DSPMU Sanskrit Department Celebrates Patanjali Jayanti
Ranchi: The Department of Sanskrit, Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee University, Ranchi, organised a Patanjali Jayanti Celebration on Monday on the auspicious occasion of Nag Panchami. The programme highlighted the life and works of Maharshi Patanjali and his contributions to Yoga, grammar, and the Indian knowledge tradition. Students of the Department enriched the occasion with a variety of cultural presentations, including Vedic Mangala Charan, Saraswati Vandana, a welcome song, dance, and other musical performances.
Presiding over the function, Prof. Rajiv Manohar, Vice-Chancellor of Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee University, said that Maharshi Patanjali was one of the great sages of the Indian knowledge tradition who, through Yoga and grammar, showed the way towards making human life disciplined, balanced, and refined. While Yoga teaches the harmony of body and mind, grammar lends purity and systematic order to language and thought. He urged students to study Sanskrit and the Indian knowledge tradition seriously and emphasised that connecting India’s ancient intellectual heritage with contemporary needs is an important responsibility of both students and teachers.
The Chief Guest, Dr. Shailesh Kumar Mishra, said that Maharshi Patanjali was one of the rare acharyas of Indian thought whose contribution is equally significant in the three spheres of language, Yoga, and the discipline of human life. Through the Mahabhashya, he provided a strong foundation to the tradition of Sanskrit grammar, while through the Yoga Sutras, he showed the path of restraining the fluctuations of the mind and cultivating self-discipline. He observed that the study of Patanjali is not merely an engagement with classical texts but also a means of understanding the scientific temper, rationality, and comprehensive vision of life inherent in the Indian knowledge tradition.
The Saraswat Guest, Dr. Shriprakash Singh, Assistant Professor in the Department of Sanskrit, Ranchi University, and City President of Sanskrit Bharati, shed light on the life and legacy of Maharshi Patanjali. He said that, according to the Indian tradition, Patanjali is regarded as a great acharya in three fields—grammar, Yoga, and Ayurveda. Referring to the traditional narratives associated with Patanjali and his pursuit of knowledge, he observed that Maharshi Patanjali enriched the Indian knowledge tradition immensely through his works. His personality, he added, represents the holistic vision of life characteristic of Indian intellectual thought.
Dr. Dhananjay Vasudeo Dwivedi, Registrar of DSPMU and Head of the Department of Sanskrit, said that, in essence, purity in speech, health in the body, and peace in the mind constitute the Triveni—the confluence—of the Patanjali tradition. The intellectual and spiritual quest of Maharshi Patanjali provides a pathway for the refinement of the entire human personality. Grammar refines speech, Ayurveda provides guidance for maintaining physical health, and Yoga disciplines and calms the mind. Highlighting the contemporary relevance of Patanjali’s grammatical thought, he remarked that in the age of mobile phones and social media, there is an abundance of words, but there is also a crisis of restraint in the use of words. An imprudent word can break a relationship, whereas a cultured and thoughtful word can unite hearts.
Dr. Rahul Kumar, Assistant Professor in the Department of Sanskrit, Marwari College, Ranchi, said that Maharshi Patanjali was a visionary acharya of the Indian knowledge tradition whose thought leads human beings from external discipline towards inner refinement. He observed that Patanjali’s greatest message for the youth of today is discipline, self-restraint, and continuous practice. Students, he said, should not confine Patanjali’s ideas merely to their syllabus and books but should assimilate them into their studies, conduct, and daily lives.
The programme commenced with a Vedic Mangala Charan presented by Prerna and Preeti. This was followed by a Saraswati Vandana by Happy, Pragya, and Priya, and a welcome song by Prachi, Khushi, Kirti, and Sushma. As part of the cultural programme, Manisha Bodra, a teacher in the Department, and Kirti Kumari presented solo songs, while Anamika Bharti performed a solo dance. Nidhi, Anisha, Chandravati, Khushi, Deepika and Happy, along with Gulachi and Aastha, presented group dances.
The guests were introduced by Kumari Jaya, a teacher in the Department. The programme was conducted by Dr. Jagdamba Prasad, while Shrimitra proposed the vote of thanks.
On the occasion, Dr. Abha Jha, Head of the Department of Philosophy, Surendra Kumar Mahto, Sachin Kumar, Pratima Chauhan, Laleshwar Mahto, Gaurav, Nikhil, Kriti, Reena, Rameshwar, Dheeraj Kumar, Dheeraj, and teachers from various departments, along with hundreds of students of the Department of Sanskrit, were present.
