Vagish Shastri
Encyclopedia
Vagish Shastri is an international Sanskrit grammarian, eminent linguist
, Tantric
and yogi
. He was born in the city of Khurai
, in Madhya Pradesh
in 1934. His primary education was in Khurai, followed by his education in Vrindavan
and Benaras. He started his teaching career as a lecturer of Sanskrit at Tikmani Sanskrit College, Varanasi in 1959 and soon he became the Director and Professor of the Research Institute at Sampurnanand Sanskrit University
, Varanasi in the year 1970. He served this prestigious academic post for about three decades.
He received his Master degree Vyākaraņa Āchārya (1959); Ph.D.
Vidyāvāridhi in Grammar
and Historical Linguistics
(1964) and D.Litt. Vāchaspati (1969) from Sampurnanand Sanskrit University
.
He was Secretary President of one section in fifth world Sanskrit conferences. He has been chief editor of many series such as Sarasvati Bhavana Granthamala
he edited more than 300 manuscript
s which took form of books. He also was chief editor of famous Sanskrit journal Sarasvati Susama
.
He has written books on different subjects which includes grammatical and philological research work, drama, history, poetry, satire, historical research work and metaphysical
writings.
's principal target in accusing Pāṇini and Pāṇiniyas of unreliability was the Dhatupatha. He set forth his views that of nearly 2000 roots of Dhatupatha published by Westergaard and Bohtlingk more than half of these are not attested in literature. The most ambitious work in the direction noted is Pāniniya Dhātupātha Samikşhā(1965) wherein the author gives an alphabetically arranged catalogue of roots found in different Dhatupathas together with attestation - verbal and nominal forms - in Sanskrit
, Pali
, Apabhramsa and other Prakrit
s. BPT Vagish Shastri professed aim is to refute Whitney
's Claim.
The radio drama Krişakānām Nāgpāshah is a symbolic play with the tone and tenor of patriotism which aims at common harmony, pride in one's own nation, and sacrifice for one's motherland which is highly relevant. This is a creative work from the vibrant pen of BPT Vagish Shastri.
, story
, poetry
, satire
is present in his books
This book describes an etymological identification of the mystries 'pulindas' mentioned in later Vedic
, Epic
, pauranika and inscriptional literature.
he has guided students for Ph.D. And D.Litt degree in different subjects.
sang Yoga Taravali; Dr. Vagish Shastri found mistakes in her singing. Madonna came in touch of Dr. Shastri through BBC
radio and learned pronunciation.
Linguistics
Linguistics is the scientific study of human language. Linguistics can be broadly broken into three categories or subfields of study: language form, language meaning, and language in context....
, Tantric
Tantra
Tantra , anglicised tantricism or tantrism or tantram, is the name scholars give to an inter-religious spiritual movement that arose in medieval India, expressed in scriptures ....
and yogi
Yogi
A Yogi is a practitioner of Yoga. The word is also used to refer to ascetic practitioners of meditation in a number of South Asian Religions including Jainism, Buddhism, and Hinduism.-Etymology:...
. He was born in the city of Khurai
Khurai
Khurai ) is a city in Sagar District and a municipality in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. It is located on the north east region of Madhya Pradesh.-Geography:...
, in Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh , often called the Heart of India, is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal and Indore is the largest city....
in 1934. His primary education was in Khurai, followed by his education in Vrindavan
Vrindavan
Vrindavan also known as Vraj is a town in the Mathura district of Uttar Pradesh, India...
and Benaras. He started his teaching career as a lecturer of Sanskrit at Tikmani Sanskrit College, Varanasi in 1959 and soon he became the Director and Professor of the Research Institute at Sampurnanand Sanskrit University
Sampurnanand Sanskrit University
Sampurnanand Sanskrit University is an institution of higher learning in Asian learning, Sanskrit allied areas, etc. that is located in Benares , Uttar Pradesh, India.- History :...
, Varanasi in the year 1970. He served this prestigious academic post for about three decades.
