- Sanskrit is used as the preferred language by Indian poets for composing creative literature. The use of Sanskrit in post Vedic era for literary use begins with Ramayana of Sage Valmiki. This saga of Sanskrit literature is a live tradition, even now, in scholar circles and connoisseurs of Sanskrit literature.In this section, we place a select collection of classical Sanskrit literature, drawing from works of different historical time periods (Ramayana of Pre-Christian era to post Independence Indian creative literature [1].) Selections from following compositions are placed below.Valmiki’s Ramayana: Valmikis Ramayana
About Ramayana: Ramayana of Vālmīki has inspired, illuminated, entertained, and deeply moved countless generations of people in a great many countries in the world. Perhaps even more importantly, it has induced creativity in an enormous variety of fields—from literature, ethics, painting, design and sculpture to music, dancing, theatre, shadow plays and—now—cinema. It has also lightened up the lives of many hundreds of millions of children by stories that shaped their icons of devotion, ethics, spirituality, character and family relations.
Srimad Valmiki Ramayanam, as its full name goes, is dated to pre-Christian era of circa 5000 BCE or earlier, between Mahabharata and Vedas. Ramayana is held as the first worldly poetic narrative of sacred mystic Vedas, an outreach of mystic to man on the street in the form of lyrical poetry. In contrast to Mahabharata, which is held as ‘itihasa’ model of ‘ connecting Vedas to world’, Ramayana is presented as poetry or Adi-kāvya. Ramayana has fixed structure and outlay, unlike mahabharata which has an open ended expansion and grows in size and narrative content over time. Ramayana inspires new compositions. Mahabharata expands inclusively holding new content and creative presentations. Yet the message of Dharma anchored to Vedas is delivered to common person of contemporary society.
As a literary composition, Ramayana has about 50,000 poetic lines in sanskrit language narrating the iconic story of Sri Rama in six cantos (Kaanda), each canto containing sub sections called ‘sarga’. For traditionalist believers, the entire narrative is the story of play of Divine to establish ‘Dharma’ in the time period called ‘Treta yuga’. For later poets, it is the standard of literature and source of material for creative literary composition.
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मा निषाद प्रतिष्ठाम्त्वमगमः शाश्वतीः समाः |
यत् क्रौङ्च मिथुनात् एक | मवधीः काम मोहितम् || १-२-१५
- ma = oh, ill-fate one; niSaada = oh, hunter; tvam = you; yat = by which reason; krau~Ncha mithunaat = of krouncha, couple; ekam = one; kaama mohitam = in lustful, indulged in; avadhiiH = killed; [tat = by that reason]; shaashvatiiH = ever lasting; samaaH = ages to come; pratiSThaam tu = reputation, but; maa gamaH = don’t, get.
“Oh! Ill-fated Hunter, by which reason you have killed one male bird of the couple, when it is in its lustful passion, thereby you will get an ever-lasting reputation for ages to come…” [1-2-15]
‘No fame be thine for endless time, /Because, base outcast, of thy crime, Whose cruel hand was fain to slay / One of this gentle pair at play!’ Griffith.
‘For endless years to come, O Hunter, never shall thy soul find peace /’ Romesh C. Dutt.
All of these are just dictionary meanings. Whether a tribal hunter gets infamy or ignominy, it does not matter much, unlike a nobleman getting some disrepute or discredit. Then the word in the verse niSaada should have other meanings than just a tribal hunter.
This is a celebrated stanza of Sanskrit literature, and controversial too, in deciphering its meaning. We are told that this is the first verse of human origin with metrical rules and grammar. Earlier to this, only Vedic stanzas were available with their complicated compositional rules. This is the verse where this epic, Ramayana is said to have triggered off.
In one way the separation of compound tvamagama is like this tu, ama, gamaH. Then the parsing is:
ma niSaada= oh, ill fated, hunter; tvam= you; yat= by which reason; krau~Ncha mithunaat = of krouncha, couple; ekam= one; kaama mohitam= lust, indulged in; a-vadhiiH= you killed; [tat= by that reason]; shaashvatiiH= ever lasting; samaaH= ages to come; pratiSThaam tu= reputation, but; maa gamaH= don’t, get.
