Sanskrit Reading List
A renowned sanskrit connoisseur suggested the following selections from famous works for students who don’t have the time to read the entire work.
- raghuvamśa (kālidasa) – 2nd, 4th, 5th, 10th, 11th, 12th and 14th cantos
- kumārasambhava (kālidasa) – 3rd, 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th cantos
- champūramāyaṇa (bhoja) – sundarakāṇḍa
- vairāgyaśataka, nītiśataka (bhartṛhari)
- madhurāvijaya – cantos taught in vitastā
- mudrarākśasa (viśākhadatta) – 1st, 2nd and 3rd acts
- abhijñānaśākuntala (kālidasa) – 1st, 4th and 5th acts
- mṛccakaṭika (śūdraka) – 1st, 2nd 3rd, 5th, 6th, and 8th acts
- mālavikāgnimitra (kālidasa) – 1st act
- veṇīsamhāra (bhaṭṭanārayaṇa) – 1st and 3rd acts
- uttararāmacarita (bhavabhūti) – 1st, 3rd and 7th acts
He also suggested the following overlooked works to a group of intermediate sanskrit students.
short story collections
- śuka-saptatiḥ (prose)
- vetāla-pañcaviṁśatiḥ (prose and verse)
- siṁhāsana-dvātriṁśikā
- kathā-sarit-sāgara (verse)
bhāsa-nāṭaka-cakram (bhāsa’s plays)
- abhiśḥeka-nāṭaka
- pratimā-nāṭakam
- pañca-rātram
- madhyama-vyāyogaḥ
- dūta-vākyam
- dūta-ghaṭotkacam
- karna-bhāram
- ūru-bhaṅgam
- bāla-caritam
- avimārakam
- cārudattam
- pratijñāyaugandharāyaṇam
- svapnavāsadattam
kāvyas
- madhurā-vijaya-kāvyam
- kuṭṭaṇī-mata-kāvyam
kṣemendra’s shorter works (in verse)
- darpa-dalanam
- samaya-mātṛkā
- deśopadeśaḥ
- narma-mālā
- kalā-vilāsaḥ
anthologies (in verse)
- amaru-śatakam
- nīti-dviṣaṣṭikā
- mahiṣa-śatakam
- gāthā-saptaśatī
prahasanas (satirical plays)
- matta-vilāsa-prahasanam
- bhagavadajjuka-prahasanam
- hāsyacūḍāmaṇi-prahasanam
- laṭakamelana-prahasanam
- palāṇḍumaṇḍana-prahasanam
bhāṇas (one person satirical play)
- padma-prabhṛtikam
- pādatāḍitakam
- ubhayābhisārikā
- dhūrta-viṭa-saṁvāda
abhirāj rājendra mishra’s works
- abhirāja-sāhasrī
- mṛdvīkā
- nāṭya-pañcagavyam
- nāṭya-pañcāmṛtam
- rūpa-rudrīyam
- pañcakulyā
other
- kaṇṭakāñjaliḥ (by prof arjunwadkar) – see sadasvada #72
- chandogatiḥ (?)
