Sanskrit and Society

Abstract

Sanskrit and Society - both these terms have multiple layers of meanings and in the following lines, an attempt is being made to unravel these layers. A pertinent question to be kept in mind would be -- can there be a society without a language, or a language without a society. Maitreyi College is one of the most distinguished educational institutions of the University of Delhi. The legend of Maitreyi can be traced back to the Brihadaryanka Upanishad, and is recounted here, briefly -- Sage Yajnavalkya had two wives, Maitreyi and Katyayani. The former is revered as a ‘Brahmavadini’1 as she would discuss the matters related to Brahman (or the supreme reality) with Yajnavalkya; while the latter had a more practical viewpoint of the world. One day the sage Yajnavalkya decided to embrace the next Ashram of his life by means of forsaking his house, and while at that, he sought permission to leave from Maitreyi.