He received his Master degree Vyākaraņa Āchārya (1959); Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
Vidyāvāridhi in Grammar
Grammar
In linguistics, grammar is the set of structural rules that govern the composition of clauses, phrases, and words in any given natural language. The term refers also to the study of such rules, and this field includes morphology, syntax, and phonology, often complemented by phonetics, semantics,...
and Historical Linguistics
Historical linguistics
Historical linguistics is the study of language change. It has five main concerns:* to describe and account for observed changes in particular languages...
(1964) and D.Litt. Vāchaspati (1969) from Sampurnanand Sanskrit University
Sampurnanand Sanskrit University
Sampurnanand Sanskrit University is an institution of higher learning in Asian learning, Sanskrit allied areas, etc. that is located in Benares , Uttar Pradesh, India.- History :...
.
Contribution
Dr. Vagish Shastri started to write essays at the age of 19. His more than 200 essays and Research papers were published in different journals nationally and internationally.He was Secretary President of one section in fifth world Sanskrit conferences. He has been chief editor of many series such as Sarasvati Bhavana Granthamala
Sarasvati Bhavana Granthamala
Sārasvati Bhavana Granthamala is a series of editions of Sanskrit texts. The publication of the series began from 1920, on behalf of Government Sanskrit Library, Sanskrit College, Benares as Sārasvati Bhavana Texts...
he edited more than 300 manuscript
Manuscript
A manuscript or handwrite is written information that has been manually created by someone or some people, such as a hand-written letter, as opposed to being printed or reproduced some other way...
s which took form of books. He also was chief editor of famous Sanskrit journal Sarasvati Susama
Sarasvati Susama
Sārasvati Susamā established in 1942 and published quarterly, the Sārasvati Susamā has long been considered the premier journal of Sanskrit ..-Origin:...
.
He has written books on different subjects which includes grammatical and philological research work, drama, history, poetry, satire, historical research work and metaphysical
Metaphysics
Metaphysics is a branch of philosophy concerned with explaining the fundamental nature of being and the world, although the term is not easily defined. Traditionally, metaphysics attempts to answer two basic questions in the broadest possible terms:...
writings.
Honors and awards
- Senior Research fellowship, University Grants CommissionUniversity Grants Commission (India)The University Grants Commission of India is a statutory organisation set up by Union government in 1956, for the coordination, determination and maintenance of standards of university education. It provides recognition for universities in India, and provides funds for government-recognised...
, 1964-67. - Kālidasa Award, Highest literary Award, Uttar PradeshUttar PradeshUttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...
, 1966-67. - Honored 6 times by Uttar Pradesh Sanskrit Academy, 1968, 1971, 1981, 1985, 1995, 1996.
- Mahāmahopādhyāya, Śri Kashi Pandit Parishad, 1982.
- Bāņa Bhatţţ Award, Uttar Pradesh Sanskrit Academy, 1990.
- Veda-Vedānga Award, RajasthanRajasthanRājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...
Sanskrit Academy, 1994. - Anusansdhan Puraskāra (Research Award), Utkal Pāti trust, 1995
- Swami Vishnu Tirth Sammāna (Spiritual writing Award), Indore, 2002
- Special Award, Govt. of Uttar Pradesh Sanskrit Sansthan, 2005.
Books authored
WhitneyWilliam Dwight Whitney
William Dwight Whitney was an American linguist, philologist, and lexicographer who edited The Century Dictionary.-Life:William Dwight Whitney was born in Northampton, Massachusetts on February 9, 1827. His father was Josiah Dwight Whitney of the New England Dwight family...
's principal target in accusing Pāṇini and Pāṇiniyas of unreliability was the Dhatupatha. He set forth his views that of nearly 2000 roots of Dhatupatha published by Westergaard and Bohtlingk more than half of these are not attested in literature. The most ambitious work in the direction noted is Pāniniya Dhātupātha Samikşhā(1965) wherein the author gives an alphabetically arranged catalogue of roots found in different Dhatupathas together with attestation - verbal and nominal forms - in Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
, Pali
Páli
- External links :* *...
