Week 2: Sound, Script, and Transliteration
This week is designed as a 60-minute self-study lesson. Read aloud first, then translate.
Aim of the Week
Refresh the link between Devanāgarī and IAST transliteration. You will use both throughout this guide.
Core Pattern
IAST is not a different language. It is a precise way to represent Sanskrit sounds using Roman letters with marks.
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Reading note |
|---|---|---|
| आ | ā | long a |
| ऋ | ṛ | vocalic r |
| ष | ṣ | retroflex ṣ |
| ं | ṃ | anusvāra |
| ः | ḥ | visarga |
Reading and Transliteration Practice
- रामः
rāmaḥ - कृष्णः
kṛṣṇaḥ - सत्यं ज्ञानम्
satyaṃ jñānam - अर्जुनः पश्यति।
arjunaḥ paśyati.
Answer key
- Rāma
- Kṛṣṇa
- truth; knowledge
- Arjuna sees.
Recitation Guidance
When reading IAST, never ignore the dots and lines. s, ś, ṣ are different; n, ṇ, ñ, ṅ are different.
Vocabulary
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| रामः | rāmaḥ | Rāma |
| सीता | sītā | Sītā |
| कृष्णः | kṛṣṇaḥ | Kṛṣṇa |
| अर्जुनः | arjunaḥ | Arjuna |
| सत्यं | satyaṃ | truth |
Self-Check
- Can you move from ज्ञानम् to jñānam?
- Can you distinguish ṣ from ś?