samskara, any of the personal sacraments traditionally observed at every stage of a Hindu’s life, from the moment of conception to the final scattering of funeral ashes. The observance of the samskaras is based on custom fully as much as on texts such as the Grihya-sutras, the epics, or the Puranas

skandha: …saññā); (4) mental formations (saṃskāras/sankhāras); and (5) awareness, or consciousness, of the other three mental aggregates (vijñāna/viññāṇa). All individuals are subject to constant change, as the elements of consciousness are never the same, and man may be compared to a river, which retains an identity, though the drops of…

ancient Egypt: The Middle Kingdom: 1958–47 bce) and Mentuhotep IV (c. 1947–40 bce), also ruled from Thebes. The reign of Mentuhotep IV corresponds to seven years marked “missing” in the Turin Canon, and he may later have been deemed illegitimate. Records of a quarrying expedition to the Wadi Ḥammāmāt from his second regnal…

ancient Egypt: The Middle Kingdom: Mentuhotep II’s successors, Mentuhotep III (c. 1958–47 bce) and Mentuhotep IV (c. 1947–40 bce), also ruled from Thebes. The reign of Mentuhotep IV corresponds to seven years marked “missing” in the Turin Canon, and he may later have been deemed illegitimate. Records of a quarrying expedition to the…

Samkhya, one of the six systems (darshans) of Indian philosophy. Samkhya adopts a consistent dualism of matter (prakriti) and the eternal spirit (purusha). The two are originally separate, but in the course of evolution purusha mistakenly identifies itself with aspects of prakriti. Right knowledge

sankin kōtai, system inaugurated in 1635 in Japan by the Tokugawa shogun (hereditary military dictator) Iemitsu by which the great feudal lords (daimyo) had to reside several months each year in the Tokugawa capital at Edo (modern Tokyo). When the lords returned to their fiefs, they were required

South Asian arts: 14th–19th century: His Saṅkīrtana Lakṣaṇam is a collection of 32,000 songs in Sanskrit and Telugu, which made a significant contribution to Karnatic (southern Indian) musical technique.

Farrukhabad-cum-Fatehgarh: Sankisa (ancient Samkashya), to the west, was a famous Buddhist pilgrimage centre and has several mounds that are the remains of Buddhist stupas. Pop. (2001) mun., 228,333; (2011) mun., 276,581.

Sierra Leone: Civil war: …former Sierra Leone army corporal Foday Sankoh, who was collaborating with the Liberian rebels; this was the beginning of what would be a long and brutal civil war.

Timbuktu: …then commissioned to design the Sankore mosque, around which Sankore University was established. The mosque still stands today, probably because of al-Sāḥili’s directive to incorporate a wooden framework into the mud walls of the building, thus facilitating annual repairs after the rainy season. The Tuareg regained control of the city…

Mūsā I of Mali: Legacy: …empire, the founding of the University of Sankore, the expansion of trade in Timbuktu, the architectural innovations in Gao, Timbuktu, and Niani and, indeed, throughout the whole of Mali and in the subsequent Songhai empire are all testimony to Mansa Mūsā’s superior administrative gifts. In addition, the moral and religious…

San Bernardino Pass, mountain pass (6,775 ft [2,065 m]), in the Lepontine Alps of Graubünden canton, southeastern Switzerland. Although the pass was not mentioned until 941, it is believed to have been in use since prehistoric times. The road over the pass connects the villages of Splügen and

Sankt Gallen, town, capital of Sankt Gallen canton, northeastern Switzerland, in the Steinach Valley, just south of Lake Constance (Bodensee). In 612 the Celtic missionary St. Gall founded a hermitage on the site. Disciples joined him, and c. 720 the foundation became a Benedictine abbey under

Sankt Gallen, canton, northeastern Switzerland, bounded north by Lake Constance (Bodensee); east by the Rhine Valley, which separates it from the Austrian Vorarlberg Bundesland (federal state) and from Liechtenstein; south by the cantons of Graubünden, Glarus, and Schwyz; west by the canton of

St. Gotthard Pass, mountain pass in the Lepontine Alps of southern Switzerland, an important motor and railway route between central Europe and Italy. The pass lies at an elevation of 6,916 feet (2,108 meters) and is 16 miles (26 km) long. Although the pass was known to the Romans, it was not

