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Spoken Sanskrit Course Mātṛkā This new approach to Sanskrit actively engages students in the natural method of language learning, making it possible to speak and understand simple Sanskrit from the first day. This course emphasizes Sanskrit in its original spoken form, and by the end of this three-week course, students will be speaking simple Sanskrit sentences with authentic pronunciation and comprehending them as well. If you have already tried studying Sanskrit and feel it is too difficult, this is because practically every other book and class out there uses the “academic method”, which is modeled on the study of Latin, and emphasizes deciphering texts. Sanskrit is a living language that has endured for over 5,000 years in its spoken form and our class is dedicated to continuing this enduring tradition. This class is founded on the traditional Indian method of listening and recitation, and informed by contemporary scientific research on language learning. We focus on learning elementary Sanskrit grammar and practicing speaking with proper pronunciation using simple sentences. As class progresses, we’ll be learning to read and translate simple Sanskrit stories to become familiar with the language’s written form. Each class includes an opportunity to experience the traditional method of reading, translating and reciting a short verse or two under Boris’ expert guidance. This time-honored method allows us to easily memorize scriptural verses. In India this method is sometimes used as meditation in itself. The traditional texts explain that words and sentences possess the power to convey a meaning independently of their grammatical forms. This meaning is most potently conveyed through sound in the form of listening and speaking. Course instructor Boris Marjanovic, Ph.D. has spent the last twenty years studying and teaching Sanskrit and Indian philosophy in both the western universities and living for over ten years in the ancient Indian city Varanasi, training in the traditional manner with some of the best pandits living today. In the last 15 years Boris has been one of the most productive Sanskrit scholars, translating four books into English: Abhinavagupta’s Commentary on the Bhagavad-gītā, Stava-cintāmaṇi with Kṣemarāja’s Commentary, Abhinavaguta’s Tantrasāra and Jagannātha Paṇḍitarāja’s Gaṅgā-laharī. His teaching philosophy is that the Sanskrit language should be easily available to anyone interested in the Indian tradition. Based on his experience, Boris presents the best of both these worlds in this course: the traditional approach of listening and reciting scriptural verses is combined with scientific research in language acquisition. Contact address