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Sanskrit beginners course-part1
- 1. SANSKRIT A SIMPLE APPROACH FOR BEGINNERS USING ŚĀSTRAM FOR VEDĀNTA STUDENTS
- 2. INTRODUCTION TO THE COURSE This course is designed to give a simple start to those who are new to the Saṃskṛta language, or who wish to revise some study already done. The course consists of 2 parts: 1. Practice sheets 2. Recordings It aims to give students the confidence to read, sound and study the language of the śāstram. It will assist a beginner in the basics of grammar, which may inspire future study. PART 1 -‐ READING AND WRITING AUDIO
- 3. PART 1 SHEET 1 16 Svr|: svarāḥ -‐ vowels. aa a|ā £ i Œī Ñu ªū Aṛ °ṝ ‚ḷ l¿ḹ ée éeai a|eo a|Eau a"aṁ a: aḥ (anusvāra) (visarga)
- 4. PART 1 SHEET 1 – NOTES s"Skºtm-‐ saṁskṛtam is a most refined and systematic language and today remains almost identical to how it was in Vedic times. Vowels There are 16 Svr|: -‐ svarāḥ or vowel sounds. Each vowel can be sounded by itself, but the consonants depend upon the vowel to be sounded. Devanāgarī Text The name given to the Sanskrit script is devn|grI devanāgarī. Transliteration Transliteration is a system for representing Sanskrit text in Roman characters. Anusvāra anuSv|r -‐ Anusvāra is the nasal sound, which is marked by a dot above the line of a syllable. The dot at the end of a word is sounded as a halanta ‘m’ at this stage. Visarga ivsgR -‐ Visarga is the name given to the two dots after a syllable. This is represented by the letter ḥ in transliteration. The Visarga indicates a slight aspiration of breath.
- 5. PART 1 SHEET 2 Śāntipāṭhaḥ -‐ Peace Invocation Om asato mā sad gamaya tamaso mā jyotir gamaya mṛtyor mā’mṛtaṁ gamaya Om śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ Om pūrṇamadaḥ pūrṇamidaṁ pūrṇāt pūrṇamudacyate pūrṇasya pūrṇamādāya pūrṇamevāvaśiṣyate Om śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ AUDIO
- 6. PART 1 SHEET 2 – NOTES A Key to the Measures The vowel or Svr: -‐ svara -‐ is sounded with 3 different measures of time. The Short Vowel -‐ ˙Sv: Svr: -‐ hrasvaḥ svaraḥ -‐ is a measure of one unit of time. The Long Vowel -‐ dI`R: Svr: -‐ dīrghaḥ svaraḥ -‐ is a measure of two units of time. The Prolonged Vowel -‐ Plut: Svr: -‐ plutaḥ svaraḥ -‐ is a measure of more than two units of time. This length is most commonly used when using the vocative case and when you need the prolonged sound to be represented by a shape it is written like the number three -‐ 3 after the vowel it represents. Sounding Sanskrit It is important to sound the letter A as purely as possible. The A in the word Amen, is a good example as with this A the throat is fully open. Measure It is also important to sound the accurate length or measure for the vowels as the length of the vowel you sound will have an effect upon the meaning of the word.
- 7. p p @ @ @[ ƒ ½ l l l @N @N | lD @. AUDIO
- 8. PART 1 SHEET 4 & Om ……………………………............ a a …………………………………………… a| ā …...………….………………..…… £ i .............................................. Œ ī ........................................... Ñ u …………………………………………… ª ū …........….…..…………….……… A ṛ ….…………………………................ ° ṝ ………………………..………….…… ‚ ḷ .…………………….…………………… l¿ ḹ .….………………….…………….… é e ……..…………………..……………… ée ai …..……………………..…….…… a|e o ……..……………………………………. a|E au …........…………………….….…. a" aṃ ...…………………………..………... a: aḥ …......…………....................
