The Department of Sanskrit, Pali & Prakrit came into existence in July, 1978. The Department offers four programmes i.e. M.A. in Sanskrit, Ph.D. in Sanskrit, Diploma in Gita Philosophy and a value added course. The Department provides five specializations of Sanskrit studies i.e. Vedic Literature, Sanskrit Grammar, Indian Philosophy, Classical Sanskrit Literature and Dharmashastra in MA Sanskrit programme as well as in Ph.d. Pali and Prakrit language and literature are also taught as one course in the programme of MA Sanskrit. The Department offers two open elective courses( Ancient Indian culture and Philosophy, Ancient Indian Ethics) to the students of other departments of M.D. University Rohtak. One value added course named 'Sanskritprayogkushalah' is also being offered to the students of Sanskrit and also to the students of other departments of University. The Department has well qualified and experienced faculty with full of energy and research aptitude. The department provides quality education to its students through continuous updating of curriculum in the light of contemporary trends and requirements. We provide intensive mentoring to our students through various activities such as seminars, workshops, competitions, extension lectures, induction programs and most importantly Mentor mentee meetings.

History of Department

The Department was established in July 1978 with MPhil program. After one year in 1979, MA in Sanskrit was started with few students. Dr. Mahavir Mimamsak was the first Head of the Department from July 1, 1978 to July 4, 1979. After that The Department of Sanskrit was headed by 12 great scholars of Sanskrit.

The Department of Sanskrit enjoys the pride of having some of the stalwarts in the subject as it's faculties in the past.

Prof. Mahavir Mimamsak joined the Department as Lecturer in the department on deputation from the Shivaji college, Delhi University. He was a great scholar of Sanskrit grammar and Vedic studies. He has written several books on the related disciplines.

Prof. Jaidev Vidyalankar was the first one who appointed as Professor in the department. He has served as Head of the Department for seven years. He completed PhD from London,UK. He was a great Sanskrit scholar across all disciplines of Sanskrit Studies.

Prof. Sudhikant Bhardwaj, a great Sanskrit scholar served the Department for more than 30 years. He had been headed the Department three times and has a great contribution in shaping the Department. He is highly acclaimed Sanskrit Scholar, Writer, Grammarian and Poet. He has written 23 kavyas in Sanskrit language, 6 in hindi language. He has won many reputed awards like VedVyasa Puruskar in 2002 by Haryana Sanskrit Academy, Mahamahopadhyaya Samman by Hindi sahitya sammelan Prayag in 2009, Valmiki Puruskar in 2010 by Haryana Sanskrit Academy, Haryana Gaurav Puruskar in 2019 by Haryana Sanskrit Academy.  He has guided 22 PhD Scholars and 50 Mphil students in their dissertations.  

Prof. Ishwar singh served the Department for more than 30 years. He has guided many PhD scholars and MPhil students in their research. He was a great teacher of Indian Philosophy and contributed in shaping the Department with his vision.  

Prof Yajanveer Dahiya, a scholar of Sanskrit Grammar served the Department for more than 25 years. He was headed the department three times and guided many research scholars. He has written various books related to Sanskrit grammar.

Prof. Sudha Jain was a great teacher of ancient Indian Philosophy. She has served the Department for more than 30 years. She has written a scholarly book titled 'Advait Tattva Mimamsa' and several research papers on Indian philosophy. She has guided 25 PhD and more than 40 MPhil students.

Prof. Baldev Singh Mehra served the Department for more than 30 years. He is a great scholar of Vedic scriptures. He has written eleven books related to vedic discipline such as Srauta Sacrifice in Atharva Veda,Vedic Sankalan Part-1&2, Vaidic Sangrah evam Vyakhya, History of Indian Philosophy and many more.  More than 20 research papers were published in reputed journals.He has guided 30 PhD & 40 MPhil students in their research.

He has been awarded by the Mahakavi Banabhatta Puruskar for the year 2009-10 from Haryana Sanskrit Academy Panchkula.

