The Influence of Sanskrit on Balinese Script

Sanskrit Roots

Sanskrit has a major influence on Balinese script and language, especially in religious, philosophical, and literary terms.

Aksara Murda

The most visible influence is aksara murda — special characters for retroflex sounds from Sanskrit, used for words like dharma and Vishnu/Wisnu.

Borrowed Vocabulary

About 30-40% of refined Balinese vocabulary comes from Sanskrit: pura (temple), dharma (righteousness), yoga (union).

Abugida System

The Balinese script adopts Sanskrit's abugida system, where each consonant inherently carries the vowel "a".

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