This verse has many comports of which a few are given hereunder:
This verse is taken as ma~NgalaacaraNa to Ramayana, for any epic has to have ma~Ngala aadiini; ma~Ngala madhyaani; ma~Ngala antaani A good pious beginning, pious middle and pious ending.
Because this verse has the letter maa at its start and maa is lakShmii vaacaka in Sanskrit. It is aadi varNaH The first letter loka maataa maa ramaa ma~Ngala devataa thus amara kosha says for Goddess Lakshmi.
maa= Goddess Lakshmi; niShaada= Oh! Vishnu [ for Goddess Lakshmi resides in the heart of Vishnu – niShadiiti asmin iti niShaada ]; yat = by which act; krounca midhunaat = the couple of demons, namely Ravana and Mandodari; kaama mohitam= that impassioned one and stole Seetha; ekam= that one, Ravana; avadhii= you killed; by that act of yours; shashvatiisamaa= everlasting for ages; pratiShTaam= divine sanctity; tvam agama= you, get.
“Oh, the abode of Goddess Lakshmi, namely oh, Vishnu, by which act of your killing one male demon named Ravana, who in his passion abducted Seetha, and thus you eradicated the vice from the earth, for that you get an everlasting divine sanctity, as Rama, for ages to come.”
2] Next niSaada is attributable to Ravana, because he is the one who tortures others for his benefit. itaraam saadayati piiDayati iti niSaada thus: Oh! Ravana; krounch midhunaat= from the couple, say Rama and Seetha, who are flying from forest to forest like nest-less birds; ekam= one is, Seetha is; avadhii =you almost killed her by your torture of abducting her; pratiSTaam= your glory in Lanka, at its zenith, as per the kindness of Brahma; ma agama= never get, hereafter. But this declination is not held right, for it is like a curse, shaapa, and no epic starts with a curse.
3] Next, this verse is said holding Rama in the perspective. Sage Narada gave the details of the legend to Sage Valmiki because Brahma ordered that the legend of Rama is to be recorded. But Ramayana is full of pathos, karuNa shoka rasa prathaana. If it is to be penned the writer too shall have heart that can outpour that mood. So when Valmiki is at the river banks, Rama, say Vishnu, came in the guise of a tribal, as with other mythological episodes like kiraataarjuniiya etc., to test the capability of Valmiki in narrating pathos, and killed one bird. Valmiki reacted immediately and Vishnu’s test is complete. But in exciting the mood of such holy sage, Vishnu / Rama gets a curse like separation from wife, as below.
nishaada= oh, tribal: Rama to Valmiki / Vishnu to mythology; for your killing one bird of the couple, to the misery of the female one; shaashvatii = as long as you live on this earth; samaaH pratiSTaam= togetherness, with your wife; ma agama= do not get.
Oh! Rama, as long as you are on earth, you do not get the love of being together with your wife, because you killed one from the bird couple… and you have to live with your wife departed [to Lanka,] come again, and then departed [to forests.]
But this is differed statement, since Vishnu does not require any personal testing of the capabilities of the writer of Ramayana. Brahma will look after such literary things.
4] The generally accepted meaning of this verse is this. Any epic’s gist is to be said at the start or, at its commencement — kaavya artha suucanam kascin aadyaam eva niruupyate— Thus, the above verse included the meaning of whole of the epic, Ramayana.
i] maa niSaada= Goddess Lakshmi and Vishnu. Their marriage in their incarnations as Rama and Seetha, and Ramayana depicts this in Bala Kanda.
ii] pratiSTaam tvam agama= renown, you get, by following your father’s orders you have repaired to forests, without any political upheaval, thus get an everlasting renown as an obliging son Ayodhya Kanda.
iii] shashavatii samaa= by dwelling in forest and eradicating demons and helping the saints and sages thus, you achieve an everlasting praise Aranaya Kanda.