- 9. PART 1 SHEET 5 SANSKRIT HAS FIVE DIFFERENT POINTS OF ARTICULATION The vowels and consonants are sounded from five points of articulation (seen above). A point of articulation is a position in the mouth where sound is produced. The consonants, which are called sparśa-‐s (meaning ‘touch’), have a point of contact between the tongue and mouth. The gutturals are sounded from the throat. a a The palatals are sounded from the palate. £ i The cerebrals are at the roof of the mouth. A ṛ The dentals are sounded just behind the teeth. ‚ ḷ The labials are sounded with the contact at the lips. Ñ u AUDIO
- 10. PART 1 SHEET 6 PRONUNCIATION OF THE CONSONANTS Gutteral -‐ throat ka kha ga gha ṅa k_Q: -‐ kaṇṭhaḥ Palatal -‐ palate ca cha ja jha ña t|lu -‐ tālu Cerebral -‐ roof ṭa ṭha ḍa ḍha ṇa mU=|R -‐ mūrdhā Dental -‐ teeth ta tha da dha na dNt|: -‐ dantāḥ Labial -‐ lips pa pha ba bha ma a|eXQ|E -‐ oṣṭhau I I I aspirated aspirated nasal
- 11. Gutterals a a kka ,kha g ga `gha $ ṅa h ha (Throat) Palatals £i cca ¡cha jja ! jha {| ña y ya z śa (Palate) Cerebrals Aṛ qṭa Q ṭha w ḍa Wḍha -ṇa rra X| șa (Roof ) Dentals ‚ḷ t ta @|tha dda =dha nna lla ssa (Teeth) Labials Ñu ppa fpha bba #bha mma vva (Lips) I I I I I PART 1 SHEET 7 aspirated aspirated nasal semi-vowels sibilants AUDIO AUDIO
- 12. PART 1 SHEET 7-‐12 NOTES Sheet 5 – Each mouth position has various letters, all said to be of the same v-R: -‐ varṇa, family. The nasal of the palatal v-R: varṇa has a transliteration curve above the n which looks like this ñ. Sheet 7 -‐ A syllable or letter is called aárm -‐ akṣaram. All syllables have a vowel and one or more consonants. The word aárm – akṣaram means indestructible. An aspirated aárm akṣaram -‐ is a syllable which has more breath than an un-‐aspirated aárm akṣaram. A nasal aárm akṣaram is a syllable sounded through the nose. aár|i-– akṣarāṇi means alphabet. A vowel is called a Svr: -‐ svaraḥ. A consonant is a Vy{jn -‐ vyañjana. A semi-‐vowel is aNt:S' -‐ antaḥstha. A sibilant is ªXm|n -‐ ūṣmāna. An un-‐aspirated consonant is called aLpp/|- -‐ alpaprāṇa. An aspirated consonant is called mh|p/|- -‐ mahāprāṇa. SHEETS 8/9/10 Writing the consonants: as a start, and to help simplify the writing of the consonants, try writing the line at the top first, followed by the downward strokes, then the curved shapes. hlNt -‐ halanta. The word halanta refers to a word ending in a consonant instead of a vowel. It is a grammatical expression. (Hal – is an abbreviated way of representing all the consonants, and anta – means end. ) It is represented by an oblique line just after and below the Saṃskṛta consonant it represents.
- 13. PART 1 SHEET 8 Gutterals k ka …………………… ,kha ………………… g ga …..……………. ` gha .................... $ṅa ....................... h ha ………….……... Palatals c ca …..…...……....... ¡ cha …................... j ja .……………….. ! jha .………….… {| ña .……………… y ya ……..…… z śa …….……… Reading and writing practice , kha ….……..… g ga …......…… , g:….................. khagaḥ .......... bird c ca ………...…............................. c ............................ ca ................. and g ga …………...… j ja …........…… gj:…................... gajaḥ ............. elephant é e……..……...… k ka ….......……ék …..................... eka ................ one AUDIO
- 14. PART 1 SHEET 9 Cerebrals q ṭa ……...…………………Q ṭha …….....……….w ḍa ....………………. W ḍha ….…………..- ṇa .………...……rra ……......….…X|șa .......…………. Dentals t ta …..………….……@|tha ..………………d da …..…………….... = dha.……………n na….…………l la……………. s sa……..………… Reading and writing practice n ....……………………………………..… n …....................... na ................... not t ta ………….... t ta ................. tt:..................... tataḥ ............... therefore g ga ………...… t ta ….........…… gt:…................. gataḥ ...............gone a| ā …..…….… h ha …......….… a|h….................. āha ..................said AUDIO
