Thread by @Sampadananda

Love for Sanskrit (a little known story)

Mr. Horace Hayman Wilson (26 September 1786 – 8 May 1860) an English orientalist, was the chief motivator behind the establishment of Calcutta Sanskrit College by the British Govt. n/1

Mr. H. H. Wilson studied Sanskrit from Pandit Jayagopal Tarkalankar and Pandit Prem Chandra Tarkavageesha whom he had given appointment in the Sanskrit College. n/2

Lord Macaulay (25 October 1800 – 28 December 1859) had a mind to close down the Sanskrit College. n/2

Knowing Macaulay's intention the two Pandits wrote two letters in Sanskrit to HH Wilson who too replied them in Sanskrit. Here I reproduce the letters of the two Pandits and HH Wilson's reply to them. n/3

Pandit Jayagopal Tarkalankara's letter in śārdūlavikrīḍitam metre:
अस्मिन् संस्कृतपाठसद्मसरसि त्वत्स्थापिता ये सुधी-
हंसाः कालवशेन पक्षरहिता दूरंगते ते त्वयि।
तत्तीरे निवसन्ति संहितशरा व्याधास्तदुच्छित्तये
तेभ्यस्त्वं यदि पासि पालक तदा कीर्तिश्चिरं स्थास्यति॥n/4

Sir, after you left, on this lake of Sanskrit learning, the tutor-swans, appointed by you, are losing their wings one by one; On the shore now stand the hostile hunters determined with their weapons. Do protect us from them, and this will make you live long with all glories. n/5

HH Wilson's reply to Pandit Jaygopal, in the same meter:

निष्पिष्टापि परं पदाहतिशतैः शश्वद् बहुप्राणिनां
सन्तप्तापि करैः सहस्रकिरणेनाग्निस्फुलिङ्गोपमैः।
छागाद्यैश्च विचर्वितापि सततं मृष्टापि कुद्दालकैः
दूर्वा न म्रियते कृशापि नितरां धातुर्दया दुर्बले॥ n/6

Thrashed by the footfalls of many animals, tortured by
the heat of sun rays as hot as flecks of fire, chewed by goats etc., crushed by men working in the field, this holy grass - Sanskrit, though pruned and thinned, can never never die. Providence always protects the weak. n/7

Pandit Prem Chandra's letter in sragdharā meter:

गोलश्रीदीर्घिकाया बहुविटपितटे कोलिकातानगर्यां
निःसङ्गो वर्तते संस्कृतपठनगृहाख्यः कुरङ्गः कृशाङ्गः।
हन्तुं तं भीतचित्तं विधृतखरशरो मेकले-व्याधराजः
साश्रु ब्रूते स भो भो उइलसन महाभाग मां रक्ष रक्ष॥ n/8

The city of Kolakata is round lake. On the shore of that, under a tree, there stands a deer - forlorn and emaciated; seeing Lord Macaulay, King of hunters, ready with his weapon, the timid creature, cries out with tears - Oh Noble Wilson, save me - do save me indeed ! n/9

Wilson's reply to Pandit Prem Chandra in 4 shlokas in anuṣṭup meter:

विधाता विश्वनिर्माता हंसस्तत् प्रियवाहनम्।
अतः प्रियतरत्वेन रक्षिष्यति स एव तान्॥१॥
Swan is the vehicle of Brahma, the Creator; Swan's favoured language being Sanskrit, Brahma will naturally protect it.n/10

अमृतं मधुरं सम्यक् सम्स्कृतं हि ततोऽधिकम्।
देवभोग्यमिदं यस्माद् देवभाषेति कथ्यते॥२॥
Nectar is sweet, sweeter than that is Sanskrit; as Sanskrit suits most gods' palates, it is called the 'the language of the gods or the Divine Language'. n/11

न जाने विद्यते किं तन्माधुर्यमत्र संस्कृते।
सर्वदैव समुन्मत्ता येन वैदेशिका वयम्॥३॥

I really do not know how and why Sanskrit is so sweet! We , outsiders, are more crazy about learning and knowing this language. n/12

यावद् भारतवर्षं स्याद् यावद् विन्ध्यहिमाचलौ।
यावद् गङ्गा च गोदा च तावदेव हि संस्कृतम्॥४॥

As long as Bharatavarsha lives and the Vindhyas and the Himalayas stand with their peaks raised; as long as Ganga and Godavari keep flowing in this land, Sanskrit will continue to live!n/13