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 (?)