* Direct borrowings: There are relatively few direct borrowings from Sanskrit into English, primarily from the 18th and 19th centuries when scholarship on India increased. These include words like avatar, guru, yoga, karma, mantra, and Nirvana.
* Indirect influences: Many English words have roots in Sanskrit through the intermediary of other languages, primarily Latin and Greek. This is because these languages borrowed heavily from Sanskrit, especially in terms of philosophical, religious, and scientific concepts. For example, philosophy derives from Greek *philosophia*, which itself derives from the Sanskrit *philos* (love) and *sophia* (wisdom).
* Shared Proto-Indo-European origins: Many English words share a common ancestor with Sanskrit, stemming from the Proto-Indo-European language. This is a much broader connection, encompassing basic vocabulary like father, mother, brother, and star. It's tricky to classify these as "Sanskrit origin" since they predate the development of both English and Sanskrit.
Therefore, while it's hard to give a specific number, it's safe to say that:
* Direct Sanskrit borrowings are relatively few but have become increasingly common in recent decades.
* Indirect influence from Sanskrit is significant due to the shared linguistic heritage with Latin and Greek.
* The shared Indo-European origins encompass a large portion of basic English vocabulary, making it difficult to quantify the influence from Sanskrit specifically.
Ultimately, the connection between English and Sanskrit is multifaceted, with both direct and indirect influences shaping the English language.