Our studies require editing Sanskrit text in Devanāgarī (देवनागरी) and the IAST↗ scripts. Below is a cheatsheet to help with this.

Concepts

Conceptually there are two mechanisms to input text.

1. Use a keyboard layout. All of us are familiar with this. Default keyboard layout (US international or similar) corresponds to the keys in the physical keyboard. You could use a keyboard layout and map the physical keys into the Devanāgarī characters.
2. Or, you could use a Transliteration scheme where you type ASCII characters in your existing keyboard layout and a special software called Input Methods↗ framework transliterates that into Devanāgarī. E.g., with Harvard-Kyoto↗ transliteration scheme you type kha and you get ख.

We highly recommend the excellent Fcitx5↗ input method for Linux. It supports both keyboard layouts and rule based transliteration schemes. This tool effectively enables us to type IAST↗ and Devanāgarī in any text box. The m17n↗ project provides a database for Multilingualization (m17n) or transliteration schemes. You can point Fcitx5↗ to these with fcitx-m17n↗.

Configuring Fcitx5

As usual, the Archlinux wiki↗ provides a fantastic guide for setup. Also see https://fcitx-im.org/wiki/Setup_Fcitx_5↗. Use fcitx5-configtool↗ for a GUI based setup, screenshot below.

Typing in IAST can be done using a transliteration scheme or a keyboard layout. We recommend latter for fast typing response. Use the Keyboard - English (US) - English (intl., with AltGr dead keys) keyboard layout. This smart layout allows you to input ASCII text as usual, and leverages the dead keys↗ withRight Altmodifier to input special text likeāforआ.

Typing in Devanāgarī is achieved through the Harvard-Kyoto↗ transliteration scheme. You can pick any scheme supported by m17n↗.

Sanskrit editing configurations in fcitx5-configtool↗ app.

Key Shortcuts

US Intl with AltGr Dead Keys

Modified from https://dry.sailingissues.com/us-international-keyboard-layout.html↗ for AltGr Dead Keys keyboard layout.

Below diacritics are not used in IAST, provided for completion.

Vowels (śvara) and Codas

Modified from Wikipedia pages of IAST↗ and Harvard-Kyoto↗. We’re using direct Unicode keyboard shortcut Ctrl+Shift+u on Linux for certain characters.

Consonants (vyañjana)

Map of Devanāgarī consonants with equivalent IAST↗ or Harvard-Kyoto↗. Note only the differing Harvard-Kyoto↗ keys are mentioned after the comma. This table is taken from the Wikipedia and enhanced with above.

Hope you enjoy this new Sanskrit editor setup 🕉️