Sanskrit is an ancient and classical language of India in which ever first book of the world Rigveda was compiled. The Vedas are dated by different scholars from 6500 B.C. to 1500 B.C. Sanskrit language must have evolved to its expressive capability prior to that. It is presumed that the language used in Vedas was prevalent in the form of different dialects. It was to some extent different from the present Sanskrit. It is termed as Vedic Sanskrit. Each Veda had its book of grammar known as Pratishakhya. The Pratishakhyas explained the forms of the words and other grammatical points. Later, so many schools of grammar developed. During this period a vast literature -Vedas, Brahmana-Granthas, Aranyakas, Upanishads and Vedangas had come to existence which could be termed as Vedic Literature being written in Vedic Sanskrit.

Sanskrit has been the source of later languages and literature in India. Pali and Prakrit were first to develop from Sanskrit. Pali was taken as means for exposition of Buddhistic ideas and Prakrit was used for the spread of Jain doctrines. Most of the Buddhistic literature is written in Pali and that of Jain cult in Prakrit. A vast amount of Buddhistic and Jain literature was also written in Sanskrit simultaneously. Prakrit language had different shades in different parts of India. So they were named as Paishachi, Shourseni, Magadhi, Ardha – magadhi and Maharashtri. These Prakrits were used for writing ornate poetry like Gaha Saptashati and Karpur Manjari and also in Sanskrit drama as dialogues of ladies and illiterate characters. From each type of Prakrit various Apabhramsha languages developed bearing the same name as Paishachi Apabhramsha, Shaurseni Apabhramsha and so on. Modern Indian Languages are developed from these Apabhramsha languages.

• Astronomy was called ‘Nakshatravidya’, ‘Jyotirvijnyanam’ or Jyotish in ancient India. The word ‘Nakshatradrashta’ is used for an Astronomer in Shuklayajurveda (30/10) and ‘Nakshatravidya’ for Astronomy in Chhandogya Upanishad (7/1/2). The earliest references of Astronomy are found in the Rigveda. The Vedic Seers always appreicated the appearance of the light in the sky. Many stars are mentioned in Atharvaveda. We also find natural scientific observations regarding the course of the planets. The Aitareya Brahmana (3/44) says that the sun actually neither rises nor sets but through it’s revolution round the earth, causes day and night.

• ‘Ganita’ the term used in Sanskrit for mathematics; is derived from the root ‘gana’, which means to count or to enumerate. Mathematics in India has been cultivated in connection with Astronomy. Like the other streams of knowledge, the early references of mathematics, are also found in the vedic literature. The word ‘Rashividya’ is used for mathematics in Chhandogya Upanishad (7.1.2). Some hymns of Shuklayajureda reveal the knowledge of odd numbers and tables (18/24,25). The Brahmana texts like ; ‘ekaya svaha, dvabhyam svaha, tribhyah svaha’ reflect the vedic concept of arithmetical progressions. In Pingal sutra there is a discourse on the calculation of squares and square roots.

• Chemistry is the branch of science, which deals with the study of elements of organic as well as inorganic nature. In India the knowledge of chemistry was current since the Vedic era, praising Agni (The fire), as we see in the first sukta of the Rigveda. It is believed that the basic idea of smelting reached India since the Rigvedic period. Metallurgy, one of the main branches of chemistry has remained as the central key to all the civilizations from the Bronze Age to the Iron Age.

• Architecture the Vastu vidya or Sthapatya is one of the basic Arts of ancient India. The word ‘vastu’ is derived from ‘vas’ to ‘reside’. Thus ‘vastu’ denotes all sorts of buildings – religious, residential and military like – Prasada, mandapa, sabha, shala, prapa, ranga, skandhawara and fort. It also implies town planning, planning of commercial cities, laying out gardens, making roads, bridges, dams, tanks etc. Thus architecture includes the complete science of Civil Engineering.

• Indian the medical science is popularly known as ‘Ayurveda’ which means ‘the Veda for lengthening of the span of life’. The beginning of Medical Science goes back to the age of Vedas. The Vedic Indians, who wanted to live for hundred full years with prosperity and good health, developed a holistic approach in the field of healthcare and medical systems, which emphasizes the physical, mental, intellectual and spiritual aspects of a human being.