- 15. PART 1 SHEET 10 Labials p pa......……………f pha….…..……… b ba…........………… # bha…...…….……m ma…………....… v va................... Reading and writing practice £ i ……….........v va ….............. £v ........................... iva .......................... like é e ………...……v va...........…… év ….................... eva ..................... indeed v| vā ......…...…d da….......……v|d:…................... vādaḥ ................. speaking aa …………..... is si ........... ais ........................ asi ....................... am AUDIO
- 16. PART 1 SHEET 11 Practise writing simple Saṁskṛta words, then their transliteration. As you write, please remember the meaning of the word. nm: …..…………………..….… namaḥ .…...…….………………...... a salutation st ………………….……........ sat ….......…….....………………….... existence y'| ……..……………..……..... yathā ……..…..........……………..…. just as t'| ………………….…....….... tathā ………..........………………..... so =nm ………………….………... dhanam ………...........……………… riches/wealth k|r-m …………….………...... kāraṇam …….....…………….......... cause £dm ……………….………....... idam …….....……….………............ this AUDIO
- 17. PART 1 SHEET 12 Practise writing simple Saṃskṛta words, then their transliteration. As you write, please remember the meaning of the word. #ym …..……...……...……..... bhayam …….........................…..…fear a#ym …………………...…….. abhayam........………..........…………fearlessness k|m: ….………….............…… kāmaḥ ….……......………............... pleasure prm .................................. param .......................................highest jp: .…………...........…….…... japaḥ ..….……..................... mental repetition flm .……….............….….... phalam...…..……...........…...........fruit Ñprm: …………………………... uparamaḥ ................….…... withdrawal
- 18. PART 1 SHEET 13 CONSONANTS HAVE TWO PARTS The shapes of the vowels change when they are written within a word. k k + a a = k ka k k + a| ā = k| kā k k + £ i = ik ki k k + £R ī = kI kī k k + Ñ u = ku ku k k + ª ū = kU kū k k + A ŗ = ; kŗ k k + ° ṝ = k¿ kṝ k k + ‚ ḷ = the ‚ is written underneath the k kḷ k k + l¿ ḹ = the l¿ is written underneath the k kḹ k k + é e = ke ke k k + ée ai = kE kai k k + a|e o = k|e ko k k + a|E au = k|E kau AUDIO
- 19. PART 1 SHEET 14 deeh: .............………...............… dehaḥ ..........…..……....………............ body jIv: ............………............…. jīvaḥ .................….....……….......... individual y|eg: .........………...............…. yogaḥ ............…..……....……….............. union ved: .........………................…. vedaḥ ...........………….... body of knowledge ivc|r: .......………..............…. vicāraḥ ...........…..…........……........... enquiry m|eh: .........……….................. mohaḥ ............…..……...……............. delusion ivvek: .........………............…. vivekaḥ .....…..…….......……..... discrimination pu®x: ........……….............….. puruṣaḥ .............…..…….......…........... person AUDIO
- 20. PART 1 SHEET 15 Vowels that come first in a word or pada remain unchanged: Ñp|snm .…………............…. upāsanam ...…..……....…….......... meditation ahm ....……….............…..... aham ............…..……....………................. I £Rz: .....………................…... Īśaḥ ............…..……....………..........The Lord a|exi=: ....………............…... oṣadhiḥ .......…..……....………......... herb/plant AGved:….…...............…........ṛgvedaḥ..........…..……....……….......... Ṛg Veda Ñpi-xd .....…........….......... upaniṣad .........……...………........... Upaniṣad a|k|z: .....………................. ākāśaḥ ..........…..……....………............... space
