Namaste

Sahasranama has a nice thread with links to resources to learn Sanskrit. And, in the back of my mind I have been thinking about the future of Sanskrit among populations across the globe. There is no question that one of the reasons English is so popular (or “in use”) is that, for whatever reason, many of the computer programming languages are English centric. Of course, there are other reasons why English seems to be a major “player” globally, but specific to IT, because of the importance of the practical use of these programming languages, many find that for purposes of IT participation in general that learning or having been raised speaking and writing English has certain advantages.

So I was thinking in terms of the expansion of the use of Sanskrit globally, it would be a great project and an interesting and perhaps phase-shift change in IT and AI deployment, that someone develop a new programming language based on Sanskrit.

I know this sounds like a fantasy idea of dreamers, but …. Why not? We know that, in the sacred texts and on the “tongues” of the Divine, we find Sanskrit, and the ebb and flow of this language has a certain ability to abstract or concrete very profound or result oriented outcomes and analysis. So, in fact, I was thinking that Sanskrit might, or probably is, the perfect language to use as a basis for a new programming language.

I write in different programming languages, but I have never encountered one based on Sanskrit. However, the idea of developing a new programming language based on Sanskrit would certainly be beyond my capabilities – firstly, I do not know Sanskrit other than reading and “connecting the dots” of Sanskrit verses (with the aid of translations and commentaries), but I cannot speak or write it as would one speak or write Hindi for example.

But there are many who indeed have such abilities!

I decided to take a look around to see if anyone else had the same thoughts that occurred to me and which were inspired with Sahasranama’s post, and low and behold! I find this:

Well, it turns out this idea is being floated out in the IT and AI community, here we have an article by Rick Briggs “Knowledge Representation in Sanskrit and Artificial Intelligence”:
http://www.aaai.org/ojs/index.php/ai...iewArticle/466
Quote: “a method for paraphrasing Sanskrit in a manner that is identical not only in essence but in form with current work in Artificial Intelligence…”

And then I find this:
http://uttishthabharata.wordpress.co...t-programming/

Then I found that this idea was even mentioned in 1987 in Forbes magazine!

But today, there is still no such “new” programming language based on Sanskrit words and syntax. Some poo-hoo the idea, but I think it has merit (I am not the only tree in the forest who has been thinking about this, it turns out) and potential. In fact, it can happen.

I think in part, one of the reasons we might have not seen it develop yet, is the fact that while we now see many Hindu scholars, savants and Gurus, etc., using Sanskrit on the computer, such use of IT is only just “getting it’s legs” if you will among schools who teach in Sanskrit. In part, it might be a question of the script (written letters) used, and in conjunction with the computer keyboard which typically uses Romanized Text (e.g. “A”, “B” and so on).

Yes, I know there are great “plug-ins” to word processors (such as for MS Word) and in fact effective Linux based desktops that use Hindi script (Devanagri) (as well as many other scripts, such as Thai or Arabic), and in fact way, way back I met with the father of a very well known IT company and this grandfather (his son was the owner and CEO of the company involved) was developing such a plug-in for Devanagri and other Indian based scripts back in the 1980’s. I had the opportunity to “inflight” the Hindi plug in way, way back for Word (so long ago, the MS Word version was Microsoft Word version 2!).

But that is not what I am talking about, nor is the “problem”. I am talking about when you actually WRITE in the Sanskrit based programming language – you may be inputing the code into different compilers and interpreters and thus it will not at all be the case of using a word processor such as MS Word for example. And thus the actual script for each letter, well it will be problematic in the least and perhaps cost prohibitive.

But we see members on this HDF forum who quote Sanskrit, but use variations of English or Romanized Text to type out the Sanskrit words. Thus, I think it is VERY possible to have a new programming language based on Sanskrit, on the syntax and structure of the language, using Sanskrit words for the code base and functions, for the Boolean logic, for the foundational analytics involved.

It is possible. It can be possible. It should be – possible and, eventual.

Who wants to take it on? Just think what this would mean to the advancement of the electric and light based “highway” of computer capability and communications! And, when the advantages of results are seen from the compiled or interpreted programs based on Sanskrit, this will seal the future of this Holy Language across the globe. I predict it would become the most “in demand” and popular programming language for the cloud computing of the future, simply thanks to the results that will come to fruition from its use. And then, many, many will want to learn this Holy Language.

Om Namah Sivaya