पंडित परिषद् व्याख्यानमाला: A Collection of Papers

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Sanskrit is one of the greatest languages of the world, and truly speaking it is a classical language par-excellence having continuous perennial tradition, not only of India, but of a good part of Asian continent. It was the medium of expression once upon a time and also a good number of people even converse through this great language. It is the time honored attittude that people speak of the veneration towards it, consider it as most ancient language in the world, and as the repository of all spiritual as well as worldly knowledge necessary to live in perfect harmony with nature.

The people of India were born in the lovely careful lap of Sanskrit language and tradition, spiritual process. Therefore people of India have a special bondage with this language and always it has been the nurturing tonic to all regional languages for their content. It went hand in hand with the historical development of Indian people and gave noblest expression to their mind.

In this process, the great sages (Rishis) have seen the Vedas, Further the bedrock of all the Vidyas considered 18, gradually evolved from the Vedas through the process of debate, discussion and Shastrartha among the learned Sastrakaras.

Sanskrit and Sastras: Link to Heritage

The possession of Sanskrit by India makes India's position quite unique as an intellectual link as well as emotional bond to the past. Everyone can see that Sanskrit as well as Sastras have preserved the entire culture of India since time-immemorial, though the historians ascribe 5000 years to this development. It is still a living force even to the present day in the form of learning in Sastras throughout India.

Vista of Traditional Sastric Learning and its preservation

The traditional sastric learning extends to a variety of subjects such as Vedas, Vedabhashya, Puranas, Darsanas such as Nyaya-vaiseshika (logic) Mimamsa (hermeneutics), Vedanta (metaphysics) etc. Vedangas such as Siksa(phonetics), Vyakaranadarsana(grammatic philosophy), Vyakaranaprakriya(grammatic derivation), Chandas (metres), Nirukta (etymological science), Jyotisha (astronomy) Sahitya-sastra (poetics) etc. During the olden days the entire subject matter of Sastras was preserved due to the method of 'disputation' and 'deliberation' (Shastrartha Vicara) held in various sabhas of scholars and due to the efforts of scholars/pundits. Wherever the festivals and fares were held, the scholar participating in these went ahead with their deliberation in the Shastras. Therefore the vibrant culture of sastric learing was preserved through out India.

Pandita Parishad:

It is in the modern days, more so recently, to apply the deliberative method as a learning tool and to rejuvenate the olden system of Sastric debate, a platform was institutionally formed in the nomenclature of "Pandita Parishad" under the aegis of Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan etc. It has been organized at various places and it had positive effects in the minds of sastra learners.

Objective of Pandita Parishad:

The Pandita parishad has following objectives-

1. To be a model platform of highly learned scholars in sastras who were eminent personalities in the rare branch wherein such Shastrartha is necessary.

2. To be a national/international platform to promote Sastrartha, so that this tool for learning in Sastras may be preserved for posterity and the skill may also be preserved as a heritage.

3. To give opportunity to young scholar to learn the skill of Sastrartha.

4. To educate the young scholars to learn various subtle points of sastras under the direct aegis of senior Sastra scholars of various places under a roof.

5. To keep the oral tradition of shastras traditionally live by giving training in this age old art invented for the preservation of Shastras.

6. To preserve the depleting traditional scholarship by encouraging young minds to learn shastras.

7. To give shatra-pandits a plat form to interact with modern scholars so that modern thoughts may also encourage the deep shastric learning among the young as well budding scholars.

Methodology of debate in the Pandita Parishad:

Here in this parishad, debate and disputation method is followed. A senior scholar introduces a subject/topic for discussion by going in to the subject and others, learned in the sastras participate in the debate. Some times a question and answer method is also followed at junior level. Each one of them participating in the debate forwards the view of his study in the sastra and keep the debating environment live by vibrant participation. Finally senior scholars guide the juniors in the decisive stages of debate.

Participation by scholars:

The Panditaparishad has been integrative force even from the time of Rajas and Maharajas. It is seen that renowned scholars from different parts of country are invited to participate in the debate and they used to contribute for the further cause of sastric knowledge. In this way the exchange of information also takes among the scholars on various aspects of learning, social system, new books written by scholars etc. it acts as a portal for information on sastric studies.

Even now in various shastras Parishads, Pandits learned in various sastras are invited form different parts of the country. Therefore, it acts as an integrating force for Indian people.