St. Gotthard Pass, mountain pass in the Lepontine Alps of southern Switzerland, an important motor and railway route between central Europe and Italy. The pass lies at an elevation of 6,916 feet (2,108 meters) and is 16 miles (26 km) long. Although the pass was known to the Romans, it was not

Midsummer, a holiday celebrating the traditional midpoint of the harvest season and the summer solstice (June 20 or 21), the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. Midsummer is celebrated in many countries but is synonymous with Scandinavia, where it is observed as a national holiday

Sankt Johann, town, west-central Austria, on the broad middle course (Pongau) of the Salzach River southeast of Hallein. It is an Alpine summer and winter resort, with the spectacular Liechtensteinklamm (gorge) and its swirling falls of the Grossarlbache (stream). It is an old market town and now

Sankt Johann, town, west-central Austria, on the broad middle course (Pongau) of the Salzach River southeast of Hallein. It is an Alpine summer and winter resort, with the spectacular Liechtensteinklamm (gorge) and its swirling falls of the Grossarlbache (stream). It is an old market town and now

Western sculpture: Carolingian and Ottonian periods: …on the wooden doors of Sankt Maria im Kapitol at Cologne display an affinity with the mid-11th-century Romanesque ivories of the Meuse district. The Carolingian bronze doors in Aachen were interpreted at Mainz, where Bishop Willigis had similar portal wings made for his cathedral. He was far surpassed, however, by…

Sankt Michael, basilican church in Hildesheim, Ger., that was built between 1010 and 1033 under Bishop Bernward, famous teacher and confidant of the Holy Roman emperor Otto III. The church is one of the most important examples of Ottonian architecture. The church was damaged in World War II but has

Hamburg: Architecture: …the most imposing is probably Sankt Michaelis, an 18th-century Baroque-style Protestant church with a rich white-and-gold interior. It was destroyed by fire in 1906, rebuilt, devastated again during World War II, and restored yet again after the war.

Mikkeli, city, southeastern Finland, northeast of Helsinki. Mikkeli received its town charter in 1838 and became the administrative capital of the province in 1843. It was the site of the Battle of the Porrassalmi Canal (1789), in which the Finns defeated a much larger Russian force. During World

Saint Moritz, town, or Gemeinde (commune), Graubünden canton, southeastern Switzerland. Saint Moritz lies in the Oberengadin (Upper Inn Valley) and is surrounded by magnificent Alpine peaks. The town consists of the Dorf (village), the Bad (spa), and the hamlets of Suvretta and Champfèr. Originally

St. Petersburg State University (SPbU), coeducational state institution of higher learning in St. Petersburg, Russia, established by a 1724 decree of the Russian tsar Peter I as part of the Russian Academy of Sciences and reorganized in 1819 as St. Petersburg University. One of the largest and

Sankt Pölten, city, capital of Niederösterreich Bundesland (federal state), northeastern Austria. It lies along the Traisen River between the foothills of the Alps and the Danube River, west of Vienna. Once the site of the Roman settlement of Aelium Cetium, the town developed in the 8th century

Sankt Veit, town, southern Austria. It lies along the Glan River north of Klagenfurt. Sankt Veit was the capital of the duchy of Kärnten (Carinthia) until 1518. Its town hall dates from 1468 and its old ducal castle from the 15th to 16th century. The Romanesque parish church was altered in the

Sankt Veit, town, southern Austria. It lies along the Glan River north of Klagenfurt. Sankt Veit was the capital of the duchy of Kärnten (Carinthia) until 1518. Its town hall dates from 1468 and its old ducal castle from the 15th to 16th century. The Romanesque parish church was altered in the

Eupen-et-Malmédy: …cantons”) of Eupen, Malmédy, and Sankt Vith. Until 1794 the region was part of the duchy of Limbourg, the ecclesiastical principality of Stavelot-Malmédy, and the duchy of Luxembourg. Under French rule from 1794 to 1814, it belonged to the Ourthe département (the present Liège province). Most of the region was…

Sankt Wolfgang, town, central Austria. It lies on the east shore of Wolfgang (Aber) Lake in the Salzkammergut lake region, west of Bad Ischl. A cog, or rack, railway ascends the Schafberg (5,850 feet [1,783 metres]) from the town. The Late Gothic-style Pilgrimage Church (1430–77) has a magnificent

