Transliteration is a process of writing the words of one language using another language to produce literally the same sounding word. Sanskrit transliteration is possible by following different conventions. It is not my intention to delve into all of them. The common method used for the transliteration of Sanskrit using roman script (English alphabet) is by following the International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration (IAST). I have used this method of romanization in my transliteration of the Sanskrit verses with a few exceptions. I have included the Sanskrit alphabets and have attempted to find words that would make their sound and the Romanized letters I have used.
Letter sounds as in Romanizedअ u in bun a
आ a in car ā
इ i in pin i
ई ee in tree ī
उ u in put u
ऊ oo in pool ū
ऋ sound between ri and ru ṛ
ए e pen e
ऐ y in fly ai
ओ o in post o
औ ou loud ou
य y in yuk y
र r in rust r
ल l in luck l
व v in vulture v
श sound between s and sh ś
स s in sun s
ष sh in shun sh
क्ष ksh in rickshaw kṣ
ज्ञ jña
क k in kite k
ख kh kh
ग g in goal g
घ gh gh
ङ in ring ng
च ch in chair c
छ ch stressed ch
ज j in jam j
झ jh jh
ञ njh nj
ट t in truck ṭ
ठ th ṭh
ड d in duck ḍ
ढ dh stressed ḍh
ण rn in horn ṇ
त th in thorn t
थ th stressed th
द th in this d
ध th stressed dh
न n in nose n
प p in pot p
फ ph in phew ph
ब b in boat b
भ bh stressed bh
म m in mat m
A period sign above a letter sounds m. Example वनं = vanam
: stressed h sound- ha if after 'a' and hi if after 'i'
ऽ Avagraha When a word ending in ‘a’ and another beginning with ‘a’ are combined this symbol is used. It sounds like ‘u’ in bun. When you see अ in the middle of a Sanskrit word it represents avagraha.
No comments:
Post a Comment