Introduction to Sanskrit Culture and Literature
A.Y. 2025/2026
Learning objectives
Undefined
Expected learning outcomes
Undefined
Lesson period: Second semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course cannot be attended as a single course. Please check our list of single courses to find the ones available for enrolment.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
Second semester
Course syllabus
The course (40 hours = 6 ECTS) offers an overview of South Asian civilization, from the linguistic perspective, approaching Sanskrit sources, mostly by reading texts in English translation, as cultural phenomena, belonging to specific historical, geographical and political context. The course will be organized in compliance with three main outlines:
- Historical outline: History of the Sanskrit Language; Languages of the Indian Subcontinent (OIA; MIA; NIA): an historical and geographical overview; orality vs. literacy; the script systems; inscriptions.
- Literary outline: overview of the main literary expressions in Sanskrit and Prakrit languages, with a special focus on one or more specific works;
- Linguistic outline: Elements of Sanskrit phonology, introduction to the Sanskrit morphological system, nominal composition.
- Historical outline: History of the Sanskrit Language; Languages of the Indian Subcontinent (OIA; MIA; NIA): an historical and geographical overview; orality vs. literacy; the script systems; inscriptions.
- Literary outline: overview of the main literary expressions in Sanskrit and Prakrit languages, with a special focus on one or more specific works;
- Linguistic outline: Elements of Sanskrit phonology, introduction to the Sanskrit morphological system, nominal composition.
Prerequisites for admission
No prerequisites for admission
Teaching methods
Teaching methods
The course consists mainly of: a) face-to-face lessons, supported by ppt slides; b) guided discussion by the teacher on linguistic and textual materials; c) thematic insights proposed to students, who, working individually or in small groups, will discuss and analyze research material, and report their results in class by ppt presentation.
The course consists mainly of: a) face-to-face lessons, supported by ppt slides; b) guided discussion by the teacher on linguistic and textual materials; c) thematic insights proposed to students, who, working individually or in small groups, will discuss and analyze research material, and report their results in class by ppt presentation.
Teaching Resources
As to the relationship between language and script:
- R. Salomon, Indian Epigraphy, Oxford University Press 1998; pp. 3-98.
As regards languages in South Asia:
- G. Cardona, "The documentation of Indic", in Jared Klein, Brian Joseph, Matthias Fritz (eds.), Handbook of Comparative and Historical Indo-European Linguistics 41.1, De Gruyter Mouton, 2017, 309-325.
As regards History of ancient Indian subcontinent:
- M. Witzel, Early 'Aryans' and their neighbors outside and inside India, in Journal of Biosciences 44.3 (2019), DOI: 10.1007/s12038-019-9881-7
- A. Parpola, The BMAC of Central Asia and the Mitanni of Syria, in The Roots of Hinduism, Oxford University Press, pp. 69-91.
- M.J. Gilbert, South Asia in World History, Oxford University Press, 2017, pp. 1-68.
- M. Witzel, Brahmanical Reactions to Foreign Influences and to Social and Religious Change, in P. Olivelle (ed.), Between the Empires: Society in India 300 BCE to 400 CE, 2006, pp. 457-501.
As to Sanskrit Literature:
- A.Kessler-Persaud, Sanskrit Texts and Language, in Brill's Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Leiden-Boston, vol. II, pp. 3-18.
- J.L. Fitzgerald, Mahābhārata, in Brill's Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Leiden-Boston, vol. II, pp. 72-94.
- R. Goldman-S. Sutherland Goldman, Rāmāyaṇa, in Brill's Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Leiden-Boston, vol. II, pp. 111-126.
As to the history of the Sanskrit language and culture:
- J.E.M. Houben, "Linguistic Paradox and Diglossia: the emergence of Sanskrit and Sanskrit Language in Ancient India", Open Linguistics, DE GRUYTER OPEN, 2018, Historical Sociolinguistic Philology, 4 (1), 1-18. https://halshs.archives-ouvertes.fr/halshs-01807465
- A. Aklujkar, "The Early History of Sanskrit as Supreme Language", in J. E.M. Houben (ed.), Ideology and Status of Sanskrit. Contributions to the History of the Sanskrit Language, ed. by J. E.M. Houben, Leiden-New York-Koln, E.J. Brill 1996, 59-85.
- Sh. Pollock, "The Sanskrit Cosmopolis, 300-1300: Transculturation, Vernacularization, and Question of Ideology", in Ideology and Status of Sanskrit. Contributions to the History of the Sanskrit Language, ed. by J. E.M. Houben, Leiden-New York-Koln, E.J. Brill 1996, 197-247.
As to the Sanskrit language:
- Video material from A.M. Ruppel, The Cambridge Introduction to Sanskrit, 2017: https://www.cambridge-sanskrit.org/video-resources/
As to orality and literacy:
- H. Falk, GOODIES FOR INDIA. Literacy, Orality, and Vedic Culture, in Wolfgang Raible (Hrsg.), Erscheinungsformen kultureller Prozesse, Tübingen: Gunter Narr Verlag, 1990, pp. 103-120.
- B. Lo Turco, Propagation of written culture in Brahmanical India, in Scripta. International Journal of Codicology and Paleography, 6 (2013): pp. 85-93.
For further material and news students should also regularly refer to the Introduction to Sanskrit Culture and Language page of myAriel.
