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Śrimad Bhagavad
Gītā
Pronunciation Tips

One of the most important aspects of any ASPECT 1: SHORT VOWELS AND
Pronunciation Tips
ASPECT 3: NASAL LETTERS
language is accurate pronunciation. In LONG VOWELS
The third important aspect is Nasal letters
Sanskrit, pronunciation is very important
Let us look at Short vowels and long ु सकाः (anunāsikāḥ). The
known as अननाश्र
because even minor changes in pronunciation
vowels known as ह्रस्व-स्वराः (hrasva ु सक (anunāsika) letters
pronunciation of अननाश्र
may change the meaning of the word
svarāḥ) and दीर्म-स्वराः (dīrgha svarāḥ). The is as follows:
drastically. For eg: The word फलम ् (phalam)
short vowels are those which take one ङ्ग – as in सत्सङ्ग (satsaṅga)
means fruit, whereas पलम (् palam) means meat.
मात्राकाल (mātrā kāla) and long vowels are ञ –् as in यञ्ज
ु ीत (yuñjīta)
This we can see in the गीता वाक्य - अनाश्रितः कममफलम ्
those which take two मात्राकाल (mātrā kāla) ि – पारायिम (् pārāyaṇam)
(gītāvākya – anāśritaḥ karmaphalam).
for pronunciation. For eg: If we take the na and ma as in – नमः (namaḥ)
Similarly, the word अंसः (aṃsaḥ) means
6th śloka from 7th chapter, it goes as Now if we see śloka 8 in chapter 5, this is a
Shoulder, while the word अंशः (aṃśaḥ) means
follows: good example to practice the अननाश्र ु सकs.
‘a portion of the whole’. This would be useful
ु
॥ एतद्योनीश्रन भूताश्रन सवामिीत्यपधारय ॥ ॥पश्यञ्श्रृण्वन्स्पृशश्रञ्जघ्रन्नश्नन्गच्छन्स्वपञ्श्वसन॥्
when we pronounce and understand the
etadyonīni bhūtāni (paśyañśrṛṇvanspṛśañjighrannaśnangacchan
Gītāvākya –एकांशने श्रितो जगत ् (ekāṃśena sthito
sarvāṇītyupadhāraya svapañśvasan).
jagat).
Now, the natural question which comes in our
Here, in the word एतद्योनीश्रन (etadyonīni),
mind would be, what are these pronunciation
the first नी (nī) is दीर्म (dīrgha), and the
points which we need to be conscious of? The
second श्रन (ni) is ह्रस्व (hrasva). In भूताश्रन ASPECT 4: ‘ŚA’ VS ‘ṢA’ – TĀLAVYA ‘ŚA’
answer is given in श्रशक्षा शास्त्रम ् (śikṣā śāstram),
(bhūtāni) and उपधारय (upadhāraya) – we VS MŪRDHANYA ‘ṢA‘
which is the science of phonetics. One of the
should be more careful to end the पाद
widely accepted phonetic texts is पाश्रिनीयश्रशक्षा Now let us see the next guideline which is
(pāda) with ह्रस्व (hrasva) only.
(pāṇinīya śikṣā). This science of phonetics the difference between श śa as in śiva and ष
Next, If we take śloka 14 of chapter 7,
establishes the origin of letters i.e िान (sthāna) ṣa as in ṣaṇmukha.
ु
॥ दैवी ह्येषा गिमयी मम माया दुरत्यया ॥
and the effort of pronunciation i.e प्रयत्न If we see – śloka 2 of chapter 7 -
(daivī hyeṣā guṇamayī mama māyā
(prayatna). ॥ इदं वक्ष्याम्यशेषतः॥
duratyayā)
These time-tested, scientific rules have many (idaṃ vakṣyāmyaśeṣataḥ)
benefits. They actually make pronunciation Here, the first श ् (ś) in अशेषतः (aśeṣataḥ) is
Here we can observe the dīrgha at the
easy. They bring consistency to the language. तालव्य-शकार (tālavya-śakāra) and the second
ु
end of दैवी, ह्येषा, गिमयी, माया and दुरत्यया.
They make the experience of reciting and ् is मूध मन्य-षकार (mūrdhanya-ṣakāra.
ष (ṣ)
listening very sweet and blissful. Finally, above
all, this science helps in meeting the main ASPECT 2: LESS EFFORT AND HIGH
objective of not changing the intended EFFORT LETTERS ASPECT 5 : HAKĀRA AND VISARGA
meaning.
Now let us go to the pronunciation of less Let us look at the following examples.
While these nuances of pronunciation have to
effort letters and high effort letters In śloka 23 of Chapter 13,
be learnt under the personal guidance of a
known as अल्पप्रािाः (alpaprāṇāḥ) and ु ैः सह ॥
॥ प्रकृ तत च गि
learned Guru, we are making an attempt to
महाप्रािाः (mahāprāṇāḥ). For eg: If we take (prakṛtiṃ ca guṇaiḥ saha)
provide some useful tips for better
śloka no. 16 in chapter 7: where हकार (hakāra) is used
pronunciation of Śrimad-Bhagavad-Gītā. In
॥ आतो श्रजज्ञास ुरर्ामर्ी ॥ In śloka 47 of Chapter 1;
this section we mention both the mandatory
(ārto jijñāsurarthārthī) ॥ शोकसंश्रवग्नमानसः ॥
and optional pronunciation guidelines, with
Here, the first त in आतो is अल्पप्राि and in || śokasaṃvignamānasaḥ ||
some examples from the Gītā.
the word अर्ामर्ी – both the र्कार (thakāra) where visarga is used.
are महाप्रािs.
