Introduction to Sanskrit for Ayurveda
Self-paced | 30 hours
Enhance your Ayurvedic studies with the power of its mother language.
This course will help you
- Read and write over 100 common Ayurvedic words
- Literate simple English sentences in Sanskrit
- Read simple sentences from Ayurvedic texts
- Set a foundation for further studies in Sanskrit
- Enrich your comprehension of Ayurvedic texts and principles
- Write your name in Sanskrit!
Who should take this course
This course is designed for the Ayurvedic student and enthusiast, and is open to all levels – be it your first time studying Ayurveda, or if you have already commenced your studies. There is no prerequisite.
What to expect
Enhance your Ayurvedic studies with the power of its mother language! A basic knowledge of Sanskrit is essential for understanding the true essence of Ayurveda. It enriches the understanding of the classical textbooks and also boosts the cognitive experience, improving the student’s memory retention and absorption of the material.
This course will introduce you to Sanskrit starting with the basics. It focuses on foundational skills required for reading and writing Sanskrit, plus a preface to spoken Sanskrit. Lessons begin with the basic sounds and the alphabet of the Devanaagarii, or Sanskrit script. Students progress further by learning to read and write their own names, transliterate simple words, and then build up towards reading Ayurvedic words and sentences. At the end of the program, students are capable of reading basic Sanskrit on their own and have the foundation to pursue further study in spoken Sanskrit.
Topics
The Sounds and Alphabet of Sanskrit
5 classes
We set the foundation for the course by sounding out the alphabet.
- Introduction to the alphabet: vowels & consonants, grouping based on the human vocal system, and importance of pronunciation: duration (short and long vowels), aspiration (or not) of consonants
- Literation: the Devanaagarii alphabet
- Write your name in Devanaagarii
- Quick intro to available transliteration mechanisms and key (e.g Google)
From Sounds to Words
As you begin to literate simple sentences, you internalize the alphabet. We do this so you don’t have to think about Sanskrit sentences, but only use the script.
- Consonant modifications and conjunct consonants
- Literating English sentences using Devanaagarii script (written, not typed)
- Intro to available transliteration mechanisms and key (e.g. Google)
Ayurvedic Vocabulary
We study about 50 common Ayurvedic words to prepare you for the Ayurvedic texts.
- Read and write some common words: introduction to common Ayurvedic words, and internalize proper pronunciation
- Usage of transliteration convention and mechanism: write words using English script
- Introduction to grammatical rules for conjoined words
- How to dissect conjoined words into their constituent words, and how to combine words into larger words
Introduction to Ayurvedic Texts
Combining your knowledge of the Sanskrit alphabet and Ayurvedic vocabulary, we start reading simple sentences from Ayurvedic texts.
- Expand Ayurvedic vocabulary for reading Ayurvedic texts
- Read and write sentences from the texts
Towards Experiential Sanskrit
Going beyond the alphabet, script and word meaning, we dive deeper into understanding the full meaning of more complex sentences.
- Introduction to basic sentence structure
- Identifying nouns and verbs in sentences, introduction to number and tense
- The beginnings of Spoken Sanskrit
Start learning now
What's included
- Access to our elearning portal where all your class material is accessible
- 4 modules of content - including class recordings and learning tools
- 16 class videos you can watch at your own pace
- Class notes from the instructor
- Audio recordings for listening and practicing at home
- 9 assignments and a final quiz
Tuition: $195
Frequently asked questions
Yes. There is no prerequisite for this course. However, it is designed to support students of Ayurveda and therefore covers terminology specifically used in Ayurveda. It is not a general introductory course for Sanskrit.
Yes! This program is designed to be taken online only. All of the content is accessible via our elearning platform. All of the 16 classes have been recorded and are available for playback.
We estimate 30 hours total, including 27 hours of class videos, and 3 hours of assignments. You can take longer if you need to complete.
Yes! Whether you attended in-class or live streamed this workshop previously, we welcome students again at a reduced rate. Please contact support@keralaayurveda.us to register. Note: online registration is not available for retakes.