Sanskrit : Conjunct
characters (Samyuktakshar)
Conjunct characters (Samyuktakshar)
Samyuktakshar or a conjunct character represents a syllable made up of two
or more consonants from the basic set. In forming syllables, the Samyuktakshar
will combine with one of the vowels.
In respect of Sanskrit, the term conjunct refers to a syllable formed with
two or more consonants and a vowel.
Let us look at an example of a conjunct.
The name Krishna is familiar to one and all.
In Devanagari it is written as कृषणा and the word is made up of the two syllables
कृ and षणा. The first syllable has the consonant क combining with the vowel
ऋ and the second syllable is a combination of ष, ण and आ. In Sanskrit, we
reckon कृषणा as being made up of two aksharas.
Here are some examples of two-consonant conjuncts.
ग्न
|
=
|
ग
|
+
|
न
|
म्प
|
=
|
म
|
+
|
प
|
झ्त
|
=
|
झ
|
+
|
त
|
Note that in the first conjunct a half-form of न is attached to the vertical
stroke of the first consonant. In the second and third case, the first consonant
has lost its vertical stroke, while the second consonant is written in full.
Over the centuries, different conventions have been adopted for writing conjuncts.
We will see some variations in the next section.
Continue to writing
methods for conjunct characters.
Back to Sanskrit contents.
Unicode conversion
from original
site (IIT Madras) completed by Walter Stanish. Hosted at pratyeka.