A Comparative Grammar of the Modern Aryan Languages of India v1.c7.30

v1.c7.30

As to ट, it so seldom occurs as the first member of a nexus (except in combinations where षष् “six,” constr. षट् forms the first element), that Vararuchi probably thought it useless to mention it. Similarly I am not aware of any cases where the palatals form the first member of a nexus. By Sandhi they would migrate into gutturals in composition; e.g. त्वच् twach + दोषिन् doshin = त्वग्दोषिन् twagdoshin, वाच् vâch + य ya = वाक्य vâkya. So that probably no instances exist of palatals as initials in a nexus. Vararuchi’s examples are: भक्त = भत्तं, सिक्यक = सित्यओ, मुग्ध = मुद्धो, स्निग्ध = सिण्हो, खड्ग = खग्गो, षड् = सञ्जो, उत्पल = उप्पलं, etc.