Bihasa

Bihasa is a term that appears in Sanskrit and related Indo-Aryan linguistic contexts, typically interpreted as referring to spoken language or speech. In standard transliteration, the more common form of the word is bhāṣā, meaning language, speech, or discourse; bihasa is a less frequent variant or transliteration of the same root. The etymology traces to the Sanskrit bhāṣ- root, which conveys speaking or telling.

In classical literature, bhāṣā is the dominant term for language, while bihasa may surface in philological discussions or as an alternate spelling in manuscripts. Scholarly use of bihasa often occurs when distinguishing between spoken form and written text, or when analyzing manuscript transmission and orthography where older or regional spellings appear. As such, bihasa can function as a linguistic note rather than a separate language or dialect.

In modern Indian languages, the ordinary word for language remains bhāṣā (for example, Hindi bhāṣā, Tamil or other regional terms), and bihasa is rarely employed in everyday speech. When it does appear, it is usually within linguistic or transliteration discussions, or in scholarly editions that preserve historical spellings.

There is no widely recognized language, nation, or organization specifically named “Bihasa.” Rather, the term is best understood as a linguistic root related to speech and language, with bihasa serving mainly as a variant form in academic usage.