Sanskrit

We must understand that the evolution of languages happens through a concept called Proto Languages.

Proto Languages provide the infrastructure for modern languages using:

1. Read and Learned methods.
2. Written Script.
3. Grammatical rules.
4. Literature.
5. Influence.

Proto-North Dravidian, Proto-Central Dravidian and Proto-South Dravidian languages are estimated to be around 500 BC using the earliest mentions in more than 3 of the above 5 points. But due to a dearth of comparative linguistic research into the Dravidian languages, not many details as to the grammar, epoch, or location of Proto-Dravidian are known. Simply because the lack of the proofs supporting the existence of them using above 5 points.

But Vedic Sanskrit scores all 5 and was found to be existed in all the above means since around 1500 BC!

Also people are skeptical about claims that Tamil existed before Sanskrit. Although Tamil words were found in the Vedas they were originally Vedic Sanskrit and not other way round.

So does that mean:

• Vedic Sanskrit predates Tamil? Most likely.
• Vedic Sanskrit prediats Modern Sanskrit? Ofcourse.
• Tamil predates Modern Sanskrit? Least likely although.

Further researches in Proto-Dravidian may surprise with sufficient proofs that they may be oldest forms in Indian subcontinent.

Sadly only little is known and only researchers can do is speculate about proto dravidian history.

Till then Vedic Sanskrit and thus arguably Sanskrit are assumed to be older than Dravidian languages.

Further proof to this claim can be made using this article about the script and grammar based evolution of languages where Sanskrit stands before Tamil (although interestingly Tamil is the only Indian languages placed neck to neck with Sanskrit indicating about its ancientness)

shivAstu te panthAnaH would be the Sanskrit way of saying all the best!

Sanskrit is written in the Devanagari script, which is also used by Hindi, Marathi, Nepali & Pali languages.

The word 'Sanskrit' is written as Samskrutam , संस्कृतंin Devanagari (pronounced sanskRtam).

sruta (also can be written as shruta) श्रुतmeans 'heard' in English.

When referring to a word in Sanskrit it is useful to speak along with the gender. Now there are niyata-li~Nga [नियतलिङ्ग] words i.e words with their genders pre-fixed. like patnI पत्नी (feminine gender) dArAH दाराः (masculine gender) and kalatram कलत्रम (Neuter gender) all the three meaning the same i.e. wife! In Sanskrit it must be remembered that the gender of a word does not always depend upon its "meaning". Remember a word and its meaning are inseparable वागर्थविव सम्पृक्त्तौ..., but not so about the gender and meaning.

But there are words the majority of them which are अनियतलिङ्ग without prefixed gender. This is true of all the "manufactured words are the so called yogarUDha shabdani योगरूढ शब्दानि. One example of that is this very word 'श्रुत'

Thus it makes sense to see the word as श्रुतः/श्रुता/श्रुतम् ... "That which is heard" or when used as a participle in a sentence:

saH shrutaH स: श्रुतः (He has heard), sA shrutA सा श्रुता (She has heard) and so on.

Now, the beauty of the participle (and it is true of English too) is that one could form the Passive Voice also with this, as in mayA shrutam मया श्रुतम (It was heard by me), sA mayA shrutA सा मया श्रुता (She has been heard by me) and so on.

shrutam श्रुतम has another meaning like one's education,as in the shloka श्लोक:

kanyA kaamayate rupam, mAtA vittaM pitA shrutam|

bandhujanAH kulamicChanti, subhojyaM tu purajanAH

कन्या कामयते रूपम, माता वित्तम पिता श्रुतम|

बन्धुजनाः कुलमिcछन्ति, सुभोज्यम तु पुरजनाः

It means [In a marriage alliance] the girl in question looks for handsomeness, the girl's mother looks for the grooms financial standing, the Father of the girl is concerned about his education(shrutam श्रुतम).

Mango fruit

Aamram. Jack fruit

Panasam. Coconut

NaarIkElam. Grape

DhraakShaa. Lemon fruit

Jambeeram. The wood apple

KapithTham. Plantain fruit

Kadhali.