Prof. Balvir Acharya served the Department for more than 32 years as a faculty of Veda and Sanskrit Grammar. He has written six books on Vedic Literature -

Rigvediya Brahmanon ka Sanskritik Adhyayan, Shiksha Vedanga: Parampara aur Siddhanta, Vedic Upasana Pradeep, Vedic Upasana Vidhi, Brahman granthon ke Rajnitik Siddhanta, Vedic Upasana Vidhi in English language. More than 25 research papers have been published in reputed journals. He has guided 32 PhD & 35 Mphil scholars in their research. He has been awarded special honours by various academic bodies across the country.

Currently he is serving the University as floating faculty in the Department of Sanskrit, Pali and Prakrit, Department of Yogic studies and Centre for Maharshi Dayanand and Vedic Studies.

Dr Manjul Gupta was a great scholar of Classical Sanskrit Literature and Sanskrit Poetics. She has written several books on Sanskrit literature and guided more than 15 PhD and 30 Mphil Students.

Prof. Asha was a great teacher of Sanskrit Grammar and Classical Sanskrit Literature. She served the Department for more than 37 years. She has written a book on 'Kalidas Kriyapad kosha' and many research papers. She has guided more than 20 PhD and 55 Mphil scholars.

Prof. Krishna Acharya was a teacher of Sanskrit grammar. She has guided many research scholars and written various research papers.

Prof. Dharam Pal kularia was a great Scholar of Sanskrit Grammar and Sulbasutras. He has written four books on vedic geometry-

Katyayan Sulbasutram

Maitrayaniya Sulbasutram

Apastamba Sulbasutram

Baudhayana Sulbasutram

 Eleven research papers on vedic geometry written by Prof Kularia were published in reputed journals. He has also guided several PhD and Mphil Students in their research.

Programmes

Currently, the Department of Sanskrit, Pali and Prakrit offers four programmes.

1 MA in Sanskrit - MA in Sanskrit programme is designed as per UGC norms adopted by Maharshi Dayanand University Rohtak, in credit system framework of four semester duration. It is two years degree programme. Each course is of 5 credit. Any student, who has passed graduation with Sanskrit (eligibility conditions as laid down by University in its prospectus yearly) can take admission in this programme through entrance exam. Following specialization are offered by the department in third and fourth semesters-

Option A- Sanskrit Grammar

Option B- Indian Philosophy

Option C-  Classical Sanskrit Literature

Option D- Vedic literature

Option E- Dharmashastra

PhD in Sanskrit - The department of Sanskrit, Pali and Prakrit offers this programme through entrance exam as well as directly to JRF passed students in the subject of Sanskrit subject as per availability of seats with the concerned faculty. Admission process and eligibility criteria regarding admission to PhD programme are available in the prospectus published by the MD University time to time.

M.A. in Hindu Studies -

The Department of Sanskrit, Pali and Prakrit offers M.A. in Hindu Studies with 30 seats. This is a two year degree program. A candidate having passed graduation in any discipline (eligibility conditions as laid down by University in its prospectus yearly) is eligible to get admission in this course subject to availability of seats and merit.

Value Added course -

The Department offers a value added course titled 'Sanskritprayogkushalah' for the students of Department as well as for the students of other departments also. The students, who have passed MA Sanskrit from the department itself can also join this course. This 30 hours power packed course is designed to enhance the skill of students.

Curriculum -

The curriculum for the various programmes offered by the Department of Sanskrit, Pali and Prakrit is designed for the extensive academic studies. It's curriculum enhances a variety of literary, analytical and theoretical skills to the students.

As the nomenclature of the department depicts itself, the main focus study area is Sanskrit. Sanskrit is one of the oldest known languages in the world and it's importance cannot be overstated. It is widely regarded as a language of wisdom and knowledge. Most significant works in Indian Philosophy, Ancient Science and literature were written in this language. Sanskrit is not only a language but it is cultural treasure that continues to inspire and influence people worldwide.

The Department has designed it's curriculum to dessiminate the extensive knowledge to the students. The Research scholars with the expertise of their  supervisors work related to the  various disciplines of Sanskrit studies. Major specialization areas for the research and studies in Sanskrit are as under-

Veda-

The vedic scriptures are a  collection of ancient texts that are central to the religious and cultural traditions of India they are written in the Sanskrit language and contain a wealth of knowledge, philosophy and wisdom. They are regarded as the fundamental text of Indian culture, composed in Sanskrit between 1500 and 500 BCE. There are four Vedas Rigveda, yajurveda, Samveda and Atharvaveda. They contain hymns, rituals and mantras that were used in ancient Indian religious ceremonies. Various suktas from these great texts are being taught to the students. Apart from this,Vedanga texts, Brahmana scriptures and important Upanishads are also taught to the students extensively. The vedic scriptures are vital component of Indian culture and religion.  They offer a window into ancient Indian society, provide insight into the religious practices and beliefs of the time and have influenced literature, art and philosophy. These texts continue to be studied by scholars and students and significance of Vedic scriptures will continue to be felt for generations to come.

