Ka (क ''k'') (कवर्ण ') is the first consonant of the

Devanagari Devanagari ( ; in script: , , ) is an Indic script used in the Indian subcontinent. It is a left-to-right abugida (a type of segmental Writing systems#Segmental systems: alphabets, writing system), based on the ancient ''Brāhmī script, Brā ...

abugida An abugida (; from Geʽez: , )sometimes also called alphasyllabary, neosyllabary, or pseudo-alphabetis a segmental Writing systems#Segmental writing system, writing system in which consonant–vowel sequences are written as units; each unit ...

. It ultimately arose from the

Brahmi Brahmi ( ; ; ISO: ''Brāhmī'') is a writing system from ancient India. "Until the late nineteenth century, the script of the Aśokan (non-Kharosthi) inscriptions and its immediate derivatives was referred to by various names such as 'lath' or ...

letter 𑀓 (), after having gone through the

Gupta Gupta () is a common surname of Indian origin, meaning "guardian" or "protector". Origins and distribution The name is based on the Sanskrit word गोप्तृ ''goptṛ'', which means "guardian" or "protector". According to historian ...

letter

. Letters that derive from it are the

Gujarati Gujarati may refer to: * something of, from, or related to Gujarat, a state of India * Gujarati people, the major ethnic group of Gujarat * Gujarati language, the Indo-Aryan language spoken by them * Gujarati languages, the Western Indo-Aryan sub- ...

letter ક, and the

Modi Narendra Damodardas Modi (born 17 September 1950) is an Indian politician who has served as the prime minister of India since 2014. Modi was the chief minister of Gujarat from 2001 to 2014 and is the member of parliament (MP) for Varanas ...

letter 𑘎.

Usage

In all languages, क is pronounced as or when appropriate. In the following example, क implements its inherent vowel, the schwa: * नकली = ''nakali'' "fake" In this example, क deletes the inherent schwa for correct pronunciation: * बकवास = ''bakvās'' "nonsense" Devanagari matras

Certain words that have been borrowed from

Persian Persian may refer to: * People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language ** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples ** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...

and

Arabic Arabic (, , or , ) is a Central Semitic languages, Central Semitic language of the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family spoken primarily in the Arab world. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) assigns lang ...

implement the

nukta The nuqta (, , ; sometimes also spelled nukta), is a diacritic mark that was introduced in Devanagari and some other Indic scripts to represent sounds not present in the original scripts. It takes the form of a dot placed below a character. Th ...

to more properly approximate the original word. It is then transliterated as a ''q''. * क़दम = ''qadam'' "footstep"

Conjuncts with क

*क + त(t̪) gives us क्त kt̪ with a somewhat irregular form. Devanagari ligature Kta

*क + ष(ʂ) gives us the fully ligated क्ष kʂ with a very irregular form. Devanagari ligature Kssa

*ङ(ŋ) + क gives us the vertical conjunct ङ्क ŋk with the ङ placed above the क. Devanagari ligature Ngka

*क + ख(kʰ) gives us क्ख kkʰ with the क placed above the ख. *क + क gives us क्क with the क placed above another क. Devanagari ligature Kka

*क + ल(l̪) gives us क्ल kl̪ with the क placed above the ल. Devanagari ligature Kla

*क + व(ʋ) gives us क्व kʋ with the क placed above the व. Devanagari ligature Kva

*क + न(n̪) gives us क्न kn̪ with the न rotated and placed under the hook of the क. Devanagari ligature Kna

*क + र �is a fully ligated (irregular) conjunct

Mathematics

Āryabhaṭa numeration

Aryabhata Aryabhata ( ISO: ) or Aryabhata I (476–550 CE) was the first of the major mathematician-astronomers from the classical age of Indian mathematics and Indian astronomy. His works include the '' Āryabhaṭīya'' (which mentions that in 3600 ' ...

used Devanagari letters for numbers, very similar to that of the Greeks, even after the invention of

Indian numerals Indian or Indians may refer to: Associated with India * of or related to India ** Indian people ** Indian diaspora ** Languages of India ** Indian English, a dialect of the English language ** Indian cuisine Associated with indigenous peopl ...

. The values of the different forms of क are: *क = 1 (१) *कि = 100 (१००) *कु = 10,000 (१० ०००) *कृ = 1,000,000 (१० ०० ०००) *कॢ = 10 (१०^८) *के = 10 (१०^१०) *कै = 10 (१०^१२) *को = 10 (१०^१४) *कौ = 10 (१०^१६)

Tabla Strokes

क (ka) also seen as कि (ki), or के (ke). This is usually a flat, nonresonant stroke of the left hand. The heel of the hand is left on the drum, while the hand rotates to hit the drum, with the focus of the force being focused between the tips and first joints of the fingers.

Hindu astrology

के (ke) is the abbreviation used for केतु (

Ketu KETU (1120 AM) is a commercial radio station licensed to Catoosa, Oklahoma, and serving the Tulsa metropolitan area. The station broadcasts a Spanish adult contemporary radio format and is owned by Antonio Perez, through licensee Radio Las Amer ...

), the descending lunar node. In Hindu astrology Ketu represents karmic collections both good and bad, spirituality and supernatural influences. Ketu is associated with the

Matsya Matsya () is the fish avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu. Often described as the first of Vishnu's Dashavatara, ten primary avatars, Matsya is described to have rescued the first man, Manu (Hinduism), Manu, from a great deluge. Matsya may be dep ...

Avatar Avatar (, ; ) is a concept within Hinduism that in Sanskrit literally means . It signifies the material appearance or incarnation of a powerful deity, or spirit on Earth. The relative verb to "alight, to make one's appearance" is sometimes u ...

(Fish Incarnation) of

Vishnu Vishnu (; , , ), also known as Narayana and Hari, is one of the Hindu deities, principal deities of Hinduism. He is the supreme being within Vaishnavism, one of the major traditions within contemporary Hinduism, and the god of preservation ( ...

. Ketu signifies the spiritual process of the refinement of materialization to spirit and is considered both malefic and benefic, as it causes sorrow and loss, and yet at the same time turns the individual to

God In monotheistic belief systems, God is usually viewed as the supreme being, creator, and principal object of faith. In polytheistic belief systems, a god is "a spirit or being believed to have created, or for controlling some part of the un ...

. In other words, it causes material loss in order to force a more spiritual outlook in the person. Ketu is a ''karaka'' or indicator of intelligence, wisdom, non-attachment, fantasy, penetrating insight, derangement, and psychic abilities. Ketu is believed to bring prosperity to the devotee's family, removes the effects of snakebite and illness arising out of poisons. He grants good health, wealth and cattle to his devotees.

References

* Kurt Elfering: ''Die Mathematik des Aryabhata I. Text, Übersetzung aus dem Sanskrit und Kommentar''. Wilhelm Fink Verlag, München, 1975, * Georges Ifrah: ''The Universal History of Numbers. From Prehistory to the Invention of the Computer''. John Wiley & Sons, New York, 2000, . * B. L. van der Waerden: ''Erwachende Wissenschaft. Ägyptische, babylonische und griechische Mathematik''. Birkhäuser-Verlag, Basel Stuttgart, 1966, * * {{Devanagari abugida Devanagari Indic letters