Foreword

‘Save our Soul – Save our Sanskrit – We are Sanskrit Matribhashi-s’ is in fact a revised and update-version of my original book in Hindi “Abrahamanyam Trahimam Vayam Sanskrit Matribhashinaha” released on 10^th Feb, 2001 at Raj Bhavan Lucknow, by Acharya Vishnukant ji Shastri, Governor of Uttar Pradesh. Shri Tribhuvan Prasad Tiwari, former Lieut. Governor Pondicherry and presently President, Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Varanasi and also President, Akhil Bharatiya Sanskrit Paishad, Lucknow (an old and reputed organization of old Sanskrit manuscripts and research) who had been a source of inspiration and encouragement, gave his Ashirwad for the publication. Dr. Ashok Kumar Kalia, Professor and Head Sanskrit and Prakrit languages Dept., University of Lucknow favoured me with his foreword. Both these authorities are aware of my work for Sanskrit as mother tongue.

Papers about Sanskrit as mother tongue were presented by me on several occasions including the All India Oriental Conference, Chennai Session, and WAVES Session at Shri Shailam etc. At the last World Sanskrit Conference, Delhi, Dr.K.P.A. Menon, former Secretary Ministry of Defence, Govt. of India and at that time, Chancellor Kendriya Sanskrit Vidyapith, a Deemed University, who was presiding the session where I presented the paper, asked me to publish a book in English on the subject. I feel guilty of not fulfilling his wishes in time, for he is no more in this world to see the present publication.

The purpose of publishing “Abrahamanyam Trahimam” was to give a particular reader group the details of the facts that I mentioned in short in my earlier publication ‘Avyakta Matribhasha Sanskrit’ and about which people where anxious to know more during my contact-campaign-tours. But the target of the present publication is another reader group, as per wishes of late Dr. Menon. Hence the present publication.

In fact, it was due to the influence of my grandfather, family background and upbringing that after entering government service in late fifties from my very first posting in District of Fatehpur, U.P. I encouraged, helped and closely associated myself with the Sanskrit Pathashala of Konar just on the bank of Yamuna. Later on, I associated myself with Tewa Pathashala of Allahabad District, Kaimganj Pathashala of District Farrukhabad and Jhalokhar Pathashala of Hamirpur District of U.P. At  Jhalokhar, due to the initiative of Baba Rajaram, I got an opportunity of strengthening the organisation for carrying out my campaign for awareness about Sanskrit Matribhasi-s (SMB-S).

During my efforts, I came in contact with many Trusts and Mathas. In context of Trusts meant for Sanskrit, not to say about the others, I could do nothing in the Pt. Ganga Prashad Dwivedi Trust of Pheelkhana, near Kamala Tower in Kanpur, of which I myself can claim to be a legal beneficiary, where instead of the Sanskrit Pathasala, a English Medium children nursery is functioning today. Similarly, I also remember the Bellie Sanskrit Pathashala of Raibareailly district where today the Sanskrit Pathashala is only for namesake; limited to the servant’s quarters of the Pathashala campus and the entire spacious grand building of Pathashala has been converted into an English medium school. Most of the property of the Trust has already been transferred somewhere else. At such places whenever I contacted, I was told that students of Sanskrit were not available. But the fact is that when the resources of the Trust are not provided to the children of Sanskrit Matribhshi-s, how can they join the pathashalas?

I recall an occasion at Valmiki Bhavan (Old) at Ayodhya, where after attending a discourse on Valmik Ramayan, while I was sitting just near the temple, I overheard two very old devotees, perhaps belonging to the same temple, enjoying their conversation of day-to-day life in simple Sanskrit. I also pocked my nose by similar comments wherever I felt to do so. Due to my interference in their interlocution, they enquired about my identity and qualification of Sanskrit language. They felt a bit astonished but happy that a person with simple rustic attire and without any formal education or degree in Sanskrit and an Officer of the State Govt. posted in the Secretariat Campus and connected with UNICEF Programme is wandering at a time of no festival in the Holy City. I told them about mother tongue Sanskrit. They were very pleased and happy to know about my efforts about this aspect of the language. I felt emboldened in my efforts to trace people with Sanskrit as mother tongue, as well as creation of awareness amongst SMB-s (Sanskrit Matribhashi-s) about their dwindling number in their own homeland.

In this context, I also recollect my visit to Raipur, Madhya Pradesh, where late Shri. B.D. Mishra, a learned Advocate arranged a meeting in Dudhadhari Sanskrit College of the University. While speaking about the mother tongue aspect of Sanskrit, I told the audience that none of them is Sanskrit Matribhashi. But a lady stood up and said that she was Sanskrit Matribhashi. I enquired about the district to which she belonged and then I told her that in that district there was only one Sanskrit Matribhashi. She confirmed that she is the same lady. Impressed and encouraged by response, I expressed my wishes to go to the original Dudhadhari Pathashala. Shri. Subhash Mishra, Advocate Raipur District helped me in my visit. The staff of the Pathashala assured my help in future about my efforts for Sanskrit Matribhashi-s.

In Varanasi, chirangiva Sharadindu Kumar Tripathi, and Santosh Kumar Sukhla (now Ph.D and at Delhi) a student and volunteers of Pandit Vasudev Shastri arranged a meeting at Ruiya Hostel of Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi. The students and the staff members were taken aback by the statistical data presented by me about SMBs in the country in general and Varanasi in particular and they became cautious about the mother tongue form of the language. In order to avoid increasing the bulk of the book, I have not mentioned my other so many experiences about Sanskrit Matribhashi-s in other parts of the country.

Shri. Rajesh Mishra, Managing Director of a Multi- National Company at Pune, without whose help the earlier publication “Abrahamanyam Trahimam” could not have seen the light of the day and who helped me in my campaign for Sanskrit Matribhashi-s during last Kumbh at Ujjain, again came to my rescue and arranged for putting the present book “Save Our Soul – Save Our – Sanskrit, We are Sanskrit Matribhashi-s" on website (www.sossanskrit.com). I express my gratitude to Shri Ganesh Tewari, Pandu Nagar, Kanpur, who bore the burnt of the failure of the previous printer from where we could not even get negatives of the photos provided to the printing press. At this occasion, I recall my all-young associates whose long list is not practicable to put it here, but without whom I could not have achieved what was intended. With heavy heart, I remember Dr. Virbhadra Mishra (Head of the Sanskrit Department, BSNV College, Lucknow), Shri. Vidyadhar Dwevedi, (Advocate, High Court, Lucknow) and Shri Mohan Shankar, Director Finance, of State Government, U.P., who worked with me with commitment for the cause of Sanskrit Matribhashi-s but suddenly left this world for heavenly abode and without whom I feel poorer in my performance.

I don’t claim to be the final interpreter of the statistical data about SMB-s in the country. People may disagree with my views. They can offer better interpretations. To help some such studies, I can provide the entire District-wise and census-wise data to such scholars for further studies.

This publication is dedicated to my fellow volunteers, Constitutional institutions, Governments and their departments, and other organisations that would accelerate the cause of protection of Sanskrit Matribhasis-s.