However, in recent centuries, Samskrit became tagged as just a 'religious language, an impression that remains in the minds of many people throughout the world even to this day. This situation is due to several reasons: (?) while our day-to- day affairs were in our individual 'mother tongue, Samskrit remained restricted to the conduct of our religious ceremonies and programs; (3) over the last two centuries or so, there were concerted efforts to alienate Samskrit from our mainstream education; and (3) for a long time, there has been a deliberate campaign of disinformation regarding Samskrit, either because of ignorance or because of ulterior motives.

The truth is simple: Samskrit is the unparalled medium, the original language that has articulated all knowledge and wisdom in our region since eternity. The language of science and medicine has been Samskrit. The language of literature has been Samskrit. The language of philosophy and religion has been Samskrit. The language of the arts and music has been Samskrit. It is no wonder that mankind's first astronomical observations were recorded in Samskrit. Again, Samskrit is the only language that truly reveals the secrets of Yoga or Ayurveda.

Yet, we are confronted today with a peculiar situation. While there are countless works in Samskrit on a wide range of subjects, innumerable original works still remain unpublished. To make matters worse, even the published Samskrit literature is seen and studied only through the lens of religion. In order to bridge the disconnect between Samskrit and modern times, the need of the hour is the editing and publishing of ancient Samskrit texts, knowledge retrieval and dissemination, and research and re-interpretation. All this in Samskrit itself- not in translation, as the essence can casily be lost. The challenges for Bharat are major, but shouldering the responsibilite would not only be life-fulfilling, but also offer our younger generation bright caree opportunities and a great future in Samskrit studies.

**Contents and Sample Pages**