, Apabhramsa and other Prakrit
Prakrit
Prakrit is the name for a group of Middle Indic, Indo-Aryan languages, derived from Old Indic dialects. The word itself has a flexible definition, being defined sometimes as, "original, natural, artless, normal, ordinary, usual", or "vernacular", in contrast to the literary and religious...
s. BPT Vagish Shastri professed aim is to refute Whitney
William Dwight Whitney
William Dwight Whitney was an American linguist, philologist, and lexicographer who edited The Century Dictionary.-Life:William Dwight Whitney was born in Northampton, Massachusetts on February 9, 1827. His father was Josiah Dwight Whitney of the New England Dwight family...
's Claim.
The radio drama Krişakānām Nāgpāshah is a symbolic play with the tone and tenor of patriotism which aims at common harmony, pride in one's own nation, and sacrifice for one's motherland which is highly relevant. This is a creative work from the vibrant pen of BPT Vagish Shastri.
Grammatical and philological research work
- Pāniniya Dhātupātha Samikşhā, Sampurnanand Sanskrit UniversitySampurnanand Sanskrit UniversitySampurnanand Sanskrit University is an institution of higher learning in Asian learning, Sanskrit allied areas, etc. that is located in Benares , Uttar Pradesh, India.- History :...
, 1965 - Taddhitantah Kechana Sabdah, Motilal BanarsidassMotilal BanarsidassMotilal Banarsidass is a leading Indian publishing house on Sanskrit and Indology since 1903, located in Delhi, India. It publishes and distributes serials, monographs, and scholarly publications on Asian religion, philosophy, history, culture, arts, architecture, archaeology, language,...
, Delhi, 1967. - Anusandhana Paddhatih, Sampurnanand Sanskrit University, 1969 (Presently this book is being translated into TeluguTelugu languageTelugu is a Central Dravidian language primarily spoken in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India, where it is an official language. It is also spoken in the neighbouring states of Chattisgarh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Orissa and Tamil Nadu...
, by Sanskrit Department, Waltair University) - Dhātvartha-Vijnanam, Sampurnanand Sanskrit UniversitySampurnanand Sanskrit UniversitySampurnanand Sanskrit University is an institution of higher learning in Asian learning, Sanskrit allied areas, etc. that is located in Benares , Uttar Pradesh, India.- History :...
, 1980, This is the most ambitious work in the semantics of verbal roots - Sabda Nirvachana aur Sabdartha, Yogic Voice Consciousness Institute, Varanasi, 2004.
- Gypsy language and Grammar, Yogic Voice Consciousness Institute, Varanasi, 2005.
- Upsahityam, Yogic Voice Consciousness Institute, Varanasi, 2007.
Creative writing in Sanskrit, Hindi and English
His creative writing of dramaDrama
Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance. The term comes from a Greek word meaning "action" , which is derived from "to do","to act" . The enactment of drama in theatre, performed by actors on a stage before an audience, presupposes collaborative modes of production and a...
, story
Narrative
A narrative is a constructive format that describes a sequence of non-fictional or fictional events. The word derives from the Latin verb narrare, "to recount", and is related to the adjective gnarus, "knowing" or "skilled"...
, poetry
Poetry
Poetry is a form of literary art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its apparent meaning...
, satire
Satire
Satire is primarily a literary genre or form, although in practice it can also be found in the graphic and performing arts. In satire, vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals, and society itself, into improvement...
is present in his books
- Krişakānām Nāgpāshah: A drama concerned with National Awakening, Chaukhamba Vidya Bhavan, Varanasi, 1958.
- Katha Samvartika, (Original Sanskrit Stories), Chaukhamba Vidya Bhavan, Varanasi, 1959.
- Tolstoy Kathasaptakam, (Translation in Sanskrit), Chaukhamba Vidya Bhavan, Varanasi, 1970. (In Sampurnanand Sanskrit University curriculum).
- Bharat Mein Sanskrit ki Anivaryata Kyon, Choukhamba Vidya Bhavan, Varanasi, 1977.
- Sri Ganga Stavana Chayanika, Yogic Voice Consciousness Institute, Varanasi, 1987.
- Sri Siva Stavana Chayanika, Yogic Voice Consciousness Institute, Varanasi, 1989.
