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A classic gateway to mastering the foundations of Sanskrit language and grammar.

A Concise Elementary Grammar of the Sanskrit Language by Jan Gonda is a respected and enduring introduction to Sanskrit, one of the most important classical languages in the study of linguistics, religion, philosophy, and South Asian culture. Developed by one of the twentieth century's foremost Sanskrit scholars, this concise yet comprehensive textbook provides students with a structured pathway to understanding the language's grammatical system and literary traditions.

Designed for beginning learners, the volume introduces Sanskrit script, pronunciation, declensions, verb forms, compounds, syntax, and key grammatical concepts through a logical sequence of lessons. Carefully selected exercises, reading passages, and a glossary reinforce learning and enable students to apply their knowledge directly to authentic Sanskrit texts. The book's clarity and efficiency have made it a widely used resource in university classrooms and independent language study for decades.

Particularly valuable for students of linguistics, comparative philology, religious studies, Indology, and classical literature, the text emphasizes both grammatical precision and practical reading competence. Written with characteristic scholarly rigor yet accessible to newcomers, Gonda's grammar continues to serve as a trusted guide for anyone seeking an introduction to the language of the Vedas, Hindu philosophy, and classical Sanskrit literature.

A translation of the revised version of the 1965 German edition
 
Translated for the benefit of English­speaking students of Sanskrit and students of comparative Indo-European linguistics. Mayrhofer's Sanskrit grammar can be used successfully in three different types of course: in elementary Sanskrit courses along with such an elementary text as Jan Gonda's A Concise Elementary Grammar of the Sanskrit Language, with exercises, reading selections, and a glossary, translated from the German by Gordon B. Ford, Jr.; in courses where the linguistic structure of Sanskrit is to be presented; and, finally, in comparative lndo-European courses together with such texts as Antoine Meillet's Introduction to the Comparative Study of the Inda-European Languages, translated from the French by Gordon B. Ford, Jr. All three groups of students should find this im­portant book extremely useful, and I hope that its publication in an English edition will promote the study of Sanskrit in the English-speaking world.