iv] krounchayoH= from the [atrocious] couple; k– krunca gati kauTilyaa alpii bhaavayoH; the atrocious Vali, and Tara couple; ekam kaama mohitam = one, passion, filled, i.e., Vali; avadhii= you killed, you killed Vali Kishkindha Kanda.
v] krouncha mithunaat= from the couple of lovely passionate birds here Rama and Seetha; niSaada that ruffian Ravana, kaama mohitam lustfully, ekam one [i.e., Seetha]; avadhii = almost killed, i.e., her residing in Lanka is as good as death Sundara Kanda.
vi] krouncha mithunaat = from the atrocious, couple Ravana and Mandodari; ekam avadhii one Ravana, you killed Yuddha Kanda.
vii] kaama mohitam= by desire, fascinated [ kama also means a longing, desire, let alone lusting]; Seetha is fascinated by her desire to see sage’s wives in uttara Ramayana and thus she is sent to forests through Lakshmana. Hence seventh canto, uttara Ramayana is also suggested.
रविसङ्क्रान्तसौभाग्यस्तुषारावृतमण्डलः ।निःश्वासान्ध इवादर्शश्चन्द्रमा न प्रकाशते ॥
Vyasa – Mahabharata : Vyasa’s Mahabharata
Pre-Kalidas Sanskrit poets : (Bhasa, Asvaghosha) :
Kalidasa –National poet of India
या सृष्टिः स्रष्टुराद्या वहति विधिहुतं या हविर्या च होत्रीये द्वे कालं विधत्तः श्रुतिविषयगुणा या स्थिता व्याप्य विश्वम् ।यां आहुः सर्वबीजप्रकृतिरिति यया प्राणिनः प्राणवन्तःप्रत्यक्षाभिः प्रपन्नस्तनुभिरवतु वस्ताभिरष्टाभिरीशः॥१॥
ग्रीवाभङ्गभिरामं मुहुरनुपतति स्यन्दने दत्तदृष्टिःपश्चार्धेन प्रविष्टः शरपतनभयाद्भूयसा पूर्वकायम् ।दर्भैण्रर्धावलीढैः श्रमविवृतमुखभ्रंशिभिः कीर्णवर्त्मापश्योदग्रप्लुतत्वाद्वियति बहुतरं स्तोकमुर्व्याम् प्रयाति॥७॥चलापाङ्गां दृष्टिं स्पृशसि बहुशो वेपथुमतींरहस्याख्यायीव स्वनसि मृदु कर्णान्तिकचरः ।करौ व्याधुन्वत्याः पिबसि रतिसर्वस्वमधरंवयं तत्त्वान्वेषान्मधुकर हतास्त्वं खलु कृती ॥
यात्येकतोऽस्तशिखरं पतिरोषधीनामाविष्कृतारुणपुरःसरएकतोऽर्कः ।तेजोद्वयस्य युगपद्व्यसनोदयाभ्यां लोको नियम्यत इवात्मदशान्तरेषु॥ शुश्रूषस्व गुरून्कुरु प्रियसखीवृत्तिं सपत्नीजनेभर्तृर्विप्रकृतापि रोषणतया मा स्म प्रतीपं गमः ।भूयिष्ठं भव दक्षिणा परिजने भाग्येष्वनुत्सेकिनीयान्त्येवं गृहिणीपदं युवतयो वामाः कुलस्याधयः॥१८॥अर्थो हि कन्या परकीय एव तामद्य सम्प्रेष्य परिग्रहीतुः ।जातो ममायं विशदः प्रकामं प्रत्यर्पितन्यास इवान्तरात्मा॥२२॥ शैलानामवरोहतीव शिखरादुन्मज्जतां मेदिनी ।पर्णाभ्यन्तरलीनतां विजहति स्कन्धोदयात्पादपाः ।सन्तानैस्तनुभावनष्टसलिला व्यक्तिं भजन्त्यापगाः ।केनाप्युत्क्षिपतेव पश्य भुवनं मत्पार्श्वमानीयते॥८॥
वागर्थाविव संपृक्तौ वागर्थप्रतिपत्तये।
जगतः पितरौ वन्दे पार्वतीपरमेश्वरौ॥ १-१
vāgarthāviva saṁpṛktau vāgarthapratipattaye |
jagataḥ pitarau vande pārvatīparameśvarau || 1-1
तरङ्गभ्रूभङ्गा क्षुभितविहगश्रेणिरशनाविकर्षन्ती फेनं वसनमिव संरम्भशिथिलम् ।यथाविद्धं याति स्खलितमभिसन्धाय बहुशोनदीरूपेणेयं ध्रुवमसहना सा परिणता ॥ यथा वा —तन्वी मेघजलार्द्रपल्लवतया धौताधरेवाश्रुभिःशून्येवाभरणैः स्वकालविरहाद्विश्रान्तपुष्पोद्गमा ।चिन्ता मौनमिवाश्रिता मधुकृतां शब्दैर्विना लक्ष्यतेचण्डी मामवधूय पादपतितं जातानुतापेव सा ॥
Prose compositions: ( Dandin, Banabhatta)
Scholar Pedantic Classical Poets: (Bharavi, Magha, Sriharsha)
Dramatists (Bhavabhuti, Murari, SriHarsha).
