Vyāsa

Sanskrit Keyboards

This page provides Sanskrit keyboards developed by Sārthaka (Anselm Schoen): one for Devanāgarī; one for Roman transliteration (IAST). These are phonetic keyboards for writing Sanskrit using the Harvard-Kyoto input scheme. Capital letters replace diacritics, reducing keystrokes. On Windows, the keyboard is mnemonic (not positional) which means it works on any language keyboard regardless of key placement. Common Vedic svaras are supported with a Unicode font such as Siddhanta.

Setup

To get started, ensure you have installed Keyman Desktop for macOS or Windows. Then install the Keyman Sanskrit Devanāgarī Keyboard. Once the Keyman Sanskrit Devanāgarī Keyboard is installed and selected, you may then use it to type.

Keyboard Reference Tables

Refer to the below reference tables to know which key on your keyboard corresponds to which Devanāgarī letter. Refer to this document for the full range of keyboard inputs, including special characters and useful notes.

Vowels

Vowels (Svaras)

DevanāgarīInput DevanāgarīInput DevanāgarīInput DevanāgarīInput DevanāgarīInput
अa आaa / A इi ईii / I उu
ऊuu / U ऋR ॠRR ऌL ॡLL

Diphthongs

DevanāgarīInput DevanāgarīInput DevanāgarīInput DevanāgarīInput
एe ओo ऐai औau

Ayogavāha

DevanāgarīDescriptionInput
ंUnicode: U+0902 Anusvāra M
ःUnicode: U+0903 Visarga H
ँUnicode: U+0901 Candrabindu MM

Consonants

DevanāgarīInput DevanāgarīInput DevanāgarīInput DevanāgarīInput DevanāgarīInput
Gutterals (Ka-Varga)
कk खkh गg घgh ङG
Palatals (Ca-Varga)
चc छch जj झjh ञJ
Cerebrals (Ṭa-Varga)
टT ठTh डD ढDh णN
Dentals (Ta-Varga)
तt थth दd धdh नn
Labials (Pa-Varga)
पp फph बb भbh मm
Semivowels & Sibilants
यy रr लl वv शZ / sh
षS सs हh

Numbers & Punctuation

Devanāgarī Numerals

Devanāgarī ०१२३४ ५६७८९
Input 012 345 678 9

Punctuation & Special Characters

DevanāgarīDescriptionInput
।Daṇḍa (single).
॥Double daṇḍa..
्Virāma (halanta)^Circumflex
ऽAvagraha‚Single low quotation mark

Vedic Svaras

Common Vedic Svaras

DevanāgarīDescriptionInput
॒Unicode: U+0952 Devanāgarī anudātta sign _
॑Unicode: U+0951 Devanāgarī svarita sign # or "
᳚Unicode: U+1CDA Devanāgarī dīrgha svarita sign ## or ""

Setup

To get started, ensure you have installed Keyman Desktop for macOS or Windows. Then install the Keyman Roman IAST Keyboard. Once the roman transliteration keyboard is installed and selected, you may then use it to type.

Keyboard Reference Tables

Refer to the below reference tables to know which key on your keyboard corresponds to which IAST character. Refer to this document for the full range of keyboard inputs, including special characters and useful notes.

Vowels

Vowels (Svaras)

IASTInput IASTInput IASTInput IASTInput IASTInput
aa āaa / A ii īii / I uu
ūuu / U ṛR ṝRR ḷL ḹLL

Diphthongs

IASTInput IASTInput IASTInput IASTInput
ee oo aiai auau

Ayogavāha

IASTDescriptionInput
ṃ Anusvāra M
ḥ Visarga H
Supported only by URW Palladio ITU font. Refer to this document for alternatives. Candrabindu MM

Consonants

IASTInput IASTInput IASTInput IASTInput IASTInput
Gutturals (Ka-Varga)
kk khkh gg ghgh ṅG
Palatals (Ca-Varga)
cc chch jj jhjh ñJ
Cerebrals (Ṭa-Varga)
ṭT ṭhTh ḍD ḍhDh ṇN
Dentals (Ta-Varga)
tt thth dd dhdh nn
Labials (Pa-Varga)
pp phph bb bhbh mm
Semivowels & Sibilants
yy rr ll vv śZ / sh
ṣS ss hh

Vedic Svaras

Common Vedic Svaras

IASTDescriptionInput
 ̱Unicode: U+0331 Combining macron below — anudātta _
 ̍Unicode: U+030D Combining vertical line above — svarita # or "
 ̎Unicode: U+030E Combining double vertical line above — dīrgha svarita ## or ""