| The Sanskrit language is a classical language | | | | such is part of the Satem group of |
| of India, a liturgical language of Hinduism, | | | | Indo-European languages, which also includes |
| Buddhism, and Jainism, and one of the 23 | | | | the Balto-Slavic branch. |
| official languages of India. Its position in | | | | |
| the cultures of South and Southeast Asia is | | | | When the term arose in India, "Sanskrit" was |
| akin to that of Latin and Greek in Europe. It | | | | not thought of as a specific language set |
| appears in pre-Classical form as Vedic | | | | apart from other languages, but rather as a |
| Sanskrit (appearing in the Vedas), with the | | | | particularly refined or perfected manner of |
| language of the Rigveda being the oldest and | | | | speaking. Knowledge of Sanskrit was a marker |
| most archaic stage preserved. | | | | of social class and educational attainment |
| | | | and the language was taught mainly to members |
| Sanskrit belongs to the Indo-Aryan sub-family | | | | of the higher castes, through close analysis |
| of the Indo-European family of languages. | | | | of Sanskrit grammarians such as Panini. read |
| Together with the Iranian languages it | | | | more..... |
| belongs to the Indo-Iranian branch and as | | | | |