Sanskrit - Language of the Gods?

|| भाषासु मुख्या मधुरा दिव्या गीर्वाणभारती ||

bhAShAsu mukhyA madhurA divyA gIrvANabhAratI

This is a famous line which praises Sanskrit as a great language. What is the meaning of this line? Let us take a look word-by-word.

भाषासु bhAShAsu  = of all the languages
मुख्या mukhyA = main (major/leader)
मधुरा madhurA = sweet
दिव्या divyA = heavenly
गीर्वाणभारती gIrvANabhAratI = language of the gods (गीर्वाण gIrvANa meaning gods भारती bhAratI meaning language)

This line besides praising Sanskrit language has attracted many satirical views. The distractors often say - yep, Sanskrit is heavenly and for the gods, not for the earthlings. That is the reason this language (at least in these days) is limited to the confines of the temple walls and occasional scholarly debates and conferences. The mantras chanted during prayers and rituals are understood only by the gods and not even by the one who utters them! And that is what it is supposed to be. For everything else, for other communication purposes, there are other languages which are not godly, but for consumption of us, the human beings.

But, here is a different take on this famous line, in typical Sanskrit style. When I say Sanskrit style, we need to look deeper into origin and meanings of each word.

भाषासु bhAShAsu  = of all the languages (भाष्यते इति भाषा bhAShyate iti bhAShA - tool for communication or speaking)
मुख्या mukhyA = मुखेन भाषिता mukhena bhAShitA = spoken (through mouth)
मधुरा madhurA = sweetness, pleasing
दिव्या divyA = आकाशजनिता/आकाशवाह्या AkAshajanitA/AkAshavAhyA = born or carried in sky/space = sound waves (शब्द shabda)
गीर्वाणभारती gIrvANabhAratI = गीर्वाण नाम भारती gIrvANa nAma bhAratI Here
गीः gIH = speech, वाण vANa = music/sound or also same as बाण bANa= arrow/expertise
भारती bhAratI = या बिभर्ति yA bibharti = one which supports/nourishes

Here it looks like the line is giving the definition of a perfect language. To summarize:
Of all the spoken ways, this method is based on the science of sounds produced through mouth (मुख्या mukhyA), is based on science of sound waves (दिव्या divyA), supports and nourishes the science of acoustics and all expertise related to sound (गीर्वाणभारती gIrvANabhAratI), and also at the same time even pleasing just to hear (मधुरा madhurA).

This way - the most refined way of communication is called संस्कृत (Sanskrit)- truly universal, not limited to just gods or other species. Typical Sanskrit style - two in one - praise as well as definition.

More on the universal nature of Sanskrit in another blog soon...