Sanskrit Universities in India.

1. Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeetha, Tirupati (Andhra Pradesh)

 

2. Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan (Deemed University) New Delhi

 

3. Sri Venkateswara Vedic University, Tirumala, Tirupati (Andhra Pradesh)

 

4. Kameshwar Singh Darbhanga Sanskrit University,Kameshwar Nagar, Darbhanga (Bihar)

 

5. Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeetha, Katwaria Sarai, New Delhi

 

6. Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit, Kalady, Dist. Ernakulam

 

7. Shri Jagannath Sanskrit Vishvavidyalaya, Srivihar, Puri

 

8. Jagadguru Ramanandacharya Rajasthan Sanskrit University,

 

9. Sampurnanand Sanskrit Vishwavidyalaya, Varanasi

 

10. Somnath Sanskrit University, Somnath, Junagadh, (Gujarat)

 

11. Uttarakhand Sanskrit Vishwavidyalaya, Haridwar

 

12. Kavikulaguru Kalidas Sanskrit Vishwavidyalaya, Ramtek, Nagpur

 

13. Maharishi Panini Sanskrit Evam Vedic University, Ujjain (Madhaya Pradesh)

 

14. Karnataka Sanskrit University Chamrendra Sanskrit Mahapathshala, Bangalore 

(Karnataka)

 

15. Kumar Bhaskar Varma Sanskrit and Ancient Studies University, Nalbari (Assam)

Academic Sanskrit Studies Around The World

India

Sanskrit Universities

 
Academy of Sanskrit Research

Melkote

French Institute, 
Pondicherry

IGNCA
Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts

Institute of Asian Studies
Chennai

Department of Sanskrit and Prakrit Languages Pune University
Centre of Advanced Study in Sanskrit, Pune

America

El Colegio de Mexico 

Center for Asian and African Studies
Brown University 

Classics Department

 

California Institute of Integral Studies

Asian and Comparative Studies  

Case Western University 

Department of Religious Studies  

Columbia University 

Dept of Middle East and Asian Languages and Cultures   

Concordia University, Canada
Classics Department   

Cornell University

South Asia Program   

Emory University 

Language Center   

John Hopkins University 

Language Teaching Center

Harvard University
Sanskrit and Indian Studies

 

Indiana University
India Studies   

Loyola Marymount University
Yoga Studies 

McGill University, Canada
Religious Studies Department   

McMaster University, Canada
Religious Studies Department

 

Ohio State University   

Rutgers University  

South Asian Studies Program   

SUNY at Buffalo 

Department of Classics 

SUNY at Stony Brook 

Department of Asian and Asian American Studies   

Universidade de Sao Paulo

Departamento de Letras Classicas e Vernaculas   

University of Alabama 

Critical Languages Center   

University of British Columbia, Canada  

Centre for India and South Asian Research

University of Calgary, Canada
Philosophy Department

 

University of California at Santa Barbara 

Department of East Asian Languages and Cultural Studies

 

University of California at Berkeley
South and Southeast Asian Studies

University of Chicago
Department of South Asian Languages and Civilizations

 

University of Colorado at Boulder  (In conjunction with Naropa University)  

Department of Religious Studies   

University of Florida 

Center for the study of Hindu Traditions   

University of Hawaii  

Center for South Asian Studies   

University of Illinois at Urbana Champagne 

Department of Linguistics   

University of Iowa  

Department of Asian Languages and Literature

 

University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
Asian Languages and Cultures

University of North Texas
Philosophy and Religious Studies

 

University of Pennsylvania
Department of South Asia Studies

University of Pittsburgh
Indo-Pacific Council

University of Rochester
Department of Religion and Classics

University of Saskatchewan
Religious Studies

 

University of South Florida
Religious Studies

 

University of Texas at Austin
Asian Studies

 

University of Toronto 

Faculty of Arts and Sciences

 

University of Virginia
Asian and Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures

 

University of Wasington in Seattle
Department of Asian Languages and Literature

 

