On Wednesday, Apr. 20, 2022, 7 – 8:30 p.m. Professor Emeritus Richard Salomon (Department of Asian Languages and Literature, UW) gave a talk titled "Entwined Like a Word and its Meaning: Reflections on Fifty Years of Sanskrit Studies".
Professor Salomon shared some of the insights and inspirations he has gained from studying Sanskrit and classical Indian literature and culture for over fifty years. He also outlined the long-standing tradition of Sanskrit instruction at the University of Washington that goes back well over 100 years. Professor Salomon presents readings of classic verses and lines from well-known Sanskrit authors to show how their complexity, subtlety, and imaginativeness set flowing the rasa, the “nectar” that is the aesthetic essence of Sanskrit literature. He focuses in particular on the works of Kālidāsa, widely acclaimed as the greatest of Sanskrit poets, and his unique and remarkable retelling of the history of King Rāma and the story of the Rāmāyaṇa in his epic poem, “The Dynasty of Raghu.”
Professor Salomon recently retired after teaching Sanskrit and related subjects at the University of Washington for over forty years. Through publications and public appearances around the world, he continues to support and encourage the study of Sanskrit and the classical Indian world, to which he dedicated his entire adult life.
Watch the recording of this event below, or by clicking this link to visit our YouTube channel!
Find out more about how you can support Sanskrit Studies at UW!
https://asian.washington.edu/friends-sanskrit
This event was held online and was hosted by The Department of Asian Languages and Literature as well as the Language Learning Center, University of Washington.