A History of Sanskrit Language

The present work approaches in detail the totality of questions posed by the evolution of the Sanskrit language. Including the Indo-European and the Indo-Iranian beginnings, the work studies the Vedic language and the problems raised by the standardization following Panini; it reviews the language of inscriptions, and of the Epics, as well as its extension in the Puranas, the Tantras, and the texts of the Karikas, and the language of the commentaries or Bhasyas, notably the philosophical commentaries; it analyses the language of the narrative works, of the dialogues of drama and of classical poetry. The work presents an overview of Buddhist and Jaina Sanskrit and outlines the history of Sanskrit outside India. It also indicates the directions towards which research could fruitfully be oriented. The work is authored by the French Indologist, Professor Louis Renou (1896-1966) who occupied the position of Director, Institut de civilization indienne, Sorbonne, till his death.