Introduction to Vedas
Course content:
The course ‘Introduction to Vedas’ presents an overview of the central theme of the Vedas and their classification as Rig, Yajus, Sama, and Atharva and structural classification as Samhita, Brahmaṇa, Aranyaka, and Upanisad along with a brief introduction to the allied literature of the Vedas are discussed in this course. The Hindu philosophy of life and worldview that intrinsically supports diversity and universal wellbeing, which has enabled the Vedic culture to sustain itself in the face of considerable adversity is also explored.
Area of Study: Sanskrit Studies
Required / Elective: Required
Prerequisites: Admission to MA Sanskrit
Faculty / Instructor: Dr. Dhananjaya Rao
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Quarter Offered: Â Fall Quarter
Research and Writing Preparatory Seminar
Learning Outcome
This course will address four main obstacles students face in writing papers: (1) finding a suitable topic for their paper, (2) developing that topic, (3) ensuring that the topic has a suitable scope for a paper, and (4) ensuring that sufficient literature exists on which to build their thesis. It will also teach them the essential skills for writing a persuasive and well-supported paper: (1) formulating the central inquiry of the paper, (2) developing arguments and supporting them with research, (3) structuring the paper and providing suitable headings and internal connections, (4) creating a bibliography, summarizing existing literature, and situating the paper’s thesis vis-a-vis existing scholarship.
Area of Study: Hindu Studies Foundations
Required / Elective: Required/ Must have completed or Concurrently enrolled into Orientation to Hindu Studies
Faculty: Dr. Joydeep Bagchee
Day: Every Thursday
Start Date: 9 July 2020
End Date: 17 September 2020
Time: 10:00 am -01:00 pm EST
Quarter:Â Summer 2020
Sanskrit Vyakarana – 1
Course content
The course provides an overview of the structure, content, and methodology used in Astadhyayi for describing a language. It also explores the computational model of the treatise and introduces the knowledge tradition of vyakarana prior to and post Panini. The course also introduces the alternate arrangement of Astadhyayi in the treatise named Siddhanta-kaumudi that focuses on the conclusions of Panini’s sutras with an illustration of the sections related to the technical terms and rules of interpretation of the sutras.
In this course the students will be able to:
- Understand the architecture of Astadhyayi as a treatise of language structure
- Learn how to interpret Ashtadhyayi text independently
- Comprehend the computational model of Sanskrit grammar as articulated by Astadhyayi
- Appreciate the robustness and holistic excellence of the treatise
- Recognize the convergences and divergences between the Astadhyayi and Siddhanta-kaumudi models and the rationale for such alternate models
- Understand the philosophy of language that provided the concept of apoddhara based on which Panini formulated his Astadhyayi
Area of Study:- Sanskrit Studies
Required / Elective: Required
Prerequisites: Admission into the Masters’ Certificate or MA in Sanskrit Program
Faculty / Instructor: Â Dr. Tilaka Rao
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Quarter Offered: Fall Quarter