Buying Sanskrit Texts?

[BryonMorrigan]

I'm taking some classes in Sanskrit later this year, and want to see if I can procure some "nice" copies of Hindu holy books in Sanskrit. By "nice," I mean hardcover, possibly gilded lettering...You know, the kind of thing that looks like a holy book. I have an extensive library with a lot of nice books, and I want to find a place where I can purchase these kinds of texts via the Internet.

So far, my searches have come up empty. Anyone know of a good place to look?

[PARAM]

Sanskrit texts are available for free online in soft copies and videos also, where you can learn Sanskrit. Sanskrit can be learn without Devnagri script

But Ancient Vedic Sanskrit is still very difficult to understand because of very difficult grammar.

[Sahasranama]

In India what looks like a holy book is a little different than in the west. If you want something like that, you could go for a loose leave printing and drape it in a piece of cotton clothing. But since you asked for hardcovers that look nice, is this similar to what you are looking for? I am taking some pictures with a webcam, so the quality of the pictures is low, but maybe you can get an idea. It doesn't have guilded letters though.

http://hindudharmaforums.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=636&stc=1&d=1297357335

http://hindudharmaforums.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=637&stc=1&d=1297357345

[PARAM]

Those links are wrong, taking outside of page

[BryonMorrigan]

Sanskrit texts are available for free online in soft copies and videos also, where you can learn Sanskrit. Sanskrit can be learn without Devnagri script

But Ancient Vedic Sanskrit is still very difficult to understand because of very difficult grammar.

I hate reading books off of a computer screen. Plus, I'm quite good at languages, and can already read Ancient Greek and Latin. The pictures that Sahasranama are closer to what I want, but personally, I'd be happy if there wasn't even any Roman text.

I just hate that most Hindu texts that I can find on the Internet are cheap paperbacks.

[Sahasranama]

I can share your sentiment about reading texts online. Although I have collected a lot of ebooks, I don't think I have ever finished reading one. There is just something about having a good book in your hand and reading from real paper. That feeling can't be replaced with electronics. But maybe I need to get over this, because there are so many books online for free, I couldn't possibly buy all of what I want to read.

The book I posted was ordered from the eastern book coorporation. It's in three volumes and has an extensive introduction in English, but after that there's just the Sanskrit text with a Sanskrit commentary. I also have a Hindi translation available of this text. I often have to go back to the Hindi translation, because I am just a beginner in Sanskrit. The real beauty of the text though is in the Sanskrit shlokas.

[sm78]

...You know, the kind of thing that looks like a holy book.

he he...as you know we hindus don't have holy books which is placed on a pedestal and worshipped like moslems or sikhs do. printed texts of vedas are just printed texts i.e books...there is nothing holy about them. Only holy thing is their sound, the truths that these line may convey. I quite enjoy cheap paper backs - less weight, less money, same material.

But hey, this is absolutely personal preferance. If you prefer to see imporant books in an imposing cover & binding - you go for it man. But I have not seen anything better than what sahasranama has posted pictures of.

[PARAM]

I hate reading books off of a computer screen. Plus, I'm quite good at languages, and can already read Ancient Greek and Latin. The pictures that Sahasranama are closer to what I want, but personally, I'd be happy if there wasn't even any Roman text.

I just hate that most Hindu texts that I can find on the Internet are cheap paperbacks.

I like Soft copies, better then hard copies, because they are easy to store, still Hard copies are more important.

Yes most Hindu texts found on the Internet are cheap paperbacks, but that’s what Hindus upload.
I have checked Sahasraman's blog last time where he was arguing to learn Sanskrit, but now I can't found it either.
There are many Pundits in USA; you can learn Sanskrit through them.

[Sahasranama]

I have checked Sahasraman's blog last time where he was arguing to learn Sanskrit, but now I can't found it either.


What were you looking for? I haven't actually updated my blog since I made the first post.

[SAIBALAJI]

Sanskrit texts are available for free online in soft copies and videos also, where you can learn Sanskrit. Sanskrit can be learn without Devnagri script

But Ancient Vedic Sanskrit is still very difficult to understand because of very difficult grammar.

Hi Param

Any sites,where I can learn enough sanskrit to read/recite the vedas/upanishads without making mistakes in pronunciation/intonation, as Taittreya upanishad says "varna swarah, matra balam sama santanah".

thanks a lot
saibalaji:)

[PARAM]

What were you looking for? I haven't actually updated my blog since I made the first post.

That's what, you are doing nothing there when you get comments, I also have blog but with no visitor and no comment, so better if a blog is working, continue to update it time to time. And if you make google adsence with it, you can earn as well

[Shanti]

If you can't find what your looking for, I'd suggest printing out the what you want and taking it to a professional bookbinder. I did this with my college thesis. It's a leather bound hardback.

I have "The Holy Geeta" by Swami Chinmayananda. It is very nicely bound. It is similar to the xtian bible in that the pages are that really thin type (the name is not coming to me.) It is hardback and has a woven in bookmark. I don't know if they print it in Sanskrit though.

~S