- R. Salomon, Indian Epigraphy, Oxford University Press 1998; pp. 3-98.
As regards languages in South Asia:
- G. Cardona, "The documentation of Indic", in Jared Klein, Brian Joseph, Matthias Fritz (eds.), Handbook of Comparative and Historical Indo-European Linguistics 41.1, De Gruyter Mouton, 2017, 309-325.
As regards History of ancient Indian subcontinent:
- M. Witzel, Early 'Aryans' and their neighbors outside and inside India, in Journal of Biosciences 44.3 (2019), DOI: 10.1007/s12038-019-9881-7
- A. Parpola, The BMAC of Central Asia and the Mitanni of Syria, in The Roots of Hinduism, Oxford University Press, pp. 69-91.
- M.J. Gilbert, South Asia in World History, Oxford University Press, 2017, pp. 1-68.
- M. Witzel, Brahmanical Reactions to Foreign Influences and to Social and Religious Change, in P. Olivelle (ed.), Between the Empires: Society in India 300 BCE to 400 CE, 2006, pp. 457-501.
As to Sanskrit Literature:
- A.Kessler-Persaud, Sanskrit Texts and Language, in Brill's Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Leiden-Boston, vol. II, pp. 3-18.
- J.L. Fitzgerald, Mahābhārata, in Brill's Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Leiden-Boston, vol. II, pp. 72-94.
- R. Goldman-S. Sutherland Goldman, Rāmāyaṇa, in Brill's Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Leiden-Boston, vol. II, pp. 111-126.
As to the history of the Sanskrit language and culture:
- J.E.M. Houben, "Linguistic Paradox and Diglossia: the emergence of Sanskrit and Sanskrit Language in Ancient India", Open Linguistics, DE GRUYTER OPEN, 2018, Historical Sociolinguistic Philology, 4 (1), 1-18. https://halshs.archives-ouvertes.fr/halshs-01807465
- A. Aklujkar, "The Early History of Sanskrit as Supreme Language", in J. E.M. Houben (ed.), Ideology and Status of Sanskrit. Contributions to the History of the Sanskrit Language, ed. by J. E.M. Houben, Leiden-New York-Koln, E.J. Brill 1996, 59-85.
- Sh. Pollock, "The Sanskrit Cosmopolis, 300-1300: Transculturation, Vernacularization, and Question of Ideology", in Ideology and Status of Sanskrit. Contributions to the History of the Sanskrit Language, ed. by J. E.M. Houben, Leiden-New York-Koln, E.J. Brill 1996, 197-247.
As to the Sanskrit language:
- Video material from A.M. Ruppel, The Cambridge Introduction to Sanskrit, 2017: https://www.cambridge-sanskrit.org/video-resources/
As to orality and literacy:
- H. Falk, GOODIES FOR INDIA. Literacy, Orality, and Vedic Culture, in Wolfgang Raible (Hrsg.), Erscheinungsformen kultureller Prozesse, Tübingen: Gunter Narr Verlag, 1990, pp. 103-120.
- B. Lo Turco, Propagation of written culture in Brahmanical India, in Scripta. International Journal of Codicology and Paleography, 6 (2013): pp. 85-93.
For further material and news students should also regularly refer to the Introduction to Sanskrit Culture and Language page of myAriel.
Assessment methods and Criteria
Assessment methods and Criteria
The examination is oral and lasts approximately 30 minutes. Top grade 30/30 'cum laude' (pass grade: 18/30). In case of a ppt presentation, held during the lessons, individually or in small groups, about an agreed topic, it will contribute to the vote. In actual fact, the oral exam focuses both on literary and linguistic issues, debated during the classes, and on the topic of the presentation - if held. The assessment consists of two/three questions on the topics of the Historical and Literary outlines, and one/two questions on topics of the Linguistic outline. The exam aims to verify: knowledge of the cultural context in which Sanskrit language and literature developed; understanding of the relationship between linguistic and literary phenomena and ideological aspects; ability to expose (in English) the contents of the course, effectiveness in summarising the required data, use of appropriated and clear terminology.
International or Erasmus incoming students are kindly requested to contact the teacher of the course. Also students with disabilities should contact the teacher of the course, in order to discuss alternative examination methods, in agreement with the competent Office.
The examination is oral and lasts approximately 30 minutes. Top grade 30/30 'cum laude' (pass grade: 18/30). In case of a ppt presentation, held during the lessons, individually or in small groups, about an agreed topic, it will contribute to the vote. In actual fact, the oral exam focuses both on literary and linguistic issues, debated during the classes, and on the topic of the presentation - if held. The assessment consists of two/three questions on the topics of the Historical and Literary outlines, and one/two questions on topics of the Linguistic outline. The exam aims to verify: knowledge of the cultural context in which Sanskrit language and literature developed; understanding of the relationship between linguistic and literary phenomena and ideological aspects; ability to expose (in English) the contents of the course, effectiveness in summarising the required data, use of appropriated and clear terminology.
International or Erasmus incoming students are kindly requested to contact the teacher of the course. Also students with disabilities should contact the teacher of the course, in order to discuss alternative examination methods, in agreement with the competent Office.
L-OR/18 - INDOLOGY AND TIBETOLOGY - University credits: 6
Lessons: 40 hours
Professor:
Rossi Paola Maria Antonietta
Professor(s)