- 21. PART 1 SHEET 16 CONJUNCT CONSONANTS In Saṁskṛta we can have consonants that appear without a vowel. That halanta consonant can be combined with another consonant and will depend upon the vowel of that other consonant to be sounded. s s + v va = Sv sva Sv|im …..…………………...…... svāmi ………………………...………....……. Swami z ś + v va = Zv śva ŒZvr: .………….............….… īśvaraḥ ...…..……....………....................... Lord k k + A ṛ = ; kṛ x ṣ + - ṇa = X- ṣṇa ;X- …………………………………… kṛṣṇa ………..……..................……… Lord Krishna b b + r ra = b/ bra h h + m ma = ì ma b/ì …………………..……………..…. brahma …………………….………….. universal reality AUDIO
- 22. PART 1 SHEET 17 t t + m ma = Tm tma a|Tm| .………...….............……. ātmā .......…..……....……….............. self d d + y ya = ƒ dya ivƒ ……………………...….……. vidya ……..………………………………... knowledge In some conjunct consonants the shape of the letters change: }| tra D jṅa á kṣa etc Here are some examples showing their construction: t t + r ra = }|tra now putting a s s + }| tra = S}| stra z|S}|m …...……………………….. sāstram ……..……………………......... scripture j j + [ ña = D jña D|nm .………….............….… jñānam ...…..……....………............ knowledge k k + x ṣa = á kṣa aárm …………...........…….… akṣaram ...…..…….…….............. indestructible
- 23. PART 1 SHEET 18 Halanta r before a consonant appears as a small half circle on top of the next vowel sound: pu®x|@|R: ........……….....….. puruṣārthaḥ .............……….......……… human goal 1 a@|R: ....……….............…...... arthaḥ ........……....………................... security 2 k|m: .....……….............…... kāmaḥ ............…..……....………........... pleasure 3 =mR: ....……….............…... dharmaḥ ......…..……....…….............. lawful duty 4 m|eá: ...……….............…... mokṣaḥ ......…..……..……….................. liberation [ k k + x ṣa = á kṣa ] Write the four human goals or puruṣārtha-‐s in Saṃskṛta below: 1 arthaḥ -‐ security...................................................................... 2 kāmaḥ -‐ pleasure.................................................................... 3 dharmaḥ -‐ duty....................................................................... 4 mokṣaḥ -‐ liberation................................................................ AUDIO
- 24. PART 1 SHEET 19 Kaṭha Upaniṣad Invocation & sh n|vvtu « sh n|E #unÇu « sh vIyR" krv|vhE « tejiSvn|v=ItmStu m| ivièx|vhE » & z|iNt: z|iNt: z|iNt: » Om saha nāvavatu saha nau bhunaktu saha vīryaṁ karavāvahai tejasvi nāvadhītam astu mā vidviṣāvahai Om śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ May He protect us both together (through the vision of advaita). May He nourish us both together (by giving us the circumstances In which the vision can flourish). May we have strength together (to face what’s presented with poise). May I have that glow (of inner composure). May I understand well (the Upanishadic vision). May there be no communication gap (between myself and my teacher). May peace and peace and peace be everywhere. AUDIO
- 25. PART 1 SHEET 20 Kaṭha Upaniṣad Invocation -‐ Worksheet sh ....……….…………….....….. saha....................………...…. together n|E …………….…………..………….. nau ..…..…………..…................ us both avtu …………………………………. avatu …….……..............…… may protect May He protect us both sh ....……….…………….....….. saha ........................……………. together n|E …………….…………..………….. nau ……..….....……..…............. us both #unÇu ………………………………. bhunaktu …….….......………........... nourish May He nourish us both sh ....……….…………….....….. saha .........................…………….together vIyRm ……………………………… vīryam …….........……...……........... strength krv|vhE ……….……………...… karavāvahai ……..……...…...... may we have May we have strength together AUDIO
- 26. PART 1 SHEET 21 tejiSvn| ...……….……………..... tejasvinā ................…………. brightness av=Itm ……………....…………… adhītam ……......………understood well aStu …………………………..........… astu ……..................…....……… let it be May I have that glow, and understand well M|| .........................….....……...... mā ……….................................. never ivièx|vhE …………….....…… vidviśāvahai ……........ may there be hatred May we have no communication gap between us Now make your own translation of this invocation: ________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________