Sankt Wolfgang, town, central Austria. It lies on the east shore of Wolfgang (Aber) Lake in the Salzkammergut lake region, west of Bad Ischl. A cog, or rack, railway ascends the Schafberg (5,850 feet [1,783 metres]) from the town. The Late Gothic-style Pilgrimage Church (1430–77) has a magnificent

St. Petersburg, city and port, extreme northwestern Russia. A major historical and cultural centre and an important port, St. Petersburg lies about 400 miles (640 km) northwest of Moscow and only about 7° south of the Arctic Circle. It is the second largest city of Russia and one of the world’s

Sankuru River, main tributary of the Kasai River (itself a tributary of the Congo River) in Congo (Kinshasa), central Africa. About 750 miles (1,200 km) long, it begins in the western highlands of Katanga (Shaba), where it is known as the Lubilash River, and flows 285 miles (460 km) north and

Japanese music: Schools and genres: …term for koto chamber music, sankyoku, means music for three. The standard instrumentation today consists of a koto player who also sings, along with performers on a three-stringed plucked samisen lute and an end-blown shakuhachi flute. In earlier times a bowed variant of the samisen called the kokyū was used…

Şanlıurfa, city, southeastern Turkey. It lies in a fertile plain and is ringed by limestone hills on three sides. The city, of great age, controls a strategic pass to the south through which runs a road used since antiquity to travel between Anatolia and northern Mesopotamia. The modern name

Sanlúcar de Barrameda, port city, Cádiz provincia (province), in the comunidad autónoma (autonomous community) of Andalusia, southwestern Spain. It lies on the south bank of the Guadalquivir River estuary, north of Cádiz city. Barrameda derives from an Arabic word signifying “sandy gateway” and

Gaspar de Guzmán y Pimental, count-duke de Olivares was the prime minister (1623–43) and court favourite (valido) of King Philip IV of Spain. He attempted to impose a strong centralizing policy and eventually provoked rebellion and his own fall. Olivares’s father, Enrique de Guzmán, was the Spanish

Yellow River: Economic development: …the huge dam at the Sanmen Gorge upstream of Luoyang and the reservoir impounded behind it. The project has augmented flood control on the plain and has also provided water for irrigation and hydroelectric power generation, although silt deposition in the reservoir has reduced its functional capabilities.

Sanmen Gorge, gorge enclosing one section of the Huang He (Yellow River) in western Henan province, eastern China. The gorge is the site of a large dam and hydroelectric installation. The gorge is some 20 miles (30 km) east of the city of Sanmenxia. At the gorge the Huang He narrows to flow between

Sanmen Gorge, gorge enclosing one section of the Huang He (Yellow River) in western Henan province, eastern China. The gorge is the site of a large dam and hydroelectric installation. The gorge is some 20 miles (30 km) east of the city of Sanmenxia. At the gorge the Huang He narrows to flow between

Michele Sanmicheli was a Mannerist architect, especially noted for his original treatment of military fortifications. He was a pupil of his father, Giovanni, and his uncle Bartolomeo, both architects in Verona. At an early age he went to Rome, where he studied with architects trained under Donato

Sanmiguelia, genus of fossil plants based upon impressions of palmlike leaves from the Triassic Period (251 to 199.6 million years ago) found in rocks from Colorado. It may be among the earliest of angiosperms, or flowering plants. The elliptic leaves were pleated, up to 40 cm (16 inches) long and

Three Principles of the People, the ideological basis of the political program of the Chinese Nationalist leader Sun Yat-sen (1866–1925), championing the principles of nationalism, democracy, and socialism. The principles were originally formulated as slogans for Sun’s revolutionary student group,

Sanming, city, west-central Fujian sheng (province), southeastern China. It lies along the Sha River, a southern tributary of the Min River, the valley of which provides the chief southwest-to-northeast route through central Fujian. Westward and southwestward routes fan out into the mountainous

sunn, (Crotalaria juncea), annual plant of the pea family (Fabaceae) and its fibre, one of the bast fibre group. Sunn is likely native to the Indian subcontinent, where it has been cultivated since prehistoric times. The sunn plant is not a true hemp. The fibre is made into cordage, fishing nets,

skandha: …perceptions of sense objects (Sanskrit: saṃjñā; Pāli: saññā); (4) mental formations (saṃskāras/sankhāras); and (5) awareness, or consciousness, of the other three mental aggregates (vijñāna/viññāṇa). All individuals are subject to constant change, as the elements of consciousness are never the same, and man may be compared to a river, which retains…