Mixed literary style compositions –Champus
Unknown authors: ( Amarushataka, Bhoja prabandha)
का त्वं बाले कान्चनमाला कस्याः पुत्री कनकलतायाः ।हस्ते किं ते तालीपत्रं कावा रेखा क ख ग घ ॥
kA tvam bAle: who are you,little girl(Question);
kAnchanamAlA :(my name is) KAnchanamAlA(Answer);
kasyAH putrI: whose daughter are you (Q);
kanakalatayAH :(I am the daughter of) kanakalatA (A);
haste kiM te :what is it in your hand (Q);
tAlIpatraM: the palm-leaf (used as a slate or writing pad)(A);
kA vA rekhA: what is the outline (written there)(Q);
ka kha ga gha:the alphabets, ka kha ga gha (A).
Bhartruhari – Uttara Ramacharitam -स्निग्धश्यामलकान्तिलिप्तवियतो वेल्लद्बलाका घनावाताः शीकरिणः पयोदसुहृदामानन्दकेकाः कलाः ।कामं सन्तु दृढं कठोरहृदयो रामोऽस्मि सर्वं सहेवैदेही तु कथम् भविश्यति हहा हा देवि धीरा भव ॥
Philosopher- Spiritual poets – Devotional Prayers: (Jayadeva, Shankaracharyas Bhaja govindam, Vedanta deshika, Madhvacarya)
Gita Govindam is a much praised Sanskrit musical composition of poet Jayadeva, (12th century) who hailed from a village near the Puri, the holy place adorned by God Jagannatha. Gita Govindam is a lyrical poetry in twelve chapters, sub-divided into twenty four divisions called Prabandha. each Prabandhas contain couplets grouped into eights. The couplets are called ashtapadi. The theme of Gita Govindam is the eternal love of Lord Krishna and his beloved Radha, the mutual longing and belongingness. Ashtapadi’s are set to music and dance.
The following ashtapadis are some of the most popular selections.
lalita lavanga latA pariSeelana kOmala malaya sameerE
madhukara nikara karambita kOkila koojita kunja kuTeerE
viharati haririha sarasa vasantE nrutyati
yuvati janEna samam sakhi virahi janasya durantE
Oh dear friend Radha, cool breeze of spring season from clove bushes is gently blowing. Cuckoos are cooing sweetly. Bowers and cottages are echoing with humming sound of bees.Sri Krishna is strolling and dancing with Gopikas delightfully. Come on, let’s go there as we are pining in love for him.
samudita madanE ramaNee vadanE chumbana valitAdharE
mrugamada tilakam likhati sapulakam mrugamiva rajanee kare
ramatE yamunA pulina vanE
vijayee murAri radhunA||
Krishna is kissing a beautiful maid on her lips. He is putting kasturi mark on her beautiful face. which looks like deer on moon. Murari is making Gopikas delightful on the sands of Yamuna river.