University of Wisconsin at Madison
Languages and Cultures of Asia

 

Washington and Lee University 

Department of Religion

 

Yale University  

Department of Linguistics

Australia

Australian National University (in conjunction with Sydney University)
South Asia Centre
La Trobe University
Asian Studies
University of Queensland Centre for Buddhist Studies    University of Sydney
Indian Studies

Europe

Austria

Vienna University Institut f�r S�dasien-, Tibet- und Buddhismuskunde Universitat Wien (ISTB)
Institut f�r Kultur- und Geistesgeschichte Asiens

Belgium

Gent University

Louvain University 

Oriental Institute

Denmark

University of Copenhagen
Asian Studies

Finland

University of Helsinki

Institute for Asian and African Studies

France

Universit� Paris (Sorbonne Nouvelle)

Universit� de Lyon

Universit� de Lille

Universit� de Provence

Ecole pratique des Hautes Etudes

EHESS

Germany

German Indology Website
Berlin (Freie Universit�t)
Indian Studies
Bonn University
Indian Studies
Freiburg University
Oriental Studies
G�ttingen University
Indian and Buddhist Studies
Halle University
Indological Studies
Hamburg University
Indian and Tibetan Studies
Heidelberg University
Classical Indian Studies
Kiel University
K�ln University
Indology and Tamil Studies
Leipzig University
Indology
Mainz University
Indology
Marburg University
Indology
M�nchen University
Indology
M�nster University
Indology
T�bingen University
Indian Studies/ Comparative Religion
W�rzburg University
Indology

Great Britain

Cambridge University
Oriental Studies
Edinburgh University
Asian Studies
London University
Oriental & African Studies
Oxford University
Oriental Studies

Italy

University of Bologna
Oriental Studies
University of Rome
Oriental Studies
State University, Milan
Catholic University, Milan
University of Venice
University of Bologna
University of Pisa
University of Rome
University of Naples
University of Cagliari
University of Florence
University of Palermo
University of Turin

The Netherlands

Groningen University
Institute for the Institute of Indian Studies
Leiden University
Kern Institute, Department of Indian and Tibetan Studies

Norway

Oslo University
Oriental Studies

Russia

Moscow State University
Institute of Asian and African Studies

Sweden

Stockholm University
Indology
Uppsala University

Switzerland

Lausanne University
Indian Studies
Z�rich University
Indian Studies


Middle/Near-East Asia

 

Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel 

Institute of Asian and African Studies   

Tel-Aviv University, Israel 

East Asian Studies Department   

Indian School, Oman 

Department of Sanskrit

Asia

Beijing University 

Center for Indian Studies

 

Kyoto University, Japan
Department of Indology

And over 40 more universities across Japan

Chulalongkorn University, Thailand

 

Mahidol University, Thailand 

Buddhist Studies, Department of Humanities

MA Program in Indian Studies

Chulalongkorn University, Thailand

Silpakorn University, Thailand 

Sanskrit Study Centre   

Tools and Materials for Home-Study

The American Sanskrit Institute
A non-academic institution offering weekend and residential immersion courses
California Institute of Integral Studies
Lectures, workshops, and trainings by the many Eastern and Western teachers in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Devanagari Script
Learn the Devanagari script used for writing Hindi and Sanskrit.
Hindu University of America
Intelligent Internet Ready Languages
iLEAP Version 2 uses Indian languages to exchange e-mail and fax messages, present web pages, and perform desktop publishing.
Mailing List to Learn Sanskrit  
A mailing list called "sanskrit" to assist in the learning of Sanskrit through simple sentences.
Samskrita Bharati
Speak Sanskrit Movement.
Samskrt.com
Web-based Sanskrit learning site.
Sanskrit Declensions (Site in German)
Sanskrit Documents
Sanskrit Grammarian
Declension site run by G�rard Huet.
Sanskrit Library
Maintained by Peter M. Scharf, Brown University.
Sanskrit on the Radio
Within its Hindi Programme Deutsche Welle opens fortnightly a very special window: the Sanskrit-Programme.
Sanskrit Tutor
Sanskrit Tutor is based on the Level 1 Sanskrit course taught by Dr. Sarasvati Mohan of the Sanskrit Academy.
Sanskrit Word Declensions
This is a set of qdatr files used for forming Sanskrit word declensions.