 Sanskrit Grammar-

Sanskrit grammer has a long and rich history. The earliest known grammar of Sanskrit is the Ashtadhyayi, written by Panini, Sanskrit grammarian who lived in ancient India during the 4th century BCE.The Ashtadhyayi is a comprehensive and systematic treatise on Sanskrit grammar and is considered to be one of the most important works in the field of linguistics. It consists of 3959 sutras (aphorisms) that cover all aspects of Sanskrit grammar including phonetics morphology and syntax. Various books based on Panini's Vyakaran such as Vyakaran Siddhant Kaumudi, laghu Siddhant Kaumudi, kasika etc are being taught to the students. Panini's work was further developed and refined by subsequent grammarians including Katyayan, Patanjali and Bhartrihari. Their works added new insights and elaborations to the field of Sanskrit grammar and together they form the foundation of the classical Sanskrit language. Understanding the rules of Sanskrit grammar is crucial for comprehending and interpreting ancient Sanskrit text and scriptures accurately.

Indian Philosophy -

India has a rich tradition of philosophy that dates back to ancient times. The various schools of Indian philosophy have contributed to the development of human thought and have had a profound impact on Indian culture and society. Western world is fascinated by the concepts of various philosophies flourished in Indian subcontinent. There are six schools of Astika Philosophy i.e Samkhya, yoga, Nyaya, Vaisheshika, Mimamsa and Vedanta.  Bauddha and Jain philosophy are two major schools of thought that emerged in ancient India. Both schools of philosophy have had a significant impact on Indian thought and culture and have influenced the development of Indian spirituality, ethics and morality. Therefore, the Department of Sanskrit, Pali and Prakrit teach their students extensively through the various authentic texts of different schools of Philosophy.

Classical Sanskrit literature-

Sanskrit literature is a vast and rich  tradition that spans over several thousand years. It encompasses a wide range of genres, including poetry, drama, prose and poetics. Kavya is a form of poetry and Valmiki Ramayan is the aadi Kavya written in  laukik Sanskrit. The department of Sanskrit, Pali and prakrit designed its curriculum in such a way that covers the Sanskrit poetry from Ramayana to modern age. Some of the most famous Kavya works include the works of Kalidas Magh,Bharvi,Shriharsh,Trayambak shevde and Medhavratacharya etc. Sanskrit drama is a highly developed form of literature that dates back to the first century BCE. Mudrarakshas Mrichchhakatikam uttarramcharitm etc are being taught in the department. Harshcharitam, vasavadatta and Seema novel cover the ancient and modern prose style. Sanskrit poetics is an important and integral part of syllabi. Many books such as Natyashastram, Dasroopakam, Kavyaprakash, Dhvanyalok, Vakriktijeevit, Kavyalankarsutravritti, kavyamimamsa Sahityadarpan are taught extensively to the students. The different forms of Sanskrit literature offer unique insights into the history, religion, philosophy and science of Ancient India. Despite being written many centuries ago, these texts continue to be studied and for their literary and intellectual value

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Dharmashastra-

Dharm Shastra is a branch of ancient Indian knowledge that deals with the principles of law, ethics and morality. It based on the understanding that each individual has certain duties and responsibilities that must be fulfilled in order to maintain a just and harmonious society. Dharmashastras are a  collection of ancient Indian text that provide guidance on various aspects of life including personal conduct, social behaviour and legal matters. Some of the most important and well known Sanskrit text on dharmashastra include Smriti granthas, Dharmasutras, Arthashastra etc.

Many significant texts such as Manusmriti, yajnavalkyasmriti, Arthashastra, Dayabhag, Vasishthadharmasutra, jaiminiyanyayamala, etc are being taught to the students.