- Narma-Saptasati : verse-satires, Education ministry, Uttar Pradesh Sanskrit Academy, 1994.
- Sanskrit Vangmaya Manthanam, Financial support by Ministry of Education, Govt of India, 1990.
- Atankavada Satakam : Verse critique on TerrorismTerrorismTerrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
, Yogic Voice Consciousness Institute, Varanasi, 1992. - Sasvata Kavya ki Atma, Yogic Voice Consciousness Institute, Varanasi, 2000.
- Jagatika Prema aur Sasvta Ananda, Yogic Voice Consciousness Institute, Varanasi, 2004.
- Humour in Ancient India, Yogic Voice Consciousness Institute, Varanasi, 2004.
- Shabd Nirvachan Aur Shabdarth, Yogic Voice Consciousness Institute, Varanasi, 2007.
- Sanskrit Enhanced Knowledge of West", Vagyoga Chetna Peetham, Varanasi, 2009.
- Sri Vagyoga Tantram, Yogic Voice Consciousness Institute, Varanasi, 2010.
Historical research work
- Bundelkhand Ki Prachinata, Self Publication, 1965.
This book describes an etymological identification of the mystries 'pulindas' mentioned in later Vedic
Vedas
The Vedas are a large body of texts originating in ancient India. Composed in Vedic Sanskrit, the texts constitute the oldest layer of Sanskrit literature and the oldest scriptures of Hinduism....
, Epic
Indian epic poetry
Indian epic poetry is the epic poetry written in the Indian subcontinent, traditionally called Kavya . The Ramayana and Mahabharata, originally composed in Sanskrit and translated thereafter into many other Indian languages, are some of the oldest surviving epic poems on earth and form part of...
, pauranika and inscriptional literature.
- Gypsy Bhasa : An historical and grammatical study, Yogic Voice Consciousness Institute, Varanasi, 1986.
- Mahakunmbh evam Sangama Snanana : Ek Vaijnanika Vivechana, Yogic Voice Consciousness Institute, Varanasi, 1988.
- Nadiya Ek Ghat Bahutere, Yogic Voice Consciousness Institute, Varanasi, 2001.
- Autobiography of the Vagyogi, Yogic Voice Consciousness Institute, Varanasi, 2003.
- Migration of Aryans from India, Yogic Voice Consciousness Institute, Varanasi, 2007.
- Bundelkhand Ki Prachinata, Enlarged Edition, Vag Yog Chetna Granthmala, Varanasi, 2011.
Metaphysical writing
- 'Parachetana ki Yatra (Journey to Superconsciousness), Yogic Voice Consciousness Institute, Varanasi, 2000. He trained more than 1000 students from all over the world in Kundalini Meditation, Tantra, Yoga and Philosophy.
- Sakti, Siva and Yoga, Yogic Voice Consciousness Institute, Varanasi, 2000.
- Yogachudamani Upnishad, Yogic Voice Consciousness Institute, Varanasi, 2004.
- Samvit Prakasa, Yogic Voice Consciousness Institute, Varanasi, 2006
- Trayambakam Yajamahe, Yogic Voice Consciousness Institute, Varanasi, 2006.
New Sanskrit grammar
Dr. B P T Vagish Shastri has published three books on his invented Sanskrit Grammar "Vagyoga Technique".- Sanskrit Sikahne ki Saral aur Vaijnanika Vidhi, Yogic Voice Consciousness Institute, Varanasi, 1990.
- Vagyoga : Mnemonic Sasnkrit Technique, Yogic Voice Consciousness Institute, Varanasi, 2000.
- Vagyoga : Conversational Sanskrit, Yogic Voice Consciousness Institute, Varanasi, 2001.
- Sanskrit Made Easy : Part - I, Yogic Voice Consciousness Institute, Varanasi, 2011.
Dictionary
- Vamana-Purana Visayanukrama Sabdakosa, Sampurnanand Sanskrit University, 1996.
- Etymological Bundeli Dictionary, Yogic Voice Consciousness Institute, Varanasi, (In Press).