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ASPECT 6: COMPOUND LETTERS iii) When Visarga is followed by प Pa, फ Pha, it is ASPECT 8: ANUSVĀRA GUIDELINES

replaced by another letter called ‘ उपध्मानीय Now let us come to the eighth aspect
Now let us look at the sixth aspect.
(upadhmānīya) . For eg: in the 1st Śloka of 7th ु
which pertains to अनस्वार (anusvāra)।
This pertains to the usage of
Chapter, i) In case of anusvāra followed by any
compound letters in words known as
॥ मय्यासक्तमनाः पार् म ॥ वर्गीय व्यञ्जन (vargīya vyañjana), the
ु ाक्षराश्रि (saṃyuktākṣarāṇi)
संयक्त
(mayyāsaktamanāḥ pārtha ) anusvāra is replaced by the fifth letter of
In this aspect, care should be taken to
we can observe the उपध्मानीय. the corresponding varga. This is an
ु ाक्षर
pronounce each letter of the संयक्त
optional rule when anusvāra is at the
(saṃyuktākṣara). Some examples are
iv) In case Visarga is followed by ‘क्ष Kṣa’ the end of the word. We have exercised and
śloka 9 in 7th Chapter
visarga has to be fully pronounced. For eg: in followed this option in our product fully.
ू षे ु तपश्चाश्रि तपश्रस्वष ु ॥
॥ जीवनं सवमभत
Śloka 13, in Chapter 12, For eg: In śloka 3 of 1st chapter,
( jīvanaṃ sarvabhūteṣu tapaścāsmi
॥ समदुःखस ुखः क्षमी ॥ ्
॥ आचायम महतीं चमूम ॥
tapasviṣu)
(samaduḥkhasukhaḥ kṣamī) ( ācārya mahatīṃ camūm )
Here the श śa in तपश्चाश्रि, and स sa in
Also note the pronunciation of the word दुःख can be optionally pronounced as –
तपश्रस्वष ु has to be carefully pronounced.
(duḥkha)carefully. ्
॥ आचायम महतीञ्चमूम ॥
Another example where 3 letters are
(ācārya mahatīñcamūm)
compounded would be
v) In case ओकारः (okāraḥ) occurs at the end of a
॥ अहं कृ त्स्नस्य जगतः ॥
Pāda, as seen in Śloka 24 of Chapter 7, ॥ परं भावम ् In case anusvāra is followed by यकारः
(ahaṃ kṛtsnasya jagataḥ )
अजानन्तो ॥ (paraṃ bhāvam ajānanto) the word is (yakāra), लकारः ( lakāraḥ), वकारः
We can also look at examples
split as (vakāraḥ) optionally, these three letters
ु सकs.
involving अननाश्र
्
॥ परं भावम अजानन्तः ॥ ु सक form.
take the अननाश्र
śloka 2 in Chapter 7 is
(paraṃ bhāvam ajānantaḥ) For eg: 8th śloka in chapter 15
्
॥ यज्ज्ञात्वा न ेह भूयोऽन्यत ज्ञातव्यमवश्रशष्यते ॥
, according to Sandhi rules; if we are pausing at शरीरं यद ् अवाप्नोश्रत
( yajjñātvā neha bhūyo'nyat
the end of the pāda. (śarīraṃ yad avāpnoti)
jñātavyamavaśiṣyate)
can be optionally pronounced as
vi) Sometimes visarga at the end of a pāda gets शरीरय्यदवाप्ाोति
eliminated. This is called लोपकायम (lopakārya). śarīrayyadavāpnoti
When we are splitting the pāda, we need to
which we have followed in this product.
ASPECT 7: VISARGA GUIDELINES pronounce the visarga in that place. For eg: in
In the 12th śloka of Chapter 1
the Śloka 28 of Chapter 7,
तसहनादं श्रवनद्योच् ैः
The seventh aspect would be Visarga मु ा भजन्ते मां दृढव्रताः
ते द्वन्द्वमोहश्रनमक्त
(siṃhanādaṃ vinadyoccaiḥ)
related guidelines. (te dvandvamohanirmuktā bhajante māṃ
can be optionally pronounced as
i) The first would be Visarga succeeded dṛḍhavratāḥ).
स िंहनादव्ववनद्ाोच्चैः
by सकारः (sakāraḥ). Here the visarga Here Visarga needs to be pronounced at the end
takes the form of ‘S’. For eg, Śloka 19 siṃhanādavvinadyoccaiḥ
of the pāda, If we are pausing at the end of the
in Chapter 7 – which is adopted in this product.
pāda, As
् त॥
॥ वास ुदेवः सवमम इश्र मु ाः भजन्ते मां दृढव्रताः
ते द्वन्द्वमोहश्रनमक्त
(vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti) ( te dvandvamohanirmuktāḥ bhajante māṃ
Here we have 2 सकारs. dṛḍhavratāḥ). Now with the blessings of
ii) When श्रवसग म is succeeded by क Ka, ख vii) Now consider the Śloka 22 in 7th Chapter Jagadguru Bhagavān Śrī
kha, it is replaced by another letter ु स्तस्याराधनमीहते
स तया िद्धया यक्त Kṛṣṇa, let us enjoy the bliss of
called as श्रजह्वामूलीय (jihvāmūlīya) . (sa tayā śraddhayā yuktastasyārādhanamīhate)
Gītā-mātā, by observing and
For example in Śloka 8 of Chapter 7 Here if we are pausing at end of the pāda, we
॥ शब्दः खे पौरुषं नृष ु ॥ experiencing these
need to pronounce as;
( śabdaḥ khe pauruṣaṃ nṛṣu ). Here ु ः तस्याराधनमीहते
स तया िद्धया यक्त pronunciation aspects.
we can observe the श्रजह्वामूलीय. ( sa tayā śraddhayā yuktaḥ
tasyārādhanamīhate) || Sulagnāḥ Sāvadhānāḥ ||
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