Another one is the description of Ten avatara’s of Vishnu, sung by many devotees. The first one of the selection reads:
praLaya payOdhi jalE dhruta vA nasi vEdam
vihita vihitra charitra makhEdam
kESava dhruta meena Sareera
jaya jagadeeSa harE ||
Oh Sri Krishna, you incarnated on the earth as divine fish to restore the Vedas from oceans at the time of great deluge. Victory to Hari the lord of the world.
Bhaja Govindam:
Sri Narayana Teertha [2],(1675 – 1745) a saint of Madhva tradition, ascetic and scholar, an ardent devotee of Sree Krishna,is the poet who composed Sree Krishna Leela Tarangini, a musical treatise consisting many Sanskrit Slokas and Krutis in 12 chapters (Tarangas). The compositions in tarangas depict the life and childhood events of Sree Krishna and culminate in the auspicious wedding “Rukmini Kalyanam”. Leela Suka’s “Sree Krishna Karnamrutham”, Jayadeva’s “Geeta Govindam” and Narayana Teertha’s “Sree Krishna Leela Tarangini” constitute the precious triumvirate that elevate the devout to a world of spiritual ecstasy
kaLyANam vitanOtu koustubha maNim kanThE dadhAnaSSiSuhu
kaLyANee mapi mE karOtu SubhadAm vANeem praveeNAm dhiyam
dEvakyA vasudEva yAdava patE SSankhee radhAngee gadee
padmee nandaka SArjNa chApa makuTee peetAmbaraha kunDalee ||
Oh Lord, you are the divine child of Devaki and Vasudeva , shining with Koustubha gem. You are wielding conch, discus, mace, and lotus. Your sword is Nandaka. Your bow is Sarjna. Your silk yellow costume, ear-hangings and crown are majestic. You are embodiment of auspiciousness. You are lord of Yadavas. Please bless us with devotional mind, speech and wisdom.
Subhashitas (-Also see the separate section of Subhahsitas under Intellectual Heritage section)– Practical good wisdom sayings Bhartruhari.
दष्टे सन्ति चिकित्सका दिशि-दिशि प्रायेण धर्मार्थिनो
मुग्धाक्षीक्षणवीक्षितस्य न हि मे वैद्यो न चाप्यौषधम् ॥ ६॥
विश्वामित्रपराशरप्रभृतयो वाताम्बुपर्णाशनाः तेऽपि स्त्रीमुखपङ्कजं सुललितं दृष्ट्वैव मोहं गताः ॥शाल्यन्नं सघृतं पयोदधियुतं ये भुञ्जते मानवाःतेषामिन्द्रियनिग्रहो यदि भवेद्विन्ध्यस्तरेत्सागरम् ॥ २७॥ एको देवः केशवो वा शिवो वा ह्येकं मित्रं भूपतिर्वा यतिर्वा ।एको वासः पत्तने वा वने वा ह्येका भार्या सुन्दरी वा दरी वा ॥ ६५-अ॥ मात्सर्यमुत्सार्य विचार्य कार्यमार्याः समर्यादमिदं वदन्तु ॥ सेव्या नितम्बाः किमु भूधरणामुत स्मरस्मेरविलासिनीनाम् ॥ ६६॥ मधु तिष्ठति वाचि योषितां हृदि हालाहलमेव केवलम् ।अत एव निपीयतेऽधरो हृदयं मुष्टिभिरेव ताड्यते ॥ ९३॥ भोगे रोगभयं कुले च्युतिभयं वित्त नृपालाद्भयंमाने दैन्यभयं बले रिपुभयं रूपे जराया भयम् ।शास्त्रे वादिभयं गुणे खलभयं काये कृतान्ताद्भयंसर्वं वस्तु भयान्वितं भुवि नृणां वैराग्यमेवाभयम् ॥ ३१॥
There is fear of disease in the enjoyment of sensual pleasures; in lineage, fear of decline; in riches, fear of kings; fear of humiliation in honor; fear of enemies when in power; fear of old age in beauty; in learning, fear of disputants; in virtue, fear of the wicked; in body, fear of death. All facets of man’s life on earth engender fear; renunciation alone is fearless.