Research papers
More than 200 research papers are published- Rakshnadyastadasharthakah: Root Av, All India Oriental Conference, Vol. XXVII, Kurukshetra University, 1975
- The Science of Abbreviation in Ancient India, Third World Sanskrit Conference, Paris, 1977.
- Some Pāṇinian roots used only in Persian and European languages, V world Sanskrit Conference, WeimarWeimarWeimar is a city in Germany famous for its cultural heritage. It is located in the federal state of Thuringia , north of the Thüringer Wald, east of Erfurt, and southwest of Halle and Leipzig. Its current population is approximately 65,000. The oldest record of the city dates from the year 899...
, 1979. - Padma Purana and Raghuvamsa, Ganganath Jha Research Journal, Vol. XXXViii, January 1982, Allahabad.
Supervision
Being Director, Research Institute, Sampurnanand Sanskrit UniversitySampurnanand Sanskrit University
Sampurnanand Sanskrit University is an institution of higher learning in Asian learning, Sanskrit allied areas, etc. that is located in Benares , Uttar Pradesh, India.- History :...
he has guided students for Ph.D. And D.Litt degree in different subjects.
| S.No. | Subject | Degree | No. of Students |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Sanskrit Grammar Sanskrit Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand... |
Ph.D. | 20 |
| 2. | Poetics Poetics Aristotle's Poetics is the earliest-surviving work of dramatic theory and the first extant philosophical treatise to focus on literary theory... & Poetry Poetry Poetry is a form of literary art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its apparent meaning... |
Ph.D. | 20 |
| 3. | Philosophy Philosophy Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational... & Tantra Tantra Tantra , anglicised tantricism or tantrism or tantram, is the name scholars give to an inter-religious spiritual movement that arose in medieval India, expressed in scriptures .... |
Ph.D. | 06 |
| 4. | Veda | Ph.D. | 02 |
| 5. | Purana | Ph.D. | 02 |
| 6. | Jyotisha Astrology Astrology consists of a number of belief systems which hold that there is a relationship between astronomical phenomena and events in the human world... |
Ph.D. | 01 |
| 7. | Ayurveda Ayurveda Ayurveda or ayurvedic medicine is a system of traditional medicine native to India and a form of alternative medicine. In Sanskrit, words , meaning "longevity", and , meaning "knowledge" or "science". The earliest literature on Indian medical practice appeared during the Vedic period in India,... |
Ph.D. | 02 |
| 8. | Sanskrit Grammar Sanskrit Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand... |
D.Litt | 01 |
| 9. | Poetics Poetics Aristotle's Poetics is the earliest-surviving work of dramatic theory and the first extant philosophical treatise to focus on literary theory... & Poetry Poetry Poetry is a form of literary art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its apparent meaning... |
D.Litt | 03 |
| 10. | Philosophy Philosophy Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational... & Tantra Tantra Tantra , anglicised tantricism or tantrism or tantram, is the name scholars give to an inter-religious spiritual movement that arose in medieval India, expressed in scriptures .... |
D.Litt | 01 |
| 11. | Purana | D.Litt | 01 |
Vagyoga: natural law and mnemonic technique
Dr. Vagish Shastri has invented a unique technique of teaching Sanskrit grammar called 'Vagyoga'. This is a mnemonic method to enter in the soul of words, it is based upon natural law, which does not requires learning by heart any sutras. This is a mathematical way of learning Sanskrit Grammar. Many scholars from all over the world learned Sanskrit in very short time and they made translation of Sanskrit texts in their own language.Taught pronunciation to Madonna
Pop singer MadonnaMadonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
sang Yoga Taravali; Dr. Vagish Shastri found mistakes in her singing. Madonna came in touch of Dr. Shastri through BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
radio and learned pronunciation.
External links
- Official Site
- Video
- Photos of Vagish Shastri in Banares, February 1996
- Autobiography of the VagYogi: The Life of Kundalini Experiences
- "Vagyoga: Kundalini Meditation: Spiritual Experiences of Meditators" by Vagish Shastri (in English)
- "Shakti, Shiva and Yoga" by Vagish Shastri (in English)
- Vagyoga Association Europe