Handbook for

The Online Sanskrit Audio Course

Part Two: Sandhi Rules

By

Carol Whitfield, Ph.D

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Table of Contents

Guëa Våddhi Chart 2

Common Vowel Sandhis 3 Vowel Sandhi Exercises 5 Common Visarga Sandhis 8 Visarga Sandhi Exercises 10 Common Consonant Sandhi 12 Consonant Sandhi Exercises 15

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Guëa Våddhi Chart

Simple Vowel Guëa (A+) Våddhi (Aa+)

A Aa A Aa

# $ @ (A+#) @e (Aa+#)

% ^ Aae (A+%) AaE (Aa+%)

\ § Arœ (A+\) Aarœ (Aa+\)

¤ ¥ Al! (A+¤) Aal! (Aa+¤)

Guëa Våddhi Chart with Semi-Vowel Equivalents

Simple Vowel Guëa (A+) Våddhi (Aa+)

A Aa A Aa

# $ (y! ) @ (Ay! ) @e (Aay! )

% ^ (v! ) Aae (Av! ) AaE (Aav! )

\ § (r œ) Arœ Aarœ

¤ ¥ (l! ) Al! Aal!

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Common Vowel Sandhis

1. Two similar simple vowels coming together are replaced by their long form:

A Aa + A Aa � Aa mala AiSt � malaiSt, @v AaTma � @vaTma

# $ + # $ � $ baexit #it � baextIit , kiv $ñr> kvIñr>

% ^ + % ^ � ^ mxu %Äm � mxUÄm , vxU %Tsv> vxUTsv>

\ § + \ § � § kt&R \tm! � kt¨Rtm! , haet& §kar> � haetkar>

2a. A A A A AaAaAaAa followed by a dissimilar simple vowel is replaced by its corresponding guëa letter:

A Aa + # $ � @ ved #it � vedeit , #CDa #v � #CDev

A Aa + % ^ � Aae }an %Är � }anaeÄr , g¼a %dkm! � g¼aedkm!

A Aa + \ § � Arœ dev \i;> � devi;R> , mha \i; � mhi;R

A Aa + ¤ ¥ � Al! Plut ¤kar> � PlutLkar>, mala ¤kar> � malLkar>

2b. A A A A AaAaAaAa followed by a guëa or våddhi letter is replaced by its corresponding våddhi letter:

A Aa + @ @e � @e sda @v sdEv , gCD @eñyRm! � gCDEñyRm!

A Aa + Aae AaE � AaE sa Aaednm! � saEdnm! , mha AaEicTym! � mhaEicTym!

3. SV - A Aa A Aa A Aa A Aa + DSV ���� SVE

A simple vowel except A or Aa followed by a dissimilar simple vowel changes to its semi-vowel

equivalent. Semi-vowel equivalents: # $ = y! % ^ = v! \ § = rœ ¤ = l! E xamples:

# $ + A � y #it AwR> � #TywR> ,

% ^ + A � v iÇ;u Aip � iÇ:vip

\ § + A � r æt& AwRm! � æÇwRm!

Additional Examples:

ih AaTma � ýaTma , àit %pkar> � àTyupkar> , gaErI @vm! � gaEyeRvm! , lúmI @eñyRm! �

lúMyEñyRm! , mxu $z> � mXvIz> , saxu @eKym! � saXvEKym! , mat& #CDa � maiÇCDa ,

4. Diphthong + AV ���� SVE A diphthong followed by any vowel, including itself, changes to its semi-vowel equivalent. This rule most often occurs in internal sandhi, that is, in the formation of verbs and nouns. Semi-vowel

equivalents: @ =Ay! @e= Aay! Aae =Av! AaE =Aav!

ne Anm! � nynm! , nE Ak> � nayk>

Éae Anm! � Évnm! , naE Aae> � navae>

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5a. When a diphthong final is followed by a vowel, the y! y! y! y! or v! v! v! v! of the semi-vowel equivalent

is optionally dropped and the two remaining vowels do not coalesce.

hre #h � hr #h or hriyh

iv:[ae #h � iv:[ #h or iv:[ivh

deVyE ApRy � deVya ApRy or deVyaypRy

rvaE ASt¼te� rva ASt¼te or rvavSt¼te

5b. But, @ @ @ @ or Aae Aae Aae Aae + A A A A ���� @= @= @= @= or Aae= Aae= Aae= Aae=

But, when @ or Aae at the end of the word is followed by A , the A is replaced by = (avagraha)

@ A � @= ke Aip � ke=ip , mune AÇ � mune=Ç

Aae A � Aae= pué;ae AgCDt! � pué;ae=gCDt!

There are a few occassions when two vowels coming together do not coalesce:

6. When the dual ending of a noun or verb ends in $$$$, ^ ^ ^ ^, or @ @ @ @ , it will not coalesce with a

following vowel.

hrI @taE

iv:[U @maE

g¼e AmU

7. If a simple vowel (short or long) at the end of a word is followed by short \\\\ , it is

optionally not combined and the preceding vowel, if long, is made short.

äüa \i;> � äüi;R> or äü \i;>

sÝ \;I[am! � sÝ;IR[am! or sÝ \;I[am!, 8. When two vowels are brought together by the disappearance of an intervening

consonant or visarga, they do not coalesce.

nr> #CDit � nr #CDit

jayte #it � jayty! #it � jayt #it

5

Vowel Sandhi Exercises

Please do the sandhis in the left column and check your work in the right column. You can also try to recognize the sandhis in the right column, even though you may not know the vocabulary at this point.