व्याघ्रीव तिष्ठति जरा परितर्जयन्ति रोगाश्च शत्रव इव प्रहरन्ति देहम् ।आयुः परिस्रवति भिन्नघटादिवाम्भो लोकस्तथाप्यहितमाचरतीति चित्रम् ॥ ३८॥
Like a tigress, fearsome is old age. Illnesses attack the body like enemies. Life flows like water from a leaky vessel. Yet, is it not a wonder that man engages in actions not conducive to well-being?
आयुर्वर्षशतं नृणां परिमितं रात्रौ तदर्धं गतंतस्यार्ध्यस्य परस्य चार्धमपरं बालत्ववृद्धत्वयोः ।शेषं व्याधिवियोगदुःखसहितं सेवादिभिर्नीयतेजीवे वारितरङ्गचञ्चलतरे सौख्यं कुतः प्राणिनाम् ॥ ४९॥
Men’s life-span is limited to a hundred years. Half of it is spent in
the darkness of nights. Of the remaining half, half is spent in childhood
and old age; and the rest illnesses, bereavements, and vexatious service
of others. Where is the happiness for creatures whose life is as fickle
as the ripples of water?
Literary critics approach in grading of best composition and class of poetry :
सुवर्णपुष्पां पृथिवीं चिन्वन्ति पुरुषास्त्रयः ।शूरश्च कृतविद्यश्च यश्च जानाति सेवितुम् ॥
Literary Compositions- Popular Prayers :
नितान्तकान्तदन्तकान्तिमन्तकान्तकात्मजं अचिन्त्यरूपमन्तहीनमन्तरायकृन्तनम् ।हृदन्तरे निरन्तरं वसन्तमेव योगिनां तमेकदन्तमेव तं विचिन्तयामि सन्ततम् ॥ ५॥भजगोविन्दं भजगोविन्दं , गोविन्दं भजमूढमते ।सम्प्राप्ते सन्निहिते काले, नहि नहि रक्षति डुकृञ्करणे ॥ १॥ Worship Govinda, worship Govinda, worship Govinda, Oh fool ! Rules of grammar will not save you at the time of your death. यावद्वित्तोपार्जन सक्त- स्तावन्निज परिवारो रक्तः ।पश्चाज्जीवति जर्जर देहे वार्तां कोऽपि न पृच्छति गेहे ॥ ५॥ So long as a man is fit and able to support his family, see what affection all those around him show. But no one at home cares to even have a word with him when his body totters due toold age. यावत्पवनो निवसति देहे तावत्पृच्छति कुशलं गेहे ।गतवति वायौ देहापाये भार्या बिभ्यति तस्मिन्काये ॥ ६॥ When one is alive, his family members enquire kindly about his welfare. But when the soul departs from the body, even his wife runs away in fear of the corpse.
Modern Sanskrit poetry:
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Sahitya_Akademi_Award_winners_for_Sanskrit
The Sahitya Akademi Award is an annual award, given by the Sahitya Akademi (India’s National Academy of Letters), to writers in 24 Indian languages. The award was instituted and first awarded in 1955. It carries a monetary reward of 50,000 Rupees and a citation. The award for Sanskrit was first given in 1956. The first five awards went to works in other languages, dealing with Sanskrit culture. Since 1967, the award has been given only to works in Sanskrit. The list of Sanskrit language writers who have won the award is given below.
