Sanskrit

**Sanskrit** (संस्कृतम्, *Saṃskṛtam*) is an ancient language from India. It is the sacred language of Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, and Sikhism, used when worshipping the Gods, meditating, or praying.

## Alphabet

Sanskrit was originally unwritten, as there was no writing when it was first used during the Vedic era. However, after the development of writing in India, Sanskrit is written in various abugidas. In modern times, the Devanagari abugida is often used to represent Sanskrit, reflecting its most-prominent users, the Hindustani peoples of northern India.

An abugida is a script where every syllable has a vowel. Usually, with a mark or at the end of a syllable, the syllable becomes a final consonant, devoid of a vowel. Vowels are written as part of the letter.

According to classical sources, Sanskrit has 50 letters, represented by the number of skulls or heads on the goddess Kali's garland. The heads or skulls, in the number of letters in Sanskrit, represent human weaknesses that must be defeated for a devotee of Kali Ma to achieve salvation.

### Letters

अ,‎ आ,‎ इ,‎ ई,‎ उ,‎ ऊ,‎ ऋ, ॠ,‎ ऌ,‎ ए,‎ ऐ,‎ ओ,‎ औ,‎ अं,‎ अः,‎ क,‎ ख,‎ ग,‎ घ,‎ ङ,‎ च,‎ छ,‎ ज,‎ झ,‎ ञ,‎ ट,‎ ठ,‎ ड,‎ ढ,‎ ण,‎ त,‎ थ,‎ द,‎ ध,‎ न,‎ प,‎ फ,‎ ब,‎ भ,‎ म,‎ य,‎ र,‎ ल,‎ व,‎ श,‎ ष,‎ स,‎ ह,‎ त्र,‎ ज्ञ,‎ क्ष

a, ā, i, ī, u, ū, ṛ, ṝ, ḷ, e, ai, o, au, aṁ, aḥ; ka, kha, ga, gha, ṅa/nga; ca, cha, ja, jha, ña/nya; ṭa, ṭha, ḍa, ḍha, ṇa; ta, tha, da, dha, na; pa, pha, ba, bha, ma; ya, ra, la, va; śa, ṣa, sa; ha; jña/jnya, kṣa/ksha

अँ (aṃ), used as a distinct letter in some north Indian languages, was used in classical Sanskrit over -lla conjunct consonants; or in Vedic Sanskrit for the next word that starts with a vowel.

ॐ (oṃ) is a special sign used to call upon the Gods.

## In the Rabydosverse

"ख्यापनेनानुतापेन तपसाऽध्ययनेन च ।
पापकृत्मुच्यते पापात् तथा दानेन चापदि ॥ २२७ ॥

"*By confession, by repentance, by austerity and by study is the sinner freed from sin; as also by gifts in cases of difficulty.*" - Manusmriti 11:227

Sanskrit is used in Porashon as one of several sacred languages, and it is usually written in the Pallava script.

Sanskrit is also used in Buddhist prayers in Siangwaan, the monasteries of Ajoltar, and Pinoguni. In Siangwaan and Pinoguni, Sanskrit is written in Siddham.

### Sanskrit in Bujan

Because Hinduism (known simply as "Dharma") was regarded as a chivalrous equal to the Rodnover faith, the Zvestarids and Bujanski learned about the Dharma from Porashon. As a result, many Sanskrit terms in Bujanski were influenced by Porasonid pronunciation.

The verses read to every criminal undergoing penance in modern Bujan are from Manusmriti 11:227-233, in the Sanskrit language. A judge reads these verses when the criminal begins their penance, and at the end of penance, the same verses are read again to allow the former criminal to rejoin society. The verses represent the traditional belief that forgiveness must be proven by the offender totally renouncing their crime, *and* fixing or compensating any losses back to their victim.

## See also

* Hindu divine beings, which Sanskrit is considered their sacred language
* Sanskrit glossary
	+ Tuksharan glossary
	+ Porasonid glossary
* Esperanto