Handbook for
The Online Audio Course
Part One: Learning to Read Sanskrit
By
Carol Whitfield, Ph.D Table of Contents
The Sanskrit Alphabet 2
Guide to Pronunciation 3
Vowel and Consonant Recognition 4
Vowel and Consonant Recognition with Transliteration 5
Vowels Following Consonants 6
Examples of Vowels Following Consonants 7
Consonant-Vowel Recognition 8
Exercise 1 Vowels Following Consonants
Exercise 2 Consonant Vowel Recognition
Words without Conjuncts—Reading Practice without Transliteration 9
Words without Conjunct s—Reading Practice withTransliteration 10
Conjunct Consonants 11-12
Vedanta Vocabulary List 1—Reading Practice 13
Vedanta Vocabulary List 1 with Transliteratiojn 14-15
1 The Sanskrit Alphabet
Simple Vowels A Aa # $ % ^ \ § ¤ a ä i é u ü å è ÿ Dipthongs
@ @e Aae AaE A< A> e ai o au aà aù
1 2 3 4 Semi- Mutes -V-A* -V+A +V-A +V+A Nasals Vowels Sibilants
Gutterals k o g " ' h ka kha ga gha ì ha
Palatals c D j H | y z ca cha ja jha ïa ya ça
Linguals q Q f F [ r ; öa öha òa òha ëa ra ña
Dentals t w d x n l s ta tha da dha na la sa
Labials p ) b É m v pa pha ba bha ma va
* -V = unvoiced or hard consonant +V = voiced or soft consonant -A = unaspirated +A = aspirated
2 Guide to Pronunciation
A a o in s on Q öa t in start
Aa ä a in m a QQQ öha th in an t-hill
# i i in if f òa d in day
$ é e in m e F òha dh in go d-head
% u u in s uit [ ëa n in u nder
^ ü oo in b oo t ttt ta t in time
\\\ å ri in ri g w tha t in tank
§ è extend ri in ri g d da d in did
¤ ÿ x dha dh in dh arma
@ e a in g ay n na n in never
@e ai y in m y p pa p in pine
AaeAaeAae o o in okay ) pha ph in loo p-hole
AaE au ow in n ow b ba b in big kkk ka c in come É bha b in boat o kha ckh in blo ckh ead m ma m in much g ga g in give yyy ya y in young
" gha gh in lo gh ut r ra r in d rum
' ìa n in so ng l la l in luck c ca ch in ch um v va v in vice
D cha ch in ch uck z ça sh in sh ine j ja j in jim ; ña sh in bu sh el
H jha j in job s sa s in save
| ïa n in bu nch hhh ha h in hum
3 Vowel and Consonant Recognition
Please practice these vowel and consonant symbols with and without the audio support until you are able to easily read them.
Vowels @ Aae Aa # \ A ^ AaE
% $ \ @e A # Aae @
Aa @e % AaE § ^ $ ¤
Aae # \ ^ Aa @e AaE #
¤ A $ @ AaE % Aa ^
Consonants g É j Q D d ) h
| t " s r ; o m z b x v p F k H l ' ) f D [ o F d m Q ; w t j h b j É [ c q x v n v l w v k p n
H f z j r s | c q n p g s l r "
4 Vowel and Consonant Recognition with Transliteration
Please practice these vowel and consonant symbols with and without the audio support until you are able to easily read them.
Vowels @ e Aae o Aa ä # i \ å A a ^ ü AaE au
% u $ é \ å @e ai A a # i Aae o @ e
Aa ä @e ai % u AaE au § å ^ ü $ é ¤ ÿ
Aae o # i \ å ^ ü Aa ä @e ai AaE au # i
¤ ÿ A a $ é @ e AaE au % u Aa ä ^ ü
Consonants g ga É bha j ja Q öha D cha d da ) pha h ha
| ï T ta " gha s sa r ra ; ña O kha m ma z ça b ba x dha v va p pa F òha k ka H jha l la ' ì ) pha f òa D cha [ ëa o kha F òha d da m ma Q öha ; ña w tha t ta j ja H ha b ba j ja É bha [ ëa C ca q öa x dha v va n na v va l la w tha v va k ka p pa n na
H jha f òa z ça j ja r ra S sa | ïa c ca q öa n na p pa g ga S sa l la r ra " gha
5 Vowels Following Consonants
When a word begins with a vowel and does not follow a consonant in a sentence or compound, the vowel keeps its primary form: Simple vowels: A Aa # $ % ^ \ § ¤ a ä i é u ü å è ÿ
Diphthongs: @ @e Aae Aa e ai o au
But, if the vowel directly follows a consonant, it changes to a secondary form. The table below shows the primary vowel form followed by its secondary form and in parenthesis an example of the secondary form added to the consonant kœ
Ø * ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) A k Aa a ka # i ik $ I kI a ka ä kä i ki é ké ( ) ** % … (k…) ^ ª (kª) \ « (k«) § © k© ¤ „ u ku ü kü å kå è kè ÿ kÿ
( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) @ e ke @e E kE Aae ae kae AaE aE kaE e ke ai kai o ko au kau
* If a consonant is not followed by any other vowel, the vowel A is assumed
unless the consonant has a virämaù , a diagonal line ( ! ), below the consonant.
