With skrit
PUNE, India — For three generations, they have compiled and argued, agonized and transcribed — toiling in monastic tedium to turn an intricate 44-letter language into six volumes, so far, of word after long-forgotten word.
They have delved into the grammatical roots of “antahpravesakama” and debated the pun hidden in “anangada.” […]
Now, 55 years after a group of scholars began composing the authoritative dictionary of Sanskrit, the long-dead language of India’s ancient glory, they are almost done — with the first letter. […]
In the scholars’ world — largely limited to the workroom and the “scriptorium,” where the 9 million citations are filed in metal drawers — technology often amounts to a pencil stub and a paperweight.
Perhaps word processors, or access to the Internet’s many Sanskrit resources, would speed things up?
“We’re hoping for computers in one or two years,” said Kshirsagar, not sounding very hopeful. […]
The language is agonizingly complex and after 40 years even Bhatta can seldom just open a book and understand it.
As an example, he randomly picks the word “antahpravesakama” from a volume in progress. For a few minutes, he discusses — in English — possible translations with an elderly colleague before settling on: “desiring to enter inside.”
The real meaning is more poetic, in this case referring to the conception of “the one who has 1,000 eyes” — the god Indra.
For every word there are many definitions, and for every definition there are often many more allegorical meanings. […]
“Sanskrit,” sighed Vinayaka Bhatta, chief editor of Deccan College’s dictionary project, “is not easy to translate.”
More unsung heroes.
Perhaps we could start a fund to help buy them a computer.
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Comment
- Seriously? I would certainly chip in for that. Been dreaming about learning Sanskrit for a long time. (Not that I have taken any steps into that direction.)
— Elkit Aug 19, 9:21pm # - I’d contribute.
— Miguel Aug 20, 5:10am # - Eh, I’ll just keep using Monier-Williams – I can’t imagine needing a bigger dictionary unless you’re trying to decipher some extremely obscure texts. (You’d really think the college could afford a couple of computers for those guys, wouldn’t you?)
Oh, and happy anniversary!
— language hat Aug 20, 1:48pm # - of the available sanskrit-english dictionaries, the “practical sanskrit-english dictionary” by vaman shivaram apte is certainly the best. monier-williams is largely based on the sanskrit-german dictionary by boethlingk and roth, the so-called “petersburg dictionary”, and it’s, um, not exactly a reliable rendition of it. it may be big, but it isn’t good.
links:
apte
monier
— katatonik Aug 20, 1:59pm # - But the sentimental value of Monier-Williams is huuuuge, katatonik. It’s still a powerful influence in my living room, where it keeps berating me for ever foolishly giving up Sanskrit.
— marrije Aug 25, 5:15am # - Aah, One more example of the great digital divide facing us indians.
Thanks for the support. Really happy to see so much interest in sanskrit, the only unambigous language in the world with a perfect grammar.
— anand Aug 29, 5:27am # - I’d like to see a Sanskrit-English phrase book for backpackers, with useful sentences like “I antahpravesakama this hostel”.
— palinode Sep 7, 4:59am #
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