My personal experiment and observation regarding enthusiasm to Sanskrit media

[Abhishek Mehta]

Dear Members,

For quite some time, I have been running an experiment on my YouTube channel in order to see how well is the public reception to Original Sanskrit songs with modern instrumental arrangements and fresh melodies. (For my latest attempt, see here:https://youtu.be/keHgTWO2ntI?si=PZ7ylcbs1MIXczwG)

While there are many bands and artists in India who do pursue this craft, they usually seem to only rehash what has been written and sung like Bhaja Govindam, Rudrashtakam etc. Also, the musical arrangement is either towards the fusion side or strictly Indian classical. However, these songs are already very popular and a rehasing of these popular songs will guarantee popularity and engagement. 

In the ISCKON circles, however, they are more open to experimenting with modern Western instrumental scoring, however, they only restrict to sanskrit poetry written by Gaudiya Vaishnava saints which are also very popular already in Gaudiya Vaishnava circles.

In my experiment, I personally wrote original sanskrit songs with original sanskrit melodies and used AI assistance only for instrumental scoring and composition. I have been doing this for close to 6 months and I have observed that I have generated minimal interest or curiosity only after paying for promotional services for YouTube. Also, the subscribers I obtained this way are not the ones eagerly awaiting a new sanskrit musical release or drop. Nor they actively engaged with such content produced. 

Initially I used to believe that it's probably because of the AI assistance but given that Indians are the largest consumers of AI content in the world this shouldn't have been a barrier. This experience reminded me of an old video where Nithyanada Mishra ji himself lamented on how he failed to get a sanskrit song into a Bollywood movie. It has led me to believe that there is actually zero demand for Sanskrit content in India. Any perceived demand for such a content in the indian population could very well be a result of Indians lying to the surveys or polls that are used to gauge such a demand. I don't think any indian would even anonymously admit that they aren't interested in sanskrit content because of deep personal shame and embarassment.

I believe this is something very important to think about because continuous production of music and other artistic content and the demand for the same in a language is the manifest proof of that language being alive. We may quote the number of Sanskrit speakers in the census and other metrics to argue that Sanskrit language is alive but if that is not visible through content creation and demand for the same it's very difficult to truly say if Sanskrit is actually alive.

Anyways, these are my thoughts. Any and all comments are welcome.

Yours sincerely 

Abhishek Kumar Mehta 

[Nagaraj Paturi]

Good work, Abhishek ji. 

Your own songs certainly giives niche to it. 

There are discussions about whether the popularity of creative productions of the prakhyaata content is because of the prakhyaati of the content, not because of the creativity of the creator. 

If a creator using the utpaadya content of his own gets popularity, it is double credit. 

Yes, all these efforts are essential for a vibrant contemporary life of Snskrit.

Best wishes,

Nagaraj 

 

Nagaraj Paturi

Hyderabad, Telangana-500044

 

 

 

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[Abhishek Mehta]

Thank you Nagaraj Ji for your encouragement. I would also like to add that even if you take the rehasing of the older, classic sanskrit compositions which do achieve virality and is appreciated their memetic value or their utility in memes is still insignificant.

It is well-known amongst the sociologists that memes reflect the subconscious of the society. The fact that even the most popular sanskrit music fails to enter Indian meme space compared to Bollywood and other genre of music reflects how sanskrit content in general doesn't have a profound effect on the indian people even when it comes to devotional memes. 

Of course, this can change if a pump and dump strategy is implemented where the internet and media spaces is flooded with sanskrit content day in and day out but I am not sure if any media house or even the government is ready to invest into such a strategy for sufficiently long enough time to generate popular demand for Sanskrit content. Otherwise, sanskrit content as such will remain a niche interest. 

Yours sincerely

Abhishek Kumar Mehta 

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[BVK Sastry (G-S-Pop)]

Namaste Abhishek Kumar Mehta 

 

1. You are right in pointing out : <  contemporary art and songs in specific language Samskruth ( if it is  to conform to Panini rules / Bharata’s  stage craft /   Dasharupaka norms beyond naataka /  religious congregational prayers and community chanting …. > .  

 

You are looking at  language – Art and Economy oriented social consumption.  Temple singing and dances were not limited to Krishna stories. There is a rich heritage of songs in folklore for  Shiva, Rama , Kali, Yogi’s ……

The text literature availability is different from ticket –economy  value by audience.

 

There is a name for this in Bharata’s treatise under < nata- vita - gayaka - vrutti>. Please explore.

 

2. Yes. It is  < something very important to think about because continuous production of music and other artistic content and the demand for the same in a language is the manifest proof of that language being alive.>

 

Can you elaborate your views on what does it take to ‘keeping language alive’  ? 

 

User community is one important part.  That is Social conversational usage.

Practitioner community is one important part. That is  ritual usage.

 

What about other aspects ? - business usage, entertainment promotion ?  is ‘mama nama tava naama’ the end of living Samskruth ?

 

As far ISKON, by your own observation, they follow a constraint set by values and eye socio economic gains.