Importance of Happy Women In Manu Smriti.

3.56. The society that provides respect and dignity to women flourishes with nobility and prosperity. And a society that does not put women on such a high pedestal has to face miseries and failures regardless of how so much noble deeds they perform otherwise.
 
3.55. A father, brother, husband or brother-in-law should keep their daughter, sister, wife or sister-in-law happy and pleased through gentle words, respectful behavior, gifts etc. Those who desire prosperity should ensure that women in their family are always happy and do not face miseries.
 
3.57. A family where women remain unhappy due to misdeeds of their men is bound to be destroyed. And a family where women are always happy is bound to prosper forever.
 
3.58. A family- where women feel insulted or discriminated against and curse their menfolk- is destroyed in same manner as poison kills all those who eat it.
 
3.59. One desiring glory should ensure that he keeps women in the family by giving them respect and pleasing them with good ornaments, dresses, food. Women should always be revered under all circumstances.
 
3.62. A person who does not keep her wife happy causes misery for entire family. And if wife is happy, entire family appears as happiness incarnate.
 
9.26. Women give birth to next generation. They enlighten the home. They bring fortune and bliss. Hence women are synonymous to Prosperity.
 
This shloka forms the basis of women being called Ghar ki Laxmi or ‘Goddess of Fortune in Home‘ in India even till today.
 
9.28. Woman is the source of all kinds of happiness in all generations – be it from children, or from noble benevolent deeds or through conjugal bliss or through service of elders.
In other words, woman is the primary source of bliss in many forms – sometimes as mother, sometimes as daughter, sometimes as wife and sometimes as a partner in spiritual deeds. It also means that participation of women is necessary for conduct of any religious or spiritual activity.
 
9.96. Man and Woman are incomplete without each other. Hence the most ordinary religious duty would demand participation of both.
 
Thus, those who deny Vedas or Vedic rituals to women are anti-Hindu and anti-Humanity.
 
4.180. A wise man should not indulge in fights and arguments with his family members including mother, daughter and wife.
 
9.4. A father who does not marry his daughter to a deserving groom deserves condemnation. A husband who does not fulfill just demands of her wife deserves condemnation. A son who does not take care of her widow mother deserves condemnation.

Polygamy is a sin
 
9.101. Husband and Wife should remain together till death. They should not approach any other partner, nor commit adultery. This, in summary, is the Dharma or religion of all human beings.
 
Thus those societies which justify polygamy or sex-slavery or temporary marriage are bound to suffer miseries because they neglect the core tenet of Dharma.

Autonomy of Women
 
9.11. Women should be provided autonomy and leadership in managing the finances, maintaining hygiene, spiritual and religious activities, nutrition and overall management of home.
 
The shloka clearly puts aside false claims that women do not have right to conduct religious rituals of Vedas. On contrary, women should lead such rituals. Thus all those people who suggest that women do not have right to study or practice Vedas are against Manu and Vedas. Such bigoted people are the cause for misery of the nation. We should simply not tolerate such mindsets that demean women.
 
9.12. A woman who is kept constrained in a home by noble men (husband, father, son) is still insecure. Thus it is futile to restrict women. Security of women would come only through her own capabilities and mindset.
 
This shloka explains the futility to attempting to restrict a woman to home in name of providing her security. On contrary, to secure her, she should be given the right training so that she can defend herself and avoid getting misled by bad company. The prevailing notion of cornering women within a small home is against Manu’s ideology.

