The Department of Sanskrit and Philosophy of Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda Educational and Research Institute (RKMVERI), in collaboration with the Asiatic Society, Kolkata, organized the annual Samskrita Saptah (Sanskrit Week) from 6th to 12th August 2025 at the Abhedananda Convention Centre, Belur Math. The programme, held every evening from 4:00 to 6:30 pm, was attended by students, scholars, faculty, and devotees deeply interested in Sanskrit.
Revered Swami Bhajananandaji Maharaj, Senior Vice President of Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission, graciously inaugurated the celebration on 6th August with a benedictory address. Maharaj, who has a lifelong love for Sanskrit, participated enthusiastically in the sessions throughout the week.
Each day’s programme included Vedic chanting, recitations from classical Sanskrit literature, expositions on the Upanishads, Gita, and other scriptures, along with choral hymns and cultural presentations by students. Special lectures and scholarly discussions were delivered by Swamis, faculty members, and invited guests, highlighting the richness of Sanskrit as Devabhasha, the language of India’s spiritual and cultural heritage.
Among the highlights were thematic presentations on great Sanskrit works such as Raghuvamsha, Kumarasambhavam, Kiratarjuniyam, Shishupalavadham, Naishadhiyacharitam, and Meghadutam, as well as discourses on important Vedic hymns and philosophical dialogues like Nachiketa-Yama Samvada. Students of the Department offered devotional hymns including Shiva Ashtakam, Sri Ramakrishna Stotram, Srihari Stotram, and Vivekananda Panchakam.
On 9th August, a special lecture was delivered by Lt. Col. Anant Singh, Administrator of the Asiatic Society, on the preservation, conservation, and digitization of rare Sanskrit manuscripts housed in the Society’s archives. An alumni meet of the Department of Sanskrit was also held on 10th August.
Every day’s programme concluded with the congregational singing of Sri Ramakrishna Aratrikam, composed by Swami Vivekananda, by the students and participants.
With over a hundred active students and scholars in its integrated programmes, the Department of Sanskrit and Philosophy at RKMVERI continues to nurture new generations of Sanskrit scholars dedicated to India’s spiritual and philosophical traditions. This year’s Samskrita Saptah was yet another inspiring and memorable celebration, reaffirming the vision of Swami Vivekananda, who declared Sanskrit as the backbone of Indian culture.