- 27. k + t = Kt kta or = ≈ kta k + y = Ky kya k + r = F kra k + l = Kl kla k + v = Kv kva k + w = x kêa ˚ + y = y khya g + ∂ = G∂ gdha g + n = Gn gna g + r = g/ gra © + n = Ìn ghna © + r = ©/ ghra @ + k = ¤ åka @ + ˚ = £ åkha @ + g = ‹ åga @ + © = $ ågha h + n = Ó hna h + m = ˜ hma h + y = Á hya h + r = ˙ hra h + v = ◊ hva c + c = Cc cca c + ç = Cç ccha c + y = Cy cya c + r = c/ cra ç + r = ç^ chra ç + v = çv chva j + y = Jy jya j + r = j? jra j + [ = D jña [ + c = = ñca [ + j = {j ñja q + q = ’ ŒŒa œ + g = ‹ Øga œ + œ = ” ØØa ~ + œ = ˆœ ÃØa ~ + ~ = ˆ~ ÃÃa ~ + y = ˆy Ãya Common consonant combinations/1 AUDIO
- 28. t + k = Tk tka t + t = . tta t + † = T† tta t + n = Tn tna t + p = Tp tpa t + m = Tm tma t + y = Ty tya t + r = ] tra t + v = Tv tva t + s = Ts tsa d + g = % dga d + d = fl dda d + ∂ = fi ddha d + b = ‡ dba d + ∫ = * dbha d + m = µ dma d + y = ƒ dya d + v = √ dva n + t = Nt nta n + d = Nd nda n + ∂ = N∂ ndha n + n = Nn nna n + m = Nm nma n + y = Ny nya n + v = Nv nva p + t = Pt pta p + n = Pn pna p + m = Pm pma p + y = Py pya p + r = p/ pra p + l = Pl pla b + b = Bj bja b + ∂ = B∂ bdha b + y = By bya b + r = b/ bra ∫ + y = ıt bhya ∫ + r = ∫/ bhra ∫ + v = ıv bhva m + p = Mp mpa m + b = Mb mba m + ∫ = M∫ mbha m + y = My mya m + r = m/ mra h + A = H hà Common consonant combinations/2 Consonant + vowel
- 29. h + n = Ó hna h + m = ˜ hma h + y = Á hya h + r = ˙ hra h + v = ◊ hva r + k = kR rka r + g = gR rka r + c = cR rca r + j = jR rja r + t = tR rta r + d = dR rda r + m = mR rma r + y = yR rya l + p = Lp lpa l + y = Ly lya v + y = Vy vya v + r = v/ vra z + c= Zc or Û éca z + r= Zc or Í éra z + v= Zv or Ω éva z + y= Zyor Û éya z + m= Zmor Û éma w + k = Wk êka w + q = ∑ êŒa w + ~ = W~ êÃa w + p = Wp êpa w + y = Wy êya s + t = St sta s + † = S† stha s + n = Sn sna s + π = Sπ spha s + m = Sm sma s + y = Sy sya s + r = ß sra s + v = Sv sva k+t+y = KTy ktya k+t+v = KTv ktva or Ù @+˚+y = £¥ åkhya t+n+y = TNy tnya t+r+y = }y trya t+s+y = TSy tsya t+r+y = }y trya d+v+y = √¥ dvya n+d+r = Nd/ ndra n+∂+r = N∂/ ndhra w+q+v = Ç êŒva Common consonant combinations/3 Multiple consonant combinations
- 30. PART 1 SHEET 25 READING PRACTICE -‐ VOCABULARY SHEETS a#ym abhayam -‐ fearless a|h āha -‐ said a|k|z: ākāśaḥ -‐ space aárm akṣaram -‐ indestructible a@|R: arthaḥ -‐ security aiSt asti -‐ is a|Tm| ātmā -‐ self ahm aham -‐ I #ym bhayam -‐ fear b/ì brahma -‐ universal reality c ca -‐ and deeh: dehaḥ -‐ body =nm dhanam -‐ riches/wealth AUDIO
- 31. PART 1 SHEET 26 =mR: dharmaḥ -‐ lawful action, duty ék eka -‐ one £Rz: Īśaḥ -‐ the lord év eva -‐ indeed gj: gajaḥ -‐ elephant gt: gataḥ -‐ gone (masc.) £dm idam -‐ this ŒZvr: īśvaraḥ -‐ Lord £v iva -‐ like jp: japaḥ -‐ mental repetition jIv: jīvaḥ -‐ individual D|nm jñānam -‐ knowledge k|m: kāmaḥ -‐ pleasure/desire k|r-m kāraṇam -‐ cause ,g: khagaḥ -‐ bird
- 32. PART 1 SHEET 27 k|m: kāmaḥ -‐ pleasure ;X-: kṛṣṇa -‐ Lord Krishna m|eh: mohaḥ -‐ delusion m|eá: mokṣaḥ -‐ liberation N| na -‐ not nm: namaḥ -‐ a salutation/bow a|exi=: oṣadhiḥ -‐ herb/plant prm param -‐ highest flm phalam -‐ fruit pu®x: puruṣaḥ -‐ person sh saha -‐ together z|S}|m śāstram -‐ scripture st sat -‐ existence %I śrī -‐ respectful title Sv|im svāmi -‐ swami
- 33. PART 1 SHEET 28 tt: tataḥ -‐ therefore t'| tathā -‐ so Ñprm: uparamaḥ -‐ withdrawal Ñpi-xd upaniṣad -‐ Upaniṣad Ñp|snm upāsanam -‐ meditation v|d: vādaḥ -‐ speech; argument ved: vedaḥ -‐ body of knowledge ivc|r: vicāraḥ -‐ enquiry ivƒ vidya -‐ knowledge ivvek: vivekaḥ -‐ discrimination y'| yathā -‐ just as y|eg: yogaḥ -‐ union AUDIO