Sahitya Akademi Award winners for Sanskrit
1956 Mm. P. V. Kane History of Dharma Sastra, Vol. IV (Research) social laws and customs; religious and civil law
1961 Giridhar Sharma Chaturvedi Vaidik Vijnan aur Bhartiya Sanskriti (A study in Hindi) (Research)
1963 B. N. Krishnamurti Sharma A History of Dvait School of Vedanta and its Literature (Research)
1964 Mm. Gopinath Kaviraj Tantrik Vangmaya Men Shaktadrishti (Treatise in Hindi) (Research)
1966 V. Raghavan Bhoja’s Sringara Prakasa (Aesthetics)
1967 Ramaroop Pathak Chitrakavya Kautukam (Poetry)
1968 Satyavrat Shastri Srigurugovindasimhacharitam (Poetry) Biography of Guru Gobind Singh
1970 V. Subramanya Sastri Shabdatarangini (Treatise) on verbal cognition
1973 M. S. Aney Sritilakayasornavah (Epic) Biography of Bal Gangadhar Tilak
1974 Dr. S.B. Warnekar Shrishivarajyodayam (Epic poem) 68 cantos, on Shivaji
1977 Shanti Bhikshu Shastri Buddhavijayakavyam (Poetry) Buddhist
1979 K.N. Ezhuthachan Keralodayah (Epic) on history of Kerala
1980 P. C. Devassia Kristubhagavatam (Epic) 33 cantos, Jesus Christ
1981 Jagannath Pathak Kapishayani (Poetry) Poetry collection in 11 chapters, influenced by Persian poetry
1982 P. K. Narayana Pillai Visvabhanu (Epic)
1983 Pandharinathacharya Galagali Shri Shambulingeswar Vijaya Campu (Biography)
1984 Shrinath S. Hasurkar Sindhu-Kanya (Historical novel)
1985 Vasant Trimbak Shevde Vindhyavasini Vijaya Mahakavyam (Epic)
1986 Kalika Prasad Shukla Sri Radhacarita Mahakavyam (Epic)
1987 Biswanarayan Shastri Avinasi (novel)
1988 Abhiraj Rajendra Mishra Ikshugandha (Short stories)
1989 Ram Karan Sharma Sandhya (Poetry)
1990 Ogeti Parikshit Sharma Srimat-Pratap Ranayanam Mahakavyam (Poetry)
1991 Rewa Prasad Dwivedi Svatantrya Sambhavam (Poetry) Epic poem on Indian independence movement
1992 Hari Narayan Dikshit Bhishma Chiritam (Epic)
1993 Jaggu Alwar Iyengar Jayantika (Novel)
1994 Radhavallabh Tripathi Sandhanam (Poetry)
1995 Rasik Vihari Joshi Sri Radha Panchashati
1996 Keshab Chandra Dash Isha (Poetry)
1997 Shyam Dev Parashar Triveni (Poetry)
1998 Bachchoolal Awasthi Pratanini (Poetry)
1999 Srinivas Rath Tadeva Gaganam Saivadhara (Poetry)
2000 S. Srinivasa Sarma Jagadguru Sri Chandrasekharendra – Saraswati Vijayam (Poetry)
2001 P Sri. Ramachandrudu Ko Vai Rasah (Essays)
2002 Kashinath Mishra Harsacarita-Manjari (Poetry)
2003 Bhaskaracharya Tripathi Nirjharini (Poetry)
2004 Devarshi Kalanath Shastry Akhyana Vallari (Short Stories)
2005 Swami Rambhadracharya Sribhargavaraghaviyam (Epic) Of Paraśurāma and Rāma
2006 Harshadev Madhav Tava Sparshe Sparshe (Poetry)
2007 Hari Dutt Sharma Lasallatika (Poetry)
2008 Om Prakash Pande (Poetry)
2009 Prashasya Mitra Shastri (Short stories)
2010 Mithila Prasad Tripathi (Poetry)
2011 Harekrishna Satapathy Bharatayanam (poetry)
2012 Ramji Thakur Laghupadyahprabandhatrayi (Poetry)
2013 Radhakant Thakur Chaladuravani (Poetry)
2014 Prabhu Nath Dwivedi Kanakalochanaha (Short stories).
Bal Sahitya Puraskar
The Sahitya Akademi also awards a “Bal Sahitya Puraskar”, for children’s literature. Winners of this award for Sanskrit include:
2011 Abhiraja Rajendra Mishra,Kaumarm (poetry)
2012 Om Prakash Thakur , Isap-Katha Nikunjam Collection of short stories
2013 H. R. Vishvasa, Marjalasya Mukham Drishtam Book of plays