Protection of Women
 
9.6. Even a weak husband should attempt to protect his wife.
 
9.5 Women should keep themselves away from vices. Because when women lose character, the entire society is destroyed.
 
5.149. A woman should always ensure that she is protected. It is duty of father, husband and son to protect her.
 
Please note that this protection does not imply restriction as clear from verse 9.12 cited in previous section. But a society that does not protect its womenfolk from attacks of perverts writes its own destiny of doom.
 
It is because of this inspiration that many a brave warriors laid their lives to protect the dignity of their women when butchers from West and Central Asia invaded our nation. The sacrifices of Alha-Udal and valor of Maharana Pratap brings a gush of glory in our blood.
Its a shame that despite such a chivalrous foundation of our culture, we have women either oppressed in backyard of homes or commoditized as sensual-items instigating lust. When we ourselves have turned invaders instead of protectors of dignity of women, who can help us!

Marriage of Women
 
9.89. It is better to keep the daughter unmarried than force her to marry an undeserving person.
 
9.90-91. A woman can choose her own husband after attaining maturity. If her parents are unable to choose a deserving groom, she can herself choose her husband.
 
Thus the concept of parents deciding the groom for their daughter is against Manu. A mature daughter has full rights to choose her husband. Parents act as facilitators for the marriage and not final decision makers, as wrongly practiced in many societies.

Property Rights of Women
 
9.130. A daughter is equivalent to a son. In her presence, how can any one snatch away her right over the property.
 
9.131. A daughter alone has the right over personal property of her mother.
Thus, as per Manu, while daughter has equal share as her brothers over property of her father, she has exclusive rights over property of her mother. The reason for this special treatment of women is to ensure that women are never at mercy of anyone. After all happy dignified women form the foundation of a happy society!
 
9.212-213. If a person has no kins or wife, then his wealth be distributed equally among his brothers and sisters. If the elder brother refuses to give due share to other brothers and sisters, he is punishable by law.
 
To further ensure safety of women, Manu recommended harsh punishments for those who rob away wealth of a woman, even if they are her relatives.
 
8.28-29. If a woman is alone because she has no children, or no men to provide for her security in her family, or is widow, or whose husband has gone abroad, or who is unwell, then it is duty of the government to ensure her safety and security. If her wealth is robbed by her relatives or friends, then the government should provide strict punishment to the culprits and have her wealth returned back.

Prohibition of Dowry
 
3.52. Those relatives who rob away or thrive on wealth, property, vehicles or dresses of a woman or her family are wiliest of people.
 
Thus any kind of dowry is a strict NO NO as per Manu Smriti. No one should dare attempt to take away the property of a woman.
 
The next shloka takes this concept further and states that even slightest exchange of tangible items amounts to sale/purchase and hence against principles of noble marriage. In fact Manu Smriti suggests that a marriage along with dowry is marriage of ‘Devils’ or Asuri Vivah.

Strict Punishment for harming Women
 
8.323. Those who abduct women should be given death sentence.
 
9.232. Those who kill women, children or scholarly virtuous people should be given strictest punishment.
 
8.352. Those who rape or molest women or incite them into adultery should be given harshest punishment that creates fear among others to even think of such a crime.
Interestingly, a judge of sessions court suggested today that castration seems the best punishment to prevent alarming increase in rape cases. Refer We are in agreement with such a law.
 
8. 275. One should be punished if he puts false allegations or demeans mother, wife or daughter.
 
8.389. Those who abandon their mother, father, wife or children without any reasonable reason should face severe punishments.

Ladies First
 
The concept of Ladies First seems to originate from Manu Smriti.
 
2.138. A man in a vehicle should give way to the following – aged person, diseased person, one carrying burden, groom, king, student and a woman.
 
3.114. One should feed the following even before feeding the guests – newly married women, girls, and pregnant women.
May we all work together to implement this true Manuvaad by showering respect and ensuring dignity of the motherly force. How else can prosperity be restored in the society, nation and world?
 
References: Works of Dr Surendra Kumar, Pt Gangaprasad Updhyaya, and Swami Dayanand Saraswati