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4. SANSKRIT
Vedas were originally written using the Grantha and Nagiri Scripts. Since the earliest evidence of Grantha Scripts are found only around 5th c AD, the Vedas in Sanskrit could not have been written anytime earlier. It may be argued that Vedas could have been in oral form. This is a conjecture. People certainly have been philosophical even without a written document. However, they are not crystallized until they are written down.
The first epigraphic evidence of Sanskrit is seen in 150 AD and this inscription is in the Brahmi script. (Encyclopedia Britannica, 1982).
From the fifth century A.D., classical Sanskrit is seen to be the dominant language in the inscriptions.
The use of Sanskrit as a language was first observed in the RAMAYANA (Sundarakanda, 30/17-18).
Shyam Rao makes the following clear statements in regards to Sanskrit in his Anti-Sanskrit Scripture' by Shyam Rao, published by Sudrastan Books, Jabalpur, 1999 (free from any Copyright). It was thence reprinted in Dalitstan Journal, Volume 1, Issue 2 (Oct. 1999)
Vedas - The word `Sanskrit' does not occur anywhere in the Vedas. Not a single verse mentions this word as denoting a language.
Chandasa The Vedic language was referred to as Chandasa even by Panini himself [`IndoAryan and Hindi', S. K. Chatterji, Firma K. L. Mukhopadhyay, Calcutta-12, p. 63 ], and not as 'Sanskrit'.
Buddha - The Buddha was advised to translate his teachings into the learned man's tongue - the Chandasa' standard [ Chatterji., p. 64 ], there is no mention of any Sanskrit'. The Buddha refused, preferring the Prakrits. There is not even a single reference in any contemporary Buddhist texts to the word 'Sanskrit'. This shows that Sanskrit did not even exist at the time of the Buddha and that the people at that period, even the Brahmins themselves, were not aware of themselves as speaking Sanskrit'; they referred to their language as Chandasa'.
Ramayana - The word `Sanskrit' occurs for the first time as referring to a language in the Ramayana : "In the latter [Ramayana] the term 'samskrta' "formal, polished", is encountered,
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