changed or there is no meaning at all.

If we write the original sentence in sanskrit, it is

लघुः बालकः (small boy) दण्डेन (with his bat) रक्तं कन्दुकं (red ball) प्रहृतवान् ।

let us jumble the words of the above sentence

लघुः बालकः प्रहृतवान् रक्तं कन्दुकं दण्डेन ।

लघुः दण्डेन प्रहृतवान् रक्तं कन्दुकं बालकः ।

लघुः कन्दुकं प्रहृतवान् रक्तं दण्डेन बालकः ।

रक्तं कन्दुकं प्रहृतवान् लघुः दण्डेन बालकः ।

In all the above sentences, the meaning has not changed. लघुः is in prathama vibhakti, बालकः is in prathama vibhakti, so only those two will join but not others. रक्तं is in dvitiya vibhakti, कन्दुकं is in dvitiya vibhakti, and only those two will join. So in this way the meaning is not changed and all the above four sentences are correct. This is the fundamental enabling feature of sanskrit.

So as far as gramatically sentence is not wrong, you can put the words anywhere, they will attach together. That is why sanskrit students are taught padachheda and anvaya (which ones to put together) for a sloka. Because in English the words are words, they donot relate or attach to their subjects or objects.

In Sanskrit, each letter represents one and only one sound. In English, the letter 'a' for example may indicate many sounds (fat, fate, far,etc), but not so in Sanskrit. The alphabet is systematically arranged according to the structure of the mouth. It is essential to use the correct mouth position and not to merely imitate an approximation of the sound.

There are many such specialities. That is why learning Sanskrit is not merely language, but it is the science of sound. One has to experience it and know it.