European
Alphabets, traditionally follow sequence from A to Z. Similarly, in Indian
languages, it is from क to ज्ञ. However the main difference being presence of logical
sequencing of order. Indian अक्षर
sequenced in a logical, speech-pattern order. This manner of arrangement of Indian ‘Akshar’ (अक्षर) is known as ‘Varna-Mala’ (वर्णमाला).
Sanskrit ‘varna-maala’ is shown below. The first line
represents vowels and rest of the lines, consonants.
Indian alphabets
are not sequenced arbitrarily but are grouped together based on the science of
speech. Consonants are grouped in according to the usage and position of the
tongue during their pronunciation. Those ‘Akshars’ that need touching the
tongue to teeth are all grouped together and so also those where tongue touches
palate and so on, again these are divided on the basis of how much air is
required for speaking. In sequence, these categories are: velar, palatal,
retroflex, dental, labial, sonorant and fricative. Among the first five groups,
the ordering starts with the unaspirated voiceless, then goes on through
aspirated voiceless, unaspirated voiced, and aspirated voiced, ending with the
Nasal.
(Following 2 tables
reproduced from Wikipedia)
Voiced
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
Aspirated
|
Unaspirated
|
Aspirated
|
|||||||||||||||||||
ક
|
ka
|
kə
|
ખ
|
kha
|
kʰə
|
ગ
|
ga
|
ɡə
|
ઘ
|
gha
|
ɡʱə
|
ઙ
|
ṅa
|
ŋə
|
|||||||
ચ
|
cha
|
tʃə
|
છ
|
chha
|
tʃʰə
|
જ
|
ja
|
dʒə
|
ઝ
|
jha
|
dʒʱə
|
ઞ
|
ña
|
ɲə
|
ય
|
ya
|
jə
|
શ
|
śha
|
ʃə
|
|
ટ
|
ṭa
|
ʈə
|
ઠ
|
ṭha
|
ʈʰə
|
ડ
|
ḍa
|
ɖə
|
ઢ
|
ḍha
|
ɖʱə
|
ણ
|
ṇa
|
ɳə
|
ર
|
ra
|
ɾə
|
ષ
|
ṣa
|
||
ત
|
ta
|
t̪ə
|
થ
|
tha
|
t̪ʰə
|
દ
|
da
|
d̪ə
|
ધ
|
dha
|
d̪ʱə
|
ન
|
na
|
nə
|
લ
|
la
|
lə
|
સ
|
sa
|
sə
|
|
પ
|
pa
|
pə
|
ફ
|
pha
|
pʰə
|
બ
|
ba
|
bə
|
ભ
|
bha
|
bʱə
|
મ
|
ma
|
mə
|
વ
|
va
|
ʋə
|
||||
હ
|
ha
|
ɦə
|
|
Retroflex
|
ળ
|
ḷa
|
ɭə
|
ક્ષ
|
kṣa
|
kʃə
|
|
જ્ઞ
|
jña
|
ɡnə
|
Another unique
aspect of mother-language, Sanskrit is that, its every ‘akshar’ and every
joined or ‘combo’ ‘akshar’ has a meaning and can be assembled together to make
new words. As an example ‘akshar’ ‘ज’ means ‘Birth’
and ‘द’ means ‘Donate’. (You will see
parallel between जन्म (janma) and ‘genesis’, जनन्
(Janan) and ‘genatics’, दानम् (danam) to ‘donation’)
Above table
translated into Gujarati:
સ્પર્શ
|
અનુનાસિક
|
અંત:સ્થ
|
ઉષ્માન્
|
||||||||||||||||||
અઘોષ
|
ઘોષ
|
||||||||||||||||||||
અલ્પપ્રાણ
|
મહાપ્રાણ
|
અલ્પપ્રાણ
|
મહાપ્રાણ
|
||||||||||||||||||
કંઠ્ય
|
ક
|
क
|
kə
|
ખ
|
ख
|
khə
|
ગ
|
ग
|
ɡə
|
ઘ
|
घ
|
ɡɦə
|
ઙ
|
ङ
|
ŋə
|
||||||
તાલવ્ય
|
ચ
|
च
|
tʃə
|
છ
|
छ
|
tʃhə
|
જ
|
ज
|
dʒə
|
ઝ
|
झ
|
dʒɦə
|
ઞ
|
ञ
|
ɲə
|
ય
|
य
|
jə
|
શ
|
श
|
ʃə
|
મૂર્ધન્ય
|
ટ
|
ट
|
ʈə
|
ઠ
|
ठ
|
ʈhə
|
ડ
|
ड
|
ɖə
|
ઢ
|
ढ
|
ɖɦə
|
ણ
|
ण
|
ɳə
|
ર
|
र
|
ɾə
|
ષ
|
ष
|
|
દંત્ય
|
ત
|
त
|
t̪ə
|
થ
|
थ
|
t̪hə
|
દ
|
द
|
d̪ə
|
ધ
|
ध
|
d̪ɦə
|
ન
|
न
|
nə
|
લ
|
ल
|
lə
|
સ
|
स
|
sə
|
ઓષ્ઠ્ય
|
પ
|
प
|
pə
|
ફ
|
फ
|
phə
|
બ
|
ब
|
bə
|
ભ
|
भ
|
bɦə
|
મ
|
म
|
mə
|
વ
|
व
|
ʋə
|
|||
કંઠસ્થાનીય
|
હ
|
ha
|
ɦə
|
મૂર્ધન્ય
|
ળ
|
ɭə
|
|
ક્ષ
|
kʃə
|
||
જ્ઞ
|
jña
|
ɡnə
|
Sanskrit and other Indian languages have another unique
characteristic. They have several synonym words for the same entity but rarely
interchangeable by other as each word conveys specific context or attribute.
Moon, चंद्र, शशांक, ईन्दु, etc.
Water, जल, पानी, निर, etc.
Sun, आदित्य, भास्कर, रवि,
सुर्य, etc.
Sanskrit is an ancient language. World’s first known
literary records (Rig-Veda) were written in that language. Over period of
several millennia, a lot of rich literature is produced in Sanskrit language. Literature
includes epics such as Mahabharata and Ramayana, Vedas and Upanishads,
Raghuvansh, Harivansh, Shakuntal, Meghdoot, and thousands of other volumes were
created by legendary authors such as Vyas, Valmiki, Kalidas, Harsh Vardhan,
etc.
Do not be surprised when you look up Merriam Webster
Dictionary, at http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sanskrit?show=0&t=1394686779
and it shows, etymology of the word
‘Sanskrit’ as “saṁskṛta, literally, perfected, from sam together + karoti he
makes”. (you will see parallel between ‘sam’ and English words ‘sum’ and ‘krita’ with ‘create’). Sams and Krita words
together means ‘Created Perfectly’. And, truly so, this language leaves us wondering at its extent of perfection.
What does 'Asanskrit' mean? It is an adjective and literally, it means 'devoid of Sanskrit' but is applied in Sanskrit and Indian languages, to actually mean, 'uncivilized', 'uncultured', 'raw or underdeveloped human'
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