Benares Sanskrit University

Sampurnanand Sanskrit Vishwavidyalaya (IAST: ; formerly Varanaseya Sanskrit Vishwavidyalaya and Government Sanskrit College, Varanasi) is an Indian university and institution of higher learning located in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, specializing in the study of Sanskrit and related fields.

History

In 1791, during the Benares State, a resident of the East India Company, Jonathan Duncan, proposed the establishment of a Sanskrit college for the development and preservation of Sanskrit ''Vangmaya'' (eloquence) to demonstrate British support for Indian education. The initiative was sanctioned by governor general lord Cornwallis. The first teacher of the institution was Pandit Kashinath and the governor general sanctioned a budget of 20,000 per annum. The first principal of Government Sanskrit College was John Muir, followed by James R. Ballantyne, Ralph T. H. Griffith, George Thibaut, Arthur Venis, Sir Ganganath Jha and Gopinath Kaviraj.

In 1857, the college began postgraduate teaching. An examination system was adopted in 1880. In 1894, the famous Saraswati Bhavan Granthalaya building was built, where thousands of manuscripts remain preserved today. These manuscripts have been edited by the principal of the college and published in book form. More than 400 books have been published in a series known as '' Sarasvati Bhavana Granthamala''.

In 1958, the efforts of Sampurnanand changed the status of the institution from that of a college to a Sanskrit university. In 1974, the name of the institution was formally changed to Sampurnanand Sanskrit University.

Faculties and departments

Veda-Vedanga

* Department of Veda
* Department of Dharma Shastra
* Department of Jyotisha (Astrology)
* Department of Vyakarana

Sahitya Sanskriti

In this faculty, there are three departments:
* Department of Puranetihasa
* Department of Sahitya
* Department of Prachina Rajashastra-Arthashastra

Philosophy

* Department of Nyaya-Vaishesika
* Department of Vedanta
* Department of Mimamsa
* Department of Comparative Religion and Philosophy
* Department of Sankhya-Yoga-Tantragama

Shraman Vidya

* Department of Baudha Darshana
* Department of Jaina Darshana
* Department of Prakrita and Jainagama
* Department of Pali and Theravada
* Department of Sanskrita Vidya

Adhunik Jnan Vijnan

* Department of Modern Languages and Linguistics
* Department of Social Sciences
* Department of Education
* Department of Science (Science, Home Science)
* Department of Library Science

Research Institute

When the status of this institution was Sanskrit college, all research activities were carried out by the principal. This includes the work done for manuscripts which were kept in the Saraswati Bhavan Granthalaya

When the institution became a university, the whole research work was supervised by the director of the Research Institute. The director is the chief editor of the famous book series '' Sarasvati Bhavana Granthamala'' and is also the chief editor of the journal '' Sārasvatī Suṣamā''. The director has to supervise all the research activities in the university. The director is the academic head of the university. Famous grammarian Vagish Shastri made valuable contribution towards the Sanskrit journal ''Sārasvatī Suṣamā'' and edited numerous books of the ''Sarasvati Bhavana Granthamala'' series. Baldev Upadhyaya, ''Kashi ki Panditya Parampara'', Vishwavidyalaya Prakashan, Varanasi, 1983.

Affiliation

More than 1,200 Sanskrit-medium schools and colleges are affiliated with this university. This is the only university in India which enjoys such widespread affiliation throughout the country. The statistics of affiliated colleges are as follows:

See also

* List of educational institutions in Varanasi
*List of Sanskrit universities in India

References

External links

{{Authority control

*
Sanskrit universities in India
Universities and colleges in Varanasi
Universities in Uttar Pradesh
Educational institutions established in 1791
1791 establishments in India