For example kœ + A = k .
** The vowel ¤ is rarely used, and is shown here attached to the letter kœ as the font I am using does not have this vowel form available in its unattached secondary form.
6 Examples of Vowels Following Consonants
A Ø k o g " ' c D j H | q Q f F [ t w d x n p ) b É m y r l v z ; s h Aa a ka oa ga "a 'a ca Da ja ˆHa |a qa Qa fa Fa [a ta wa da xa na pa )a ba Éa ma ya ra la va za ;a sa ha # i ik io ig i" i' ic iD ij iH i| iq iQ if iF i[ it iw id ix in ip i) ib iÉ im iy ir il iv iz i; is ih
$ I kI oI gI "I 'I cI DI jI HI |I qI QI fI FI [I tI wI dI xI nI pI )I mI yI rI lI vI zI ;I sI hI
% … k… ou gu "u '… cu Du ju Hu |u qu Qu fu Fu [u tu wu Ê xu nu pu )… bu Éu mu yu é * lu vu zu ;u su ÷
*Notice the placement of the % in é
^ ª kª oU gU "U 'ª cU DU jU HU |U qª Qª fª Fª [U tU wU Ë xU nU pU )ª bU ÉU mU yU ê * lU vU zU ;U sU ø
*Notice the placement of the ^ in ê
\ « k« o& g& "& '« c& D& j& H& |& q& Q& f& F& [& t& w& † * x& [& p& )« b& É& m& y& l& v& z& ;& s& ù *Notice that dœ when followed by \ takes a modified form: † § © k© o¨ g¨ "¨ '© c¨ D¨ j¨ H¨ |¨ q¨ Q¨ f¨ F¨ [¨ t¨ w¨ d° x¨ n¨ p¨ )© b¨ ɨ m¨ y¨ l¨ v¨ z¨ ;¨ s¨ h°
@ e ke oe ge "e 'e ce De je He |e qe Qe fe Fe [e te w e de xe ne pe )e be Ée me ye re le ve ze ;e se he
@e E kE oE gE "E 'E cE DE jE HE |E qE QE fE FE [E tE w E dE xE nE pE )E bE ÉE mE yE rE lE vE zE ;E sE hE
Aae ae kae oae gae "ae 'ae cae Dae jae Hae |ae qae Qae fae Fae [ae tae wae dae xae nae pae )ae bae Éae mae yae rae lae vae zae ;ae sae hae
AaE aE kaE oaE gaE "aE 'aE caE DaE jaE HaE |aE qaE QaE faE FaE [aE taE waE daE xaE naE paE )aE baE ÉaE maE yaE raE laE vaE zaE ;aE saE haE
7 Consonant-Vowel Recognition
Exercise 1 Vowels Following Consonants k ka ik kI k… kª k« k© ke kE kae kaE c ca ic cI cu cU c& c¨ ce cE cae caE q qa iq qI qu qª q& q¨ qe qE qae qaE t ta it tI tu tU t& t¨ te tE tae qaE p pa ip pI pu pU p& p¨ pe pE pae paE
Exercise 2 Consonant Vowel Recognition da cI zu kae ta nU s& ga zE "u mE Ha Fa QI ;I ta
[a ih cE mU "I haE jI hE ou naE k« saE gI g 'aE zae is hae DaE kaE ja faE gU cu
|aE 'ae bE paE caE na zI ÷ gaE ma Q& dE ca daE ig zU la F je z& Éae iz ib su jae ij ke tI Éa pe g& pae qa Fe we ra Ée ø iy d° kI jE qe De in bu la se
8 Reading Practice without Transliteration
Simple Words without Conjunct Consonants nm> c ih n sa te va tu salutations and indeed not she they or but Aip ikm! @tt! tt! ywa twa #v cet! also what this that just as similarly like if m&;a @v tan! tt> ten yen punrœ b÷ falsely indeed them therefore by that by which again many vym! prm! kw< Asu> vad> gt ik< Aah we other how breath talking gone what said jra "q> xn< deh> jIv> suo< zaek> maeh> old age pot wealth body soul pleasure sorrow delusion xIr> xIman! Ast! st! zIt %dkm! jgt! maya brave wise nonexistence existence cool water world maya ved Éav> AÉav> zIlm! pura[> Aakaz> ivkar> ivraex> Veda being nonexistence dispostion ancient space modification oppositon Égvan! kar[< vcnain iv;y> Am&tm! Apcy> %pcy> iv;adm! Bhagavan cause speech object immortal diminution increase dejection ivvek> %paix> inêp[< Avyv> ivnaz> ÉUtain zrIrm! hnnm! viveka conditioning ascertaining limb destruction beings body killing adjunct
Note: The primary purpose of the exercise is to become familiar with the script, not to learn vocabulary. I have given the basic definitions of these words so that you don’t have to repeat meaningless sounds.
