Sound
The Sanskrit language has a very precise and complicated way of how the word sounds and their intonation. Hence the understanding of these sounds becomes very important in learning and speaking the Sanskrit language. Therefore a good knowledge of these sound will help you to know and learn the language in a more efficient way.
In the earlier period, people use to learn the sounds of Sanskrit and a great emphasize was given on how the words are pronounced. It is because of these efforts of theirs that even in today’s age we are well aware of how the language was spoken.
WRITING SYSTEM
Writing down Sanskrit unlike any other language is quite easy as you have to write down the way you pronounce. If you know the pronunciation, writing won’t be that difficult. And if you can read a word, you’ll be able to pronounce it. Sanskrit has been by far written in two scripts.
- Devanagari: a language used in Hindi, Marathi and other north Indian languages.
- IAST (International Alphabet for Sanskrit Transliteration): a modified version of English that uses same alphabets to translate the Sanskrit language.
धर्मक्षेत्रे कुरुक्षेत्रे समवेता युयुत्सवः
dharmakṣetre kurukṣetre samavetā yuyutsavaḥ
“On the sacred field of Kurus, all assembled wanting war”-Bhagavad