Sennar Dam, dam impounding the Blue Nile River for irrigation at the town of Sannār in Sudan. Completed in 1925, it is 9,925 feet (3,025 metres) long with a maximum height of 130 feet (40 metres) and irrigates cotton and other crops of the plain of al-Jazirāh

Jacopo Sannazzaro was an Italian poet whose Arcadia (1504) was the first pastoral romance and, until the rise of the Romantic movement (c. 1790–c. 1850), one of the most influential and popular works of Italian literature. Of a noble family, Sannazzaro was born in Naples in 1457, although some

Jacopo Sannazzaro was an Italian poet whose Arcadia (1504) was the first pastoral romance and, until the rise of the Romantic movement (c. 1790–c. 1850), one of the most influential and popular works of Italian literature. Of a noble family, Sannazzaro was born in Naples in 1457, although some

Jacopo Sannazzaro was an Italian poet whose Arcadia (1504) was the first pastoral romance and, until the rise of the Romantic movement (c. 1790–c. 1850), one of the most influential and popular works of Italian literature. Of a noble family, Sannazzaro was born in Naples in 1457, although some

South Asian arts: Tovil dance: The sanni yakku dance, exorcising the disease demon, has a series of humorous impersonations. One is of the demon as a beautiful woman, then as a pregnant woman, and finally as a mother. The exorcists ask questions about her pregnancy, and she lists all the respectable…

India: Mauryan government: The offices of the sannidhatri (treasurer), who kept the account, and the samahartri (chief collector), who was responsible for revenue records, formed the hub of the revenue administration. Each administrative department, with its superintendents and subordinate officials, acted as a link between local administration and the central government. Kautilya…

Lebanon: Relief: …again to a second peak, Mount Sannine (8,842 feet [2,695 meters]), northeast of Beirut. To the south the range branches westward to form the Shūf Mountains and at its southern reaches gives way to the hills of Galilee, which are lower.

Tomas Tranströmer: …later works include Sanningsbarriären (1978; The Truth Barrier), Det vilda torget (1983; The Wild Marketplace), and För levande och döda (1989; For the Living and the Dead).

Sanniquellie, town, north-central Liberia, located at the intersection of roads from Monrovia and Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast). A rural administrative centre among the Mano and Malinke (Mandingo), Sanniquellie has secondary schools and the George W. Harley Memorial Hospital. There is local trade in

Sannō Ichijitsu Shintō, in Japanese religion, the syncretic school that combined Shintō with the teachings of the Tendai sect of Buddhism. Shintō-Buddhist syncretism developed from the Japanese concept that Shintō deities (kami) were manifestations of Buddhist divinities. The earliest of these

sannyasi, in Hinduism, a religious ascetic who has renounced the world by performing his own funeral and abandoning all claims to social or family standing. Sannyasis, like other sadhus, or holy men, are not cremated but are generally buried in a seated posture of meditation. Since the 5th century

Sannyasi Rebellion, series of armed confrontations and local uprisings that took place in the Bengal Presidency (henceforth referred to as Bengal) between 1763 and 1800, particularly in and around cities that are now part of Bangladesh—including Dacca (now Dhaka), Rampur Boalia (now Rajshahi),

Sannyasi Rebellion, series of armed confrontations and local uprisings that took place in the Bengal Presidency (henceforth referred to as Bengal) between 1763 and 1800, particularly in and around cities that are now part of Bangladesh—including Dacca (now Dhaka), Rampur Boalia (now Rajshahi),

sannyasi, in Hinduism, a religious ascetic who has renounced the world by performing his own funeral and abandoning all claims to social or family standing. Sannyasis, like other sadhus, or holy men, are not cremated but are generally buried in a seated posture of meditation. Since the 5th century

Sano, city, southern Tochigi ken (prefecture), east-central Honshu, Japan. It is situated on the northern edge of the Kantō Plain, on the Watarase River, a tributary of the Ione River, about 45 miles (70 km) north of central Tokyo. Sano is surrounded by low hills and occupies a plain, a plateau,

Sanofi-Aventis, French pharmaceutical company founded in 2004 through the merger of Sanofi-Synthélabo SA and a much larger French firm, Aventis. Primarily focused on the development and sale of prescription medications, Sanofi-Aventis is one of Europe’s largest pharmaceutical firms. Sanofi

Hoechst Aktiengesellschaft: Aventis was acquired by Sanofi in 2004.

Sanniquellie, town, north-central Liberia, located at the intersection of roads from Monrovia and Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast). A rural administrative centre among the Mano and Malinke (Mandingo), Sanniquellie has secondary schools and the George W. Harley Memorial Hospital. There is local trade in

Sanniquellie, town, north-central Liberia, located at the intersection of roads from Monrovia and Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast). A rural administrative centre among the Mano and Malinke (Mandingo), Sanniquellie has secondary schools and the George W. Harley Memorial Hospital. There is local trade in

Kriti Sanon is an Indian actress, producer, and entrepreneur who is known for her work in contemporary Bollywood films. Popular for her award-winning performance in the film Mimi (2021), she is regarded as a youth icon. Sanon has endorsed brands such as Coca-Cola and Tissot. She cofounded a fashion

Salish: …culture area, such as the Sanpoil, avoided complex social and political organization; warfare in that area was almost unknown, and external trade was not an important part of the local economy.

Li Keran was a painter and art educator who was a prominent figure in 20th-century Chinese art. He developed a personal style of landscape painting that was based upon the emulation of both ancient and contemporary masters. Li showed a gift for painting, calligraphy, and music as a child. When he

San-ch’ing, highest triad of deities in the generalized pantheon of sectarian religious Taoism. First in evidence during the T’ang dynasty, the triad represented a ranking of three deities associated with the three highest heavens (or “pure” realms) in the Taoist cosmology. Today the deities are

Chinese literature: Poetry: …new verse form known as sanqu (“nondramatic songs”), a liberalization of the ci, which utilized the spoken language of the people as fully as possible. Although line length and tonal pattern were still governed by a given tune, extra words could be inserted to make the lyrics livelier and to…

Richard Cameron: …and David Hackston, issued the Sanquhar Declaration, calling for war on Charles II and the exclusion of the Roman Catholic James, Duke of York. With only a small group of men, he was easily taken and killed by royal troops at Airds Moss in Ayrshire in the summer of 1680.…

San Remo, town, Liguria region, northwestern Italy. It is the chief resort of that part of the Italian Riviera known as the Riviera dei Fiori, east of Nice, France. A year-round health resort since 1861, its repute was greatly increased by the visit of Frederick III of Germany in 1887–88. In 1920

San Remo: The Sanremo Music Festival, a song contest held annually in the city since 1951, is one of the biggest events in Italian popular culture. Pop. (2015 est.) 54,807.

9 (Lives of) Famous Cat Lovers: Sanrio: In 1974 the Japanese merchandising company Sanrio introduced what would become its most famous product—if such a word can be used for so charming a character as Hello Kitty. Officially named Kitty White, Hello Kitty is a small, round-faced, cartoon girl with black eyes,…

San-lun, school of Chinese Buddhism derived from the Indian Mādhyamika school. See

nanoparticle: Detection, characterization, and isolation: …small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and small-angle neutron scattering (SANS), along with their surface-specific analogues GISAXS and GISANS, where GI is “grazing incidence,” and X-ray or neutron reflectometry (XR/NR). The advantage of those techniques is that they are able to simultaneously sample and average very large numbers of nanoparticles and often…

Céline Dion: Career hiatus, Las Vegas residencies, and collaborations: …increased after the release of Sans attendre (2012; “Without Waiting”), which included several duets, including one with French rock legend Johnny Hallyday, and Loved Me Back to Life (2013), which featured a duet with Stevie Wonder, among others.

bagatelle: Sans égal is a French form of the game. Two players take part, one using the red balls and one using the white. The leader plays at the black, forfeiting a ball if he misses. His opponent then plays at the black if it has…

Mackenzie River: The lower course: …a fast-water section known as Sans Sault Rapids; the river drops about 20 feet (6 metres) within a few miles. There is ample depth of water for the shallow-draft barges during July, but, despite deepening of the channel by rock blasting, shallow water is sometimes a navigation problem in late…

sans serif, in printing, a style of roman letter stripped of its serif—i.e., such embellishments as the vertical line at the end of the top right and lower left curved segments of the letter “s,” the base line on which the lowercase “n,” “m,” and “l” rest, etc. Though the concept of such a type has

Henry Christophe: …country, he shot himself at Sans-Souci palace (the citadel and palace were designated UNESCO World Heritage sites in 1982), and his kingdom became part of the Haitian republic in 1821.

Agnès Varda: …Without Roof or Law, or Vagabond).

sansculotte, in the French Revolution, a label for the more militant supporters of that movement, especially in the years 1792 to 1795. Sansculottes presented themselves as members of the poorer classes or leaders of the common people, but during the Reign of Terror public functionaries and

mbira, plucked idiophone (instrument whose sounding parts are resonant solids belonging to the body of the instrument itself)—or more specifically, a lamellaphone—that is unique to Africa and widely distributed throughout the continent. The mbira consists of a series of tuned metal or bamboo

South African National Space Agency (SANSA), South African space agency that was founded to develop a national space program and coordinate existing space activities. Its headquarters are in Pretoria. SANSA is run by a chief executive officer, and its activities are divided into four divisions:

Parliament of India: …known as Sansad Bhavan, or Parliament House.

Mango, town, northern Togo, western Africa, situated on the Oti River near the Kéran National Park. The town served as the principal locale of Savanes until the late 1970s, when Dapango (formerly Dapaong) assumed that position. Mango still functions as a centre for cattle and peanut (groundnut)

Sanskrit language, (from Sanskrit saṃskṛta, “adorned, cultivated, purified”), an Old Indo-Aryan language in which the most ancient documents are the Vedas, composed in what is called Vedic Sanskrit. Although Vedic documents represent the dialects then found in the northern midlands of the Indian

sansculotte, in the French Revolution, a label for the more militant supporters of that movement, especially in the years 1792 to 1795. Sansculottes presented themselves as members of the poorer classes or leaders of the common people, but during the Reign of Terror public functionaries and

Fujiwara Yukinari: …known as one of the Sanseki (“Three Brush Traces”), in effect the finest calligraphers of the age. The others were Ono Tōfū and Fujiwara Sukemasa, and the three perfected the style of writing called jōdai-yō (“ancient style”).

Sansevieria, former genus of about 70 species of flowering plants in the asparagus family (Asparagaceae), now placed in the genus Dracaena based on phylogenetic data. The group is native primarily to tropical Africa. Many species have water-resistant leaf fibres that are sometimes used in the

Dracaena: Major species: Iguanatail, or bowstring hemp (D. hyacinthoides, formerly S. hyacinthoides), has mottled leaves with light green bands and yellow edges; the greenish white fragrant flowers are borne in a tall cluster.

Sansevieria: Mother-in-law’s tongue, or snake plant (Dracaena trifasciata, formerly Sansevieria trifasciata), is a popular houseplant with yellow-striped leaves and tiny pale green scented flowers. It is sometimes sold as Sansevieria.

Kurosawa Akira: First films: …made his first feature film, Sanshiro Sugata, from his own scenario; this story of Japanese judo masters of the 1880s scored a great popular success. In 1944 he made his second film, Ichiban utsukushiku (The Most Beautiful), a story about girls at work in an arsenal. Immediately thereafter, he married…

Sansi, nomadic criminal tribe originally located in the Rājputāna area of northwestern India but expelled in the 13th century by Muslim invaders and now living in Rājasthān state as well as scattered throughout all of India. The Sansi claim Rājput descent, but, according to legend, their ancestors

Sansin, in Korean religion, a guardian spirit residing in mountains, whose cult has been closely associated with mountain tigers and is still fostered in Korean Buddhist temples. In early indigenous religion of Korea, worship of sacred mountains gradually gave way to worship of wild bears, wolves,

Sanskrit language, (from Sanskrit saṃskṛta, “adorned, cultivated, purified”), an Old Indo-Aryan language in which the most ancient documents are the Vedas, composed in what is called Vedic Sanskrit. Although Vedic documents represent the dialects then found in the northern midlands of the Indian

Sanskrit literature, body of writings produced by the Aryan peoples who entered the Indian subcontinent from the northwest, probably during the 2nd millennium bc. It developed as the vehicle of expression for the Brahmanical society that gradually established itself as the main cultural force

Charles Rockwell Lanman: …who wrote the widely used Sanskrit Reader (1884) and helped edit the “Harvard Oriental Series,” which offered scholarly English translations of the ancient Hindu Vedic texts.

Hinduism: Other sources: the process of Sanskritization: The development of Hinduism can be interpreted as a constant interaction between the religion of the upper social groups, represented by the Brahmans, and the religion of other groups. From the time of the Vedas (c. 1500 bce), people from many strata of society…