 

Where are other groups ?  The recent spate of AI integrated visuals promoting avatar themes ended as entertainment at best;  satisfaction of endorsing a faith at the low end.

Where did the enterprise plan and budget to accommodate build any interest in learning to make samskruth living?

No knowledge of language makes song to be only a humming tune ! pleasing to ear.

 

Passion on Religion Content-Practice  does not easily translate to  compassion or  Passion with Language of Text.   

 

Any way if you free that I have pointed you to something which triggers your thoughts, contact me off line.

I have facilitated ideas provided to get transformed to samskruth poetry, fit to given tunes / set tunes and go as albums.

Commercial success as a song writer is  a different issue. Satisfaction is more valuable.

 

Regards

BVK Sastry

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[Abhishek Mehta]

>Can you elaborate your views on what does it take to ‘keeping language alive’ ? 

Well, given how stubborn the Indian population is when it comes to sanskrit content now, the only way I see is to implement pump and dump strategy I.e. Pump out back to back sanskrit content and dump it in all available media spaces till it generates a demand. 

Of course, I will find more satisfaction in this if I have a community of songwriters and composers who are also interested in making sanskrit content with whom I can discuss and strategize. And to this effect you may contact me personally.

Yours sincerely 

Abhishek Kumar Mehta 

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[Gadi Manoj]

इदं दृष्टं स्यात् - https://www.youtube.com/@sanskritshree6417

Thanks and regards,
Manoj G Prakash
+91 80732 92851

https://divyavaani.sanskrit.dev/

https://games.sanskrit.dev/

https://divyavaani.sanskrit.dev/sanskritlibrary.html

https://swaminahsamskrtam.wixsite.com/sai-samskrtam/swami-on-sanskrit

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[vishal jaiswal]

Is all your content (lyrics) in simple modern Sanskrit or something nearer to the real thing 

[Abhishek Mehta]

आम्। हिन्दीसङ्गीतस्य संस्कृतीकरणं पुरातनविधानम् एव अस्मदाधुनिकसमाजे। किन्तु न तद् विषयार्थं मम पूर्वोक्तिर् अपितु आधुनिककाले नवीनमूलतालान्वितमूलसंस्कृतगानरचनाविषयार्थेऽहम् उक्तवान् उत समाजस्य तत्प्रति मत्प्रतीतानूत्साहः। अनन्तरे हिन्दीसङ्गीतस्य संस्कृतीकरणं मनोरञ्जनमात्रम् एव किन्तु  नवीनमूलतालान्वितमूलसंस्कृतगानरचना सभ्यतासञ्जीवनी इति मम मतिः। 

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[Bijoy Misra]

We don't know what the छन्द are, but we have to assume that

they are natural to our biology and the spoken words.

So I would think that any new music must be on  छन्द

and add emotion through स्वर . new स्वर might be created

without affecting the छन्द . New छन्द might exist (mathematical)

and one can explore.

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[Abhishek Mehta]

I think so. It is quite simple enough. 

On Thu, Sep 17, 2026, 7:47 PM vishal jaiswal <tovisha...@gmail.com> wrote:

Is all your content (lyrics) in simple modern Sanskrit or something nearer to the real thing 

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[BVK Sastry (G-S-Pop)]

Namaste  Manoj

 

1. The technicality of < स्वर > is  deeply and experientially connected with the technicality of < छन्द >  in pronunciation ( uccharana). Here the term < छन्द > is understood as a binding flow,  the connected fluidity flow in a wavy fashion. Experientially it is a physiological experience with modifications in air flow, organ effort and ‘ rhythm of hearing sensation.

 

2. The Mathematics of < छन्द >  is structure and flow together, articulate phonation effort connected and mapped on time line measure. < छन्द >  not limited to permutation combination of phoneme units.

Vedic Chandas is complex and needs analysis of states of consciousness linking.

 

3. Song writing is a multi-layered experience and exercise.  

    Keep only tunes – it becomes a ‘geya’ variety. ( yati, laya).

    Keep timed block as count: It becomes a ‘gāna’ experience. (  Gana as akshara or mattra ).

    Introducing ‘language element’ : A new flavour and dimension with phonemic structures + meaning.

    Total experience is a good poetry sung.  

    Try experiencing the difference in tonal feel of classical chandas like bhujangaprayata, Maalini,

    panchachaamara. It is like falvours of different musical raagas and taalas.

 

4. The epics were not composed or survive by  < implement pump and dump strategy>.

The sensitivity of user is critical. One may be sensitive to Ramayana metrical composition and fail to appreciate Iliad or Shakespeare.  It is audience sensitivity that shapes the local song in a language.

 

Regards

BVK Sastry

[Bijoy Misra]

What needs be understood that the Vedas are a वर्ण based system, each वर्ण conveys a semantic meaning,

a group of  वर्ण s is mathematical for compound semantics.  It is a linear arrangement most likely

controlled by the breathing cycle.  So the recitation is expected to recreate the scene through acoustics ध्वनि.

The recitation (vocal music) is what is heard and internally interpreted.  Hearing without any noise

increases the information transfer.  We have not done these experiments yet.

Best regards,

Bijoy Misra