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Mantras Sanskrit
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Last updated 05/2008

Sanskrit

Table B. Pronunciation of Vowels  Table C. Pronunciation of Consonants


Table A. The Sanskrit Alphabet
  25 Consonants, 4 Semi-Vowels, 4 Sibilants 13 Vowels
Unvoiced Voiced Voiced
Un
aspirate		 Aspirate Sibilant
(aspirate)		 Un
aspirate		 Aspirate Nasal Semi-
vowel		 Simple Diphthong
Short Long Long
1. Velar ka kha ha ga gha ṅa   a ā a+i
=e		 ā+i
=ai
2. Palatal ca cha śa ja jha ña ya i ī
3. Cerebral ṭa ṭha ṣa ḍa ḍha ṇa ra ṛ ṝ    
4. Dental ta tha sa da dha na la ḷ   a+u
=o		 ā+u
=au
5. Labial pa pha   ba bha ma va u ū
Anusvāra       ṁ      
Visarga    ḥ         

  Note:

  1. The sounds of the 25 consonants are formed by complete contact of the tongue with the palate.
  2. The four semi-vowels are voiced and unaspirated, and their sounds are formed by slight contact.
  3. Three of the four sibilants (excepting 'ha') are unvoiced and aspirated, and their sounds are formed by half contact. Note that 'ha' is a voiced velar sound but classified as a sibilant.
  4. The unvoiced consonants are crisp and sharp, and the voiced low and soft. To know the difference between a voiced and unvoiced sound, hold the front of your throat with you hand and pronounce a syllable. It is a voiced sound if your hand detects a vibration in your throat; an unvoiced sound if no vibration. To know the difference between an aspirated and an unaspirated sound, place you palm in front of your mouth and pronounce a syllable. It is an aspirated sound if your breath hits your palm; an unaspirated sound if no hit. Native English-speaking people may find it difficult to make unvoiced, unaspirated syllables that run from 'ka' to 'pa.' This difficulty can be overcome once you understand the difference.
  5. In Table A, each non-vowel letter is followed by the short vowel 'a' to facilitate pronunciation. To learn the Sanskrit alphabet, follow the pronunciation guideline in Table B and Table C. Recite the 13 vowels in Table B row by row. Recite the rest 33 letters in the order listed in the first column of Table C, also adding the short vowel 'a' to each. Unlike the consonants, the sounds of Anusvāra and Visarga in the last two rows of Table A or Table C depend on the vowel preceding them. Textbooks include them with the vowels.
  6. To follow an audio, you can access Table B or Table C and minimize the Media Player window to see the text. The recording will continue to play if you have set the Media Player at the Repeat mode.

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