Grammar and Sandhi Rules(Euphonic Combinations)

Do we need to learn grammar to learn a language.

Yes if you are learning a new language as an adult.

That too a language that you do not know at all especially if the language is not widely spoken.

One may wonder that as a child we never needed grammar to speak our mother tongue or the language we spoke at home.

Reason? Because the brain of a child is developing..a clean slate that absorbs at a high rate as new synaptic connections are formed.

Hence any audio visual input leaves imprints right away and Lo behold we develop speech sans grammar.

Its just that the by simply hearing a sentence we can make out what sounds right.

Right?

Yes!

But as adults are we the same?

Well firstly as adults we have developed our own "habits" and lifestyle and also distractions.

The method of learning is different from that of a child BUT that does not mean its BAD news because as adults we have developed analytical skills and deducing capacity which aids in learning.

If we want to study a new language for reading and writing purposes the study of grammar is inevitable.

We need to know about case endings,tenses,particles, adjectives,syntax etc.

In the study of Sanskrit many desire to study it to be able to read texts like Bhagavad Geeta and Upanishads.

In order to read these texts the study of grammar is very important especially Sandhi Rules also called Euphonic combination.

Every verse in the Bhagavad Geeta employs Euphonic Combinations(Sandhi Rules).

For example the word कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते/karmanyevadhikaraste

Is it just one word?

Heck no!

Its actually:

karmani—prescribed duties; eva—certainly; adhikarah—right; te-of you; 

Its because of Sandhi rules it becomes:कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते

Therefore it is very important that Sandhi Rules be learnt to be able to decipher what we read in the Bhagavad Geeta.

Sandhi Rules are actually very technical and mathematical and its sheer joy to apply it.

Sandhi Classes too are available if a student has prior knowledge of Sanskrit and only wants to learn Sandhi.

Mere Rashke Qamar in Sanskrit version cover by Rajiv Shastri

Plateau!

What to do when we hit Plateau while learning a new language?

Firstly lets define plateau.

Definition of plateau:a state of little or no change following a period of activity or progress.

Its like getting stuck or a block in the progress of studying a language.

So what is the treatment to handle this phase?

Answer: NOTHING ACTIVE! BUT NOTHING INACTIVE EITHER!

Our very existence as a human has Plateau even at a cellular level.

Its just nature's way to give any cell a rest.

Same with our neurons in the brain..it needs a break from time to time hence we might find ourselves stuck for a while without much progress.

This phase usually fades into 50 shades of oblivion and we would even forget that we had a plateau.

One of the greatest creation in the world is the human mind.

It can be totally out of control or totally in tune or totally multipolar and the secret of going on with life is to observe these changes like a witness..its very hard to fight the human mind but if we can just observe our emotions right from love to anger or even hatred...we can observe how each emotion has effect on us.

Likewise when we hit a plateau in learning dont try to fight it by feeding the mind more information and force ourselves to memorize or even over study.

Just step aside and realize that our brain needs a break but that does not mean we get attached to inaction and do nothing!

We can still study but try a different format.

If reading and writing is making our mind fatigue..try hearing a song in the language we are learning to relax without any compulsion to even understand everything fully.

Our mind records everything we experience through our 5 senses subconsciously like an Abhimanyu absorbing in- utero.

But only thing is we need to know how to get out of the Chakra Vyuha of a Plateau!

Just drive the chariot of the mind with the 5 senses in a different manner that would be conducive for progressing to the next level.

How do we learn?



आचार्यात् पादमादत्ते पादं शिष्यः स्वमेधया ।
सब्रह्मचारिभ्यः पादं पादं कालक्रमेण च ॥

AchAryAt pAdamAdatte, pAdam shiShyaH swamedhayA |
sa-brahmachAribhyaH pAdam, pAdam kAlakrameNa cha ||

One fourth from the teacher, one fourth from our own intelligence,
One fourth from fellow classmates, and one fourth with time.


This shloka stresses upon learning.

Learning has many facets.

Most people need a teacher although self study from books is entirely possible(in this case the author of the books becomes the teacher).

For those who attend classes and learn from a teacher..it is important to know that knowledge needs self effort too.

For effective study one needs go beyond what is covered in class.

For example if we are learning Verbs in the Present tense in class..do not just study only the verbs covered in class.

These days we have Google search to search even for a husband or wife!

So use Google search options to look for resources online for self study.

Print out material for reading.

Reading from an app or reading online isn't enough..download it, print it and hold the printed material.

Write down what we printed and read.

Writing fires away neuronal activity in the brain and improves memory.

Recite aloud what we have written for further enhancing memory.

If you need to remember something you can even add a tune to it and hum it as a song.

Buy books too just do not limit self to downloading material.

Studying from a teacher needs self follow up too..explore and hunt for material to read.

Do not limit self to only mantras and shlokas if we are beginning the study of Sanskrit.

There are enough simple stories and text online to start improving our vocabulary.

Look for like minded people who are willing to learn and share.

Learning is a never ending process.

The more you know the more you realize how much we do not know.

So most important is not to let knowledge get to our heads!

When pride of learning sets in all knowledge goes to waste.

When UNLEARNING actually helps LEARNING.

Sounds paradoxical?
Well..read on.

Unlearning is a process where we let go of preconceived notions making our mind receptive to new information and processing it to aid learning.

This is very relevant in the study of Sanskrit.
Many of us who want to learn Sanskrit do it so for mostly religious purposes and would have had exposure to mantra recitals even committed to memory various Sanskrit shlokas and vedic chants without knowing the meaning the words recited.

Committing mantras and shlokas to memory isn't really all that difficult because we are memorizing sounds.

Many a times we have heard Non Indians who can not speak or understand Hindi sing away Bollywood numbers in perfect diction.
This is because we humans have the capability to retain sounds even though we might not understand every word or any word heard.

Many of us who have had exposure to mantras/shlokas/vedic chants (without actually knowing Sanskrit) might think that it would be easy to study Sanskrit because of this prior exposure.

But to be honest it isn't always that way.

Reason?
Grammar!
Learning Grammar,Reading and Writing a language is totally different from memorizing mantra/shlokas/vedic chants.

Processing language efficiently needs sensory reinforcement via visual(seeing a word being written),audio(hearing a word being pronounced) and mechanical(writing a word/sentence).

Learning a language needs more skill than memorizing mantras/shlokas/vedic chants.

So at some point of learning one might start to wonder "hey why when I was able to commit to memory Purusha Shuktam or Narayana Upanishad" why am I finding it a little hard to handle grasping the Sanskrit Language?

This is where I say the Key to Learning is UNLEARNING.

Drop all preconceived notions that past exposure to reciting mantras etc is going to aid study of Sanskrit.
It might not work for everyone.

Many of those who have grasped Sanskrit well have been those who had zero exposure to anything religious because their minds imbibed grammar as it is and did not have preconceived notions of any kind.

UNLEARNING is about emptying and clearing up storage space in the mind to process a language.
Once we master the basic grammar and euphonics watch how effortless reciting of mantras/shlokas/vedic chants would become.