Posted by Bansi Pandit on October 31, 1997 at 15:34:19:
In Reply to: Sanskrit posted by karen beitel on October 30, 1997 at 12:53:56:
: I am interested in the status of Sanskrit in modern Hinduism, specifically: how does Sanskrit impinge upon (or relate to)current Hindu sensibilities(in India or abroad)?
Response:
Sanskrit and Hindu heritage are inseparable. Sanskrit is to Hinduism what taste is to the tongue. Without the knowledge of Sanskrit, Hindu rites and ceremonies cannot be performed in accordance with the scriptural injunctions. Priests in India are trained in Sanskrit from early on along with at least one local language so that they can chant Sanskrit slokas (verses form scriptures) during religious rites and ceremonies and also be able to explain them to the devotees in the local language. In the West, priests are trained in Sanskrit as well as in English for this purpose.