Exercises from siNxciNÔka *

iÇpur Air> iÇpurair>

mha Aaly> mhaly>

AiÉ #òm! AÉIòm!

àit $][m! àtI][m!

Éanu %dy> ÉnUdy>

tnU %XvRm! tnUXvRm!

ipt& \[m! ipt[m!

dev #NÔ> deveNÔ>

g[ $z> g[ez>

ywa #it yweit

%Éa $z> %Éez>

iht %pdez> ihtaepdez>

@k ^niv<zit> @kaeniv<zit>

g¼a %Ärm! g¼aeÄrm!

zuæ \i;> zuæi;R> or zuæ \i;>

jn @kta jnEkta

mha @eñyRm! mhEñyRm!

jl Aae"> jlaE">

suoSy AaEpiykm! suoSyaEpiykm!

Av @it AvEit

à @xte àExte

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ivñ ^h> ivñaeh>

à \[aeit à[aeRit

%p \CDn! %pCDRn!

Av @jte AvEjt

à Aae;it àaE;it

dix AÇ dXyÇ

vStu #dm! viSTvdm!

vxU Aannm! vXvannm!

suxI ^ihtm! suXyUihtm!

mat& AwRm! maÇwRm!

ce Anm! (Internal sandhi) cynm!

lae Anm! (Internal sandhi) lvnm!

cE Ak> (Internal sandhi) cayk>

StaE Ak> (Internal sandhi) Stavk>

ke Aaste k Aaste or kyaste

ASmE %Ïr ASma %Ïr or ASmayuÏr

iïyE %*t> iïya %*t> or iïyayu*t>

ÖaE AÇ Öa AÇ or ÖavÇ

hre #h hr #h or hriyh

iv:[ae #h iv:[ #h or iv:[ivh

vayae AÇ vayae=Ç

kve Av kve=v

ivÉae Av ivÉae=v

hre AÇ hre=Ç

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Vowel sandhis found in the ÉgvÌIta

ved #it vedeit

mÙe[ %´ mÙe[ae

nnu %´ nnU

hetu AwRSy heTvwRSy

àkr[ AwR àkr[awR

@v AaTma @vaTma

n %pp*te naepp*te

@v #v #it @veveit

gCDit AiSt gCDTyiSt

buiÏ Aaid AaùtSy buÏ(a*aùtSy

zBd Aaid AwRSy Aivi³y zBda*wRSyaivi³y

"atyit #it %ÉyÇ Aa]ep @v AwR> "atytITyuÉyÇa]epEvawR>

àma #CDa %pdez> àmeCDaepdez>

#it Aaid AaTma @kTv Akt&RTv Aaid #Tya*aTmEkTvakt&RTvaid

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Common Visarga Sandhis

1. A A A A + > > > > + SC or A A A A ���� Aae Aae= Aae Aae= Aae Aae= Aae Aae=

Visarga preceded by AAAA and followed by a soft consonant or AAAA, visarga changes to Aae Aae Aae Aae and the A A A A changes to avagraha.

mUF> Ais � mUFae=is , izv> ACyR> � izvae=CyR> , dev> Aym! � devae=ym!

AaTmn> †òa � AaTmnae †òa , nr> yait � nrae yait , ram> gCDit � ramae gCDit

2. A A A A + > > > > + AV - A A A A ���� drops

Visarga preceded by AAAA and followed by any vowel except AAAA, visarga drops.

%NmÄ> #v � %NmÄ #v

äü[> Aagt> � äü[ Aagt>

AacayR> %pdez> � AacayR %pdez>

ram> @it � ram @it

3. Aa Aa Aa Aa + > > > > + SC or V ���� drops

Visarga preceded by AaAaAaAa and followed by a soft consonant or vowel, visarga drops.

zaeCya> AzaeCya> � zaeCya AzaeCya>

deva> #h � deva #h

4a. AV - A A A A Aa Aa Aa Aa + > > > > + SC or V ���� rœ rœ rœ rœ

Visarga preceded by any vowel except A A A A or Aa Aa Aa Aa and followed by a soft consonant or vowel,

visarga changes to rœ rœ rœ rœ

buiÏ> ye;am! � buiÏyeR;am!

tE> ivna � tEivRna

AasI> @v � AasIrev

4b. rœ rœ rœ rœ + rœ rœ rœ rœ ���� drops and the preceding vowel if short is lengthened.

rœ followed by rœ is dropped and the preceding vowel if short is lengthened.

hir> rMy> � hirrœ rMy> � hrI rMy>

zMÉu> rajte � zMÉurœ � rajte � zMÉU rajte

punrœ rmte � puna rmte

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5. AV + > > > > + k o k o k o k o ���� > > > > (ggh) AasI> ik � AasI> ik

c c c c DDDD ���� z!!z!!z!!z!! jIvt> c � jIvtí

q Q q Q q Q q Q ���� ;!;!;!;! iv;y> qIka � iv;yòIka

t w t w t w t w ���� s!s!s!s! prmawRt> tu � prmawRtStu

p ) p ) p ) p ) ���� > > > > (fff) pun> pun> � pun> pun>

6. AV + > > > > + z z z z ���� > > > > or z! z! z! z! hir> zete � hir> zet or hirZzete

; ; ; ; ���� > > > > or ;!;!;!;! deva> ;qœ � deva> ;qœ or deva:;