9 Reading Practice with Transliteration
Simple Words without Conjunct Consonants nm> c ih n sa te va tu namaù ca hi na sä te vä tu salutations and indeed not she they or but Aip ikm! @tt! tt! ywa twa #v cet! api kim etat tat yathä tathä iva cet also what this that just as similarly like if m&;a @v tan! tt> ten yen punrœ b÷ måñä eva tän tataù tena yena punar bahu falsely indeed them therefore by that by which again many vym! prm! kw< Asu> vad> gt ik< Aah vayam param kathaà asuù vädaù gata kià äha we other how breath talking gone what said jra "q> xn< deh> jIv> suo< zaek> maeh> jarä ghaöaù dhanaà dehaù jévaù sukhaà çokaù mohaù old age pot wealth body soul pleasure sorrow delusion xIr> xIman! Ast! st! zIt %dkm! jgt! maya dhéraù dhéman asat sat çéta udakam jagat mäyä brave wise nonexistence existence cool water world maya ved Éav> AÉav> zIlm! pura[> Aakaz> ivkar> ivraex> veda bhävaù abhävaù çélam puräëaù äkäçaù vikäraù virodhaù Veda being nonexistence dispostion ancient space modification oppositon Égvan! kar[< vcnain iv;y> Am&tm! Apcy> %pcy> iv;adm! bhagavän käraëaà vacanäni viñayaù amåtam apacayaù upacayaù viñädam Bhagavan cause speech object immortal diminution increase dejection ivvek> %paix> inêp[< Avyv> ivnaz> ÉUtain zrIrm! hnnm! vivekaù upädhiù nirüpaëaà avayavaù vinäçaù bhütäni çaréram hananam viveka conditioning ascertaining limb destruction beings body killing adjunct
Note: The primary purpose of the exercise is to become familiar with the script, not to learn vocabulary. I have given the basic definitions of these words so that you don’t have to repeat meaningless sounds.
10 Conjunct Consonants
When two consonants come together without an intervening vowel they are called conjunct consonants. These are formed in different ways, depending on the structure of the consonant. Often, the vertical line of the first consonant can be removed and the remaining part of the consonant conjoined to the latter, so they become adjacent to each other. In some instances, there is not an easily removable vertical and the consonants will stack on top of each other. In almost all cases, if you know the full form of the individual consonants well, you will be able to recognize them in their conjoined form. The exceptions are listed below as unusual forms and simply need to be memorized.
