Sanskrit Lesson
Visarga Sandhi (Letter Combination)
How sounds join together in Sanskrit
Visarga Sandhi (Letter Combination)
How sounds join together in Sanskrit
Rule (1) – Visarga with च, छ and change to ओ
This rule has two simple parts. First: before च or छ, visarga usually changes into श. Second: if visarga comes after अ and the next sound is soft, the visarga often changes into ओ.
Word Process
Letter Breakdown
Rule (2) – Visarga changing to र / र् and with श
This rule also has two parts. First: if visarga comes after a vowel other than अ or आ, it often changes into र before a vowel or a soft sound. Second: before श, visarga usually changes into श.
Word Process
Letter Breakdown
Rule (3) – Visarga with च, छ, श and with ट, ठ, ष
Before च, छ, or श, visarga usually becomes श. Before ट, ठ, or ष, visarga usually becomes ष.
Word Process
Letter Breakdown
Rule (4) – Visarga with त, स and with क, ख, प, फ
Before त or स, visarga usually becomes स्, so the result often sounds like double स. If the vowel before visarga is not अ or आ and the next consonant is क, ख, प, or फ, visarga often changes into ष.
Word Process
Letter Breakdown
Rule (5) – Visarga before क, ख, ट, ठ, प, फ (इ, उ) and some exceptions
If visarga comes after इ or उ and the next consonant is क, ख, ट, ठ, प, or फ, it often changes into ष. But after अ or आ, visarga often stays as it is before क, ख, प, or फ. A few important words also form special results such as स्क or स्कर.
Word Process
Letter Breakdown
Rule (6) – Lopa of visarga after अ, आ and with त, थ
After अ or आ, visarga often drops completely before many consonants. But before त or थ, it usually changes into स् instead of disappearing.
Word Process
Letter Breakdown
Rule (7) – Visarga before क, ख, प, फ and with स
Before क, ख, प, or फ, visarga may remain unchanged in some words. But before स, it usually becomes स्, which often gives a doubled स sound.
Word Process
Letter Breakdown
Rule (8) – इ / उ + visarga + र
When visarga comes after इ or उ and the next sound is र, the visarga drops. At the same time, इ becomes ई and उ becomes ऊ.
Word Process
Letter Breakdown
Rule (9) – Visarga with अ before and other vowels after
If visarga comes after अ and the next sound is a vowel other than अ, the visarga usually drops. After that, the words simply join without a bigger sound change.
Word Process
Letter Breakdown
Rule (10) – Visarga changing to ओ
When visarga comes after अ and the next sound is अ or a soft sound like ग, द, ब, म, य, र, ल, व, or ह, the visarga usually changes into ओ.
Word Process
Letter Breakdown
Practice Visargasandhi through 3 lessons
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Visarga Change Basics
