The students´ faith in Sanskrit was further boosted after all 10 students from Mahesh Sanskrit Gurukul passed this year´s SLC examination with first division.
The ten students, who have studied in the school run by Mahesh Sanyas Ashram, Devghat, since the sixth grade, want to continue further study at the Vidyapeeth for a Uttar Madhyama degree, which is equivalent to Proficiency Certificate Level under Tribhuvan University. The Vidyapeeth has been recognized by the Nepal Sanskrit University.
Mahesh Sanskrit Vidyapeeth is the only institution in the region to offer higher education in Sanskrit. So, students from elsewhere also join in to pursue further studies in Sanskrit.
Principal Dr Guru Prasad Subedi says that Uttar Madhyama classes will be conducted by taking in 10 more students from outside. "Many more come for admission, but we can adjust only 10 more students, considering our limitations and discipline of students," Subedi said.
The students of the school take examinations in 500 marks of Sanskrit, mathematics, Nepali and social studies for SLC. The students who pass 200 marks of Sanskrit and 600 of other subjects from other schools are also eligible for admission in Uttar Madhyama.
Other students who have never studied Sanskrit can also get enrolment if they pass a 300-mark Sanskrit exam after five-month language training. Dr Subedi says a couple of such students come for admission every year and perform well in the university exams.
Many consider Sanskrit a dead language and feel study of the language is tantamount to being out of sync with time but the Sanskrit students say the criticism is only due to lack of understanding. "Sanskrit is the mother of all languages. So, there is no need to feel humiliation in learning it," says Ramanananda, who is pursuing a shastri degree — equivalent to diploma level.
He feels Sanskrit students have a habit of hard work and diligence nurtured under strict discipline and can succeed in any other subject. "We study in circumstances virtually similar to Vedic age and the ambience and discipline of the place helps us focus entirely on our studies," Ramanananda adds.
The students join this gurukul after completing primary education in other schools and complete shastri in Sanskrit from the institution. After that a few join Tribhuvan University for master´s degree in Nepali while others get an Acharya degree (equivalent to a master´s degree in TU) from the vidyapeeth.
There is a uniform routine for everyone from the sixth grade till master´s level as they wake up at four in the morning, recite Rudri at five, drink tea at six, take classes till 9:30, take lunch, followed by studies, tea at two, and again studies till four in the afternoon. The students then play for an hour, perform evening rituals, have dinner, do homework and study, and are in their bed by 10 pm.
Everything from fooding, lodging and education comes free and the graduates of this institution can work in the field of astrology and vastu. They are also given priority while selecting teachers for Nepali language and now are also being considered in the media sector due to correctness in their writing and speaking.
"Right habit and proper discipline give us such a confidence that we will never have to stay hungry after studying Sanskrit," says Parbat Ghimire, who is studying Uttar Madhyama after passing SLC last year in distinction. He believes that the people have started to love culture and civilization and feels Sanskrit graduates will get their due recognition in the future.
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