Adjacent k o g c j H } | z [ t w n s p b É m v = = = = Km kœ m (k ma) CD c! D (c cha) Nt n! t (n ta) Bx b! x (b dha) = = = = Ky kœ y (k ya) ¾ j! j (j ja) Xy x! y (dh ya) BÉ b! É (b bha) = = = = Oy o! y (kh {[ [! [ (ë ëa) Xm x! m (dh ma) Vy v! y (v ya) ya) = (t pa) = (p ya) = (s ka) = Tp t! p Py p! y Sk s! k Gl g! l (g la) = (t ma) = (th ya) = (s ta) = Tm t! m Wy w! y St s! t Gv g! v (g va) = TSy t! s! y = (c ca) ½ c! c (t s ya)
Stacking d ' D q Q f F h = = = = » 'œ k (ì ka) Ï dœ x (d dha) Ó dœ b (d ba) ò ;! q (ñ öa) = = = = ¼ 'œ g (ì ga) Ñ dœ É (d bha) ” qœ q (ö öa) ó ;! Q (ñ öha)
= = (ñ ö ya) ò+ ;! qœ r (ñ ö ra) ò( ;! qœ y
11 Unusual Forms
= = (s p ra) = = mR rœ m (r ma) Sà s! p! r Î dœ d (d da) í z! c (ç ca) = = (t p ra) = = vR rœ v (r va) Tà t! p! r Ó dœ b (d ba) î z! n (ç na) = = q( qœ y (ö ya) = = tR rœ t (r ta) Ï dœ x (d dha) Zm z! m (ç ma) = Q( Qœ y (öh ya) = = ³ = kœ r (k ra) Ñ dœ É (d bha) ï z! r (ç ra) = = f( fœ y (ò ya) = ¢ g! r (g ra) Ò dœ m (d ma) = Š = kœ k (k ka) = = à p! r (p ra) * dœ y (d ya) Ÿ hœ [ (h ëa) (k ta) = ´ = kœ t = (d v ya) = Ç t! r (t ra) ™ dœ v! y û hœ n (h na) = = Ä t! t (t ta) = (d r ya) = ö s! r (s ra) Õ dœ rœ y ü hœ m (h ma) = = Èy t! rœ y (t r ya) } =j! | (j ïa) = ò+ ;! qœ r (ñ ö ra) ý hœ y (h ya)
] = kœ ; (k ña)
Examples of Unusual Forms kmR ktaR ¢am tÇ c³ Éi´ karma kartä gräma tatra cakra bhakti
Éae´a mae] mui´ }anm! tÅv buiÏ bhoktä mokña mukti jïänam tattva buddhi pÒ iv*a ïÏa àî äün! hirí padma vidyä çraddhä praçna brahman hariçca
12 Vedanta Vocabulary List 1
These words are commonly used in Vedantic texts. This exercise is meant to familarize you with the these terms in Sanskrit. The list below it includes the transliteration.
äün! AaTma jIv> jgt! $ñr> maya st! ict! AanNd> sTym! }anm! AnNtm! vedaNt> %pin;dœ àma[m! àkr[m! mae]> bNxnm! iv*a Aiv*a }anm! A}anm! }ainn! s
SwUl sUúm kar[m! zrIrm! deh> %paix> kmRn! AkmRn! kmRyaeg> s
13
Vedanta Vocabulary List 1 with Transliteration
äün! AaTma jIv> jgt! $ñr> maya brahman ätmä jévaù jagat éçvaraù mäyä st! ict! AanNd> sTym! }anm! AnNtm! sat cit änandaù satyam jïänam anantam vedaNt> %pin;dœ àma[m! àkr[m! mae]> bNxnm! vedäntaù upaniñad pramäëam prakaraëam mokñaù bandhana iv*a Aiv*a }anm! A}anm! }ainn! s àma àTy] prae] Aprae] v&iÄ > buiÏ> pramä pratyakña parokña aparokña våttiù buddhiù SwUl sUúm kar[m! zrIrm! deh> %paix> sthüla sükñma käraëam çaréram dehaù upädhiù kmRn! AkmRn! kmRyaeg> s Aixkairn! ivvek> vEraGym! zmaid;qœkm! mumu]uTvm! mns! adhikärin vivekaù vairägyam çamädiñaökam mumukñutvam manas zm> dm> %prit> itit]a smaxanm! ïÏa çamaù damaù uparatiù titikñä samädhänam çraddhä s 14 kt&RTvm! Éae´«Tvm! suioTvm! Ê>ioTvm! r¾u> spR> kartåtvam bhoktåtvam sukhitvam duùkhitvam rajjuù sarpaù maya àk«it> sÅv rjs! tms! gu[> mäyä prakåtiù sattva rajas tamas guëaù ÉUtain p&iwvI Aap> Ai¶> vayu> Aakaz> bhütäni påthivé äpaù agniù väyuù äkäçaù zBd> SpzR> êpm! rs> gNx> cEtNym! çabdaù sparçaù rüpam rasaù gandhaù caitanyam ïaeÇ> Tvkœ c]u> ijþa ºa[m! #iNÔyain çrotraù tvak cakñuù jihvä ghräëam indriyäni vakœ pai[> pad> payu> %pSwa> Svêp> väk päëiù pädaù päyuù upasthäù svarüpaù 15