This reader is designed to serve as an introduction to the subject for the students and to provide knowledge of Sanskrit to the teachers of high schools, academies and colleges. The work helps to correct some of the false notions which are prevalent respecting the relations of Sanskrit to other languages of the Indo-European family. It also keeps saving the literature from undue depreciation and from exaggerated praise. The author has made selections from various Sanskrit writings keeping two aims in mind: firstly to provide abundant material for thorough drill in the language of classical period; and secondly, to furnish a brief introduction to the works of the Vedic period, Mantra, Brahmana and Sutra best suited for beginners.

This book uses modern pedagogical methods and tools that allow students to grasp straightforward original Sanskrit texts within weeks.

This paperback edition of the 1927 text supplies a complete account of classical sanskrit, the literary language of ancient India. After a brief history of sanskrit grammar and a chart of the Devanagari letters, Macdonell, former Boden Professor of Sanskrit at Oxford University provides chapters on alphabet, declension, conjugation, indeclinable words, nominal stem formation, and syntax.