Thread by @Sampadananda

#LearnSamskritam
Welcome to the 3rd session in the series. The session today will be focused on the Sanskrit Alphabet.

In Sanskrit the alphabet is called वर्ण-माला varṇa-mālā which literally means ‘garland of letters’. The other word used for the same is अक्षर-समाम्नाय akṣara-samāmnāya meaning ‘collection or a list of letters.’ 3/1

The two words akṣara and varṇa both are used in Sanskrit to indicate letters. Do you know why? The word akṣara means that which does not decay (na kṣarati iti). Please remember this is not merely attributive. The word akṣara reveals the whole metaphysics of sound. 3/2

The sound is eternal. It does not perish (śabdo nityaḥ | nityā vai vāk | na vāk kṣīyate). The moment a sound or vibration is created, it is permanent. It gets absorbed in the ākāśa, the space, and can be retrieved. Any symbol used for a sound is called akṣara. 3/3

The word varṇa comes from the root-sound वर्ण् varṇ meaning ‘to depict, picture, write, describe, relate, tell, explain’. So the basic sounds of Sanskrit used to describe or depict or write or explain in language are called varṇas. 3/4

The root-sound वर्ण् varṇ also means 'to paint or color'. So the word वर्ण varṇa means color. But is there any connection of this meaning with the letters being called varṇa? Sound in its original or unmanifest form is a pure radiance which transcends all color schemes. 3/5

When a sound descends for its manifestation it becomes colored. The word of pristine purity becomes colored during expression. So the symbol of a sound is called varṇa. Every letter as a sound-symbol is to be seen as a hue. So varṇa-mālā also means a garland of colors. 3/6

In the simple structure of the Sanskrit varṇamālā there are forty-eight sounds. This ‘is the simple instrument out of which the majestic and expressive harmonies of the Sanskrit language have been formed’ says Sri Aurobindo. 3/7

All akṣaras in the Sanskrit varṇamālā are arranged in a particular order. This order is a very scientific and systematic one in which the sounds are arranged as per their places of articulation, manner of articulation and the intraoral pressure needed to produce those. 3/8

Understanding the arrangement of alphabets in relation to all these therefore takes away the major burden of memorizing them at random. Also another most important feature of Sanskrit alphabet is that here the phonemes are phonetically exact. 3/9

“Its regular symmetrical and methodical character is evident and might tempt us to see in it a creation of some scientific intellect”, says Sri Aurobindo.

The deliberation on the varṇamālā of Sanskrit will continue in the next few sessions in coming Sundays. 3/10