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 (?)