Sanskrit Language and Literature
A.Y. 2026/2027
Learning objectives
The course aims at providing the students with the fundamentals of Sanskrit Grammar and the main topics of Sanskrit Literature.
Expected learning outcomes
Nozioni essenziali su: caratteristiche fonologiche e strutture morfosintattiche della lingua sanscrita; categorie letterarie dell'India antica e classica; storia della scrittura.
Capacità di: leggere correttamente un testo sanscrito classico sia in traslitterazione IAST (International Alphabet for Sanskrit Transliteration), sia in scrittura devanāgarī; padroneggiare un lessico fondamentale; tradurre dal sanscrito semplici passi sulla base dell'analisi morfosintattica; inquadrare le opere letterarie nella storia culturale dell'India antica e classica.
Capacità di: leggere correttamente un testo sanscrito classico sia in traslitterazione IAST (International Alphabet for Sanskrit Transliteration), sia in scrittura devanāgarī; padroneggiare un lessico fondamentale; tradurre dal sanscrito semplici passi sulla base dell'analisi morfosintattica; inquadrare le opere letterarie nella storia culturale dell'India antica e classica.
Lesson period: First semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course can be attended as a single course.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
First semester
Course syllabus
The main topics delivered in the course will be as follows:
- Introduction to the Sanskrit Literature: introduction to Vedic Literature, Epic Literature and Kāvya Literature
- Elements of Sanskrit Grammar: phonology, introduction to nominal morphology, introduction to verbal morphology, nominal composition, main syntactic structures.
- History of the Sanskrit Language: excursus about the definition of the Sanskrit bhāṣā; orality and literacy: points at issue.
- Translation and linguistic comment of stanzas from the Bhagavadgītā
- Female voices in the Old Indian Literature.
- The Devanāgarī script
The aforementioned topics will be organized in three sections, 20 hours each, as follows:
Section A (20 hrs.)
- Introduction to the Sanskrit Literature: Introduction to Epic Literature and Kāvya Literature.
- Elements of Sanskrit Grammar: phonology; basic lexicon; Devanāgarī script
- History of the Sanskrit Language: excursus about the definition of Sanskrit bhāṣā; orality and literacy: points at issue.
Section B (20 hrs.)
- Elements of Sanskrit Grammar: introduction to nominal morphology, introduction to verbal morphology, nominal composition, main syntactic structures
- Translation and linguistic comment of stanzas from the Bhagavadgītā
- History of the Sanskrit Language: excursus about the definition of Sanskrit bhāṣā
- Elements of Epic Literature and Introduction to Vedic Literature.
Section C (20 hrs.)
- Elements of Sanskrit Grammar: nominal morphology, verbal morphology, nominal composition, main syntactic structures: continuation
- Translation and linguistic comment of stanzas from the Bhagavadgītā
- Elements of Vedic Literature and Kāvya Literature
- Female voices in the Old Indian Literature: reading and commentary of texts.
- Introduction to the Sanskrit Literature: introduction to Vedic Literature, Epic Literature and Kāvya Literature
- Elements of Sanskrit Grammar: phonology, introduction to nominal morphology, introduction to verbal morphology, nominal composition, main syntactic structures.
- History of the Sanskrit Language: excursus about the definition of the Sanskrit bhāṣā; orality and literacy: points at issue.
- Translation and linguistic comment of stanzas from the Bhagavadgītā
- Female voices in the Old Indian Literature.
- The Devanāgarī script
The aforementioned topics will be organized in three sections, 20 hours each, as follows:
Section A (20 hrs.)
- Introduction to the Sanskrit Literature: Introduction to Epic Literature and Kāvya Literature.
- Elements of Sanskrit Grammar: phonology; basic lexicon; Devanāgarī script
- History of the Sanskrit Language: excursus about the definition of Sanskrit bhāṣā; orality and literacy: points at issue.
Section B (20 hrs.)
- Elements of Sanskrit Grammar: introduction to nominal morphology, introduction to verbal morphology, nominal composition, main syntactic structures
- Translation and linguistic comment of stanzas from the Bhagavadgītā
- History of the Sanskrit Language: excursus about the definition of Sanskrit bhāṣā
- Elements of Epic Literature and Introduction to Vedic Literature.
Section C (20 hrs.)
- Elements of Sanskrit Grammar: nominal morphology, verbal morphology, nominal composition, main syntactic structures: continuation
- Translation and linguistic comment of stanzas from the Bhagavadgītā
- Elements of Vedic Literature and Kāvya Literature
- Female voices in the Old Indian Literature: reading and commentary of texts.
Prerequisites for admission
No prerequisites for admission
Teaching methods
The course follows the 'Type Alpha' teaching model: it consists of both taught and participative classes. The former are mainly used for theoretical topics (Elements of Sanskrit Literature, Elements of the History of the Sanskrit Language, A Brief Monographic Section) and involve the use of PowerPoint slides; the latter are dedicated to language learning (Devanagari script; Elements of Sanskrit; Translation and linguistic commentary on verses from the Bhagavadgītā), and include language exercises. In addition, thematic in-depth sessions are planned, featuring scholars from other universities, including international ones, where possible.
Attendance is compulsory, particularly for the linguistic classes: the linguistic exercises to be carried out in each lesson are extremely important for the basic learning of the Sanskrit language, and for developing the expected skills.
For supplementary activities and announcements, please refer regularly to the Sanskrit Language and Literature page on myAriel.
Attendance is compulsory, particularly for the linguistic classes: the linguistic exercises to be carried out in each lesson are extremely important for the basic learning of the Sanskrit language, and for developing the expected skills.
For supplementary activities and announcements, please refer regularly to the Sanskrit Language and Literature page on myAriel.
Teaching Resources
6 ects (Sections A-B): Attending Students:
· A. Pelissero, Letterature classiche dell'India, Brescia: Morcelliana, 2007, pp. 67-93; 179-183; 210-211; 387-401; 19-63;
· C. Della Casa, Corso di Sanscrito, Milano: Unicopli, updated edition 2021: Phonetics; sandhi, Nominal and Verbal Morphology, Nominal Composition, main syntactic structures;
· J. E.M. Houben, Linguistic Paradox and Diglossia: the emergence of Sanskrit and Sanskrit Language in Ancient India, in Open Linguistics, DE GRUYTER OPEN, 2018, Historical Sociolinguistic Philology, 4 (1), pp. 1-18. https://halshs.archives-ouvertes.fr/halshs-01807465
· B. Lo Turco, Il suono della conoscenza. Oralità, scrittura e pensiero in India, Milano: ed. Unicopli, 2023, pp.17-136.
· R. Salomon, Indian Epigraphy, Oxford University Press, 1998; pp. 7-56; 72-94.
· Il riconoscimento di Śakuntalā, di Kālidāsa, a cura di V. Mazzarino, Milano: Adelphi
· Rāmāyaṇa. Il grande poema epico della mitologia indiana. Āraṇyakakāṇḍa e Sundarakāṇḍa; Milano: Mimesis, vol II., pp. 15-172; 333-550.
· P.M. Rossi, Incantesimi d'Amore, Milano: Unicopli, 2024, pp. 23-82.
· Didactic material delivered during the course (Cf. myAriel Platform).
NOT ATTENDING STUDENTS: in addition to the program for attending students:
· 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, in (ed.) J. E.M. Houben, Ideology and Status of Sanskrit. Contributions to the History of the Sanskrit Language, Leiden-New York-Koln: E.J. Brill 1996, pp. 197-247.
· A. Aklujkar, "The Early History of Sanskrit as Supreme Language", in (ed.) J. E.M. Houben, Ideology and Status of Sanskrit. Contributions to the History of the Sanskrit Language, Leiden-New York-Koln: E.J. Brill 1996, pp. 59-85.
· B. Lo Turco, Il suono della conoscenza. Oralità, scrittura e pensiero in India, ed. Unicopli, Milano, 2023, whole text.
· Aśvaghoṣa, Nanda il Bello (Saundarananda), ed. by A. Passi, Milano: Adelphi.
9 ects (Section C): Attending students:
· C. Della Casa, Corso di Sanscrito, Milano: Unicopli, updated ed. 2021
· Storia di Śakuntalā (Mbh I. 62-69), edited by Daniela Sagramoso Rossella, Venzia: Marsilio.
· Buddhismo al femminile. Therīgāthā. Le poesie spirituali delle monache, Milano: Guerini e Associati
· Didactic material delivered during the course (Cf. myAriel Platform).
9 ects (Section C): NOT ATTENDING STUDENTS: as alternative to the program for attending students
· Bhagavadgītā. Translation by Bianca Candian. Edited by Anne-Marie Esnoul, Adelphi: Milano.
· Gītagovinda di Jayadeva, Milano: Adelphi
· G. Flood, L'induismo. Temi, tradizioni, prospettive, Torino: Einaudi, 2006, pp. 139-200.
· A. Pelissero, Letterature classiche dell'India, Brescia: Morcelliana, 2007, pp. 67-93; 179-183; 210-211; 387-401; 19-63;
· C. Della Casa, Corso di Sanscrito, Milano: Unicopli, updated edition 2021: Phonetics; sandhi, Nominal and Verbal Morphology, Nominal Composition, main syntactic structures;
· J. E.M. Houben, Linguistic Paradox and Diglossia: the emergence of Sanskrit and Sanskrit Language in Ancient India, in Open Linguistics, DE GRUYTER OPEN, 2018, Historical Sociolinguistic Philology, 4 (1), pp. 1-18. https://halshs.archives-ouvertes.fr/halshs-01807465
· B. Lo Turco, Il suono della conoscenza. Oralità, scrittura e pensiero in India, Milano: ed. Unicopli, 2023, pp.17-136.
· R. Salomon, Indian Epigraphy, Oxford University Press, 1998; pp. 7-56; 72-94.
· Il riconoscimento di Śakuntalā, di Kālidāsa, a cura di V. Mazzarino, Milano: Adelphi
· Rāmāyaṇa. Il grande poema epico della mitologia indiana. Āraṇyakakāṇḍa e Sundarakāṇḍa; Milano: Mimesis, vol II., pp. 15-172; 333-550.
· P.M. Rossi, Incantesimi d'Amore, Milano: Unicopli, 2024, pp. 23-82.
· Didactic material delivered during the course (Cf. myAriel Platform).
NOT ATTENDING STUDENTS: in addition to the program for attending students:
· 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, in (ed.) J. E.M. Houben, Ideology and Status of Sanskrit. Contributions to the History of the Sanskrit Language, Leiden-New York-Koln: E.J. Brill 1996, pp. 197-247.
· A. Aklujkar, "The Early History of Sanskrit as Supreme Language", in (ed.) J. E.M. Houben, Ideology and Status of Sanskrit. Contributions to the History of the Sanskrit Language, Leiden-New York-Koln: E.J. Brill 1996, pp. 59-85.
· B. Lo Turco, Il suono della conoscenza. Oralità, scrittura e pensiero in India, ed. Unicopli, Milano, 2023, whole text.
· Aśvaghoṣa, Nanda il Bello (Saundarananda), ed. by A. Passi, Milano: Adelphi.
9 ects (Section C): Attending students:
· C. Della Casa, Corso di Sanscrito, Milano: Unicopli, updated ed. 2021
· Storia di Śakuntalā (Mbh I. 62-69), edited by Daniela Sagramoso Rossella, Venzia: Marsilio.
· Buddhismo al femminile. Therīgāthā. Le poesie spirituali delle monache, Milano: Guerini e Associati
· Didactic material delivered during the course (Cf. myAriel Platform).
9 ects (Section C): NOT ATTENDING STUDENTS: as alternative to the program for attending students
· Bhagavadgītā. Translation by Bianca Candian. Edited by Anne-Marie Esnoul, Adelphi: Milano.
· Gītagovinda di Jayadeva, Milano: Adelphi
· G. Flood, L'induismo. Temi, tradizioni, prospettive, Torino: Einaudi, 2006, pp. 139-200.
Assessment methods and Criteria
The examination is oral and lasts approximately 30 minutes. It generally consists of two parts: the first aims to assess linguistic knowledge and its application in relation to topics covered in the course; the second aims to assess literary knowledge and comprehension, including topics not specifically covered in the course but included in the syllabus. In the first part, linguistic knowledge and its application, as well as the related analytical and synthetis skills, will be assessed through the reading, translation and grammatical analysis of texts studied during the course. The second part consists of at least two questions concerning the topics covered in the syllabus, with particular emphasis on the monographic section for 9-credit exams. For this second part too, in addition to knowledge, students' understanding and ability to apply that knowledge will be assessed; finally, in addition to analytical and synthesis skills, critical awareness will also be assessed.
Grading, on a scale of 30 (the pass mark is 18), will take into account: the student's overall preparation and familiarity with the course bibliography; linguistic knowledge and skills; understanding and mastery of the historical and cultural issues, and the ability to synthetise, analyse and critically evaluate them when presenting them; the use of appropriate vocabulary; and accuracy and relevance in the oral presentation.
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.
Grading, on a scale of 30 (the pass mark is 18), will take into account: the student's overall preparation and familiarity with the course bibliography; linguistic knowledge and skills; understanding and mastery of the historical and cultural issues, and the ability to synthetise, analyse and critically evaluate them when presenting them; the use of appropriate vocabulary; and accuracy and relevance in the oral presentation.
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.
Modules or teaching units
Part A and B
L-OR/18 - INDOLOGY AND TIBETOLOGY - University credits: 6
Lessons: 40 hours
Part C
L-OR/18 - INDOLOGY AND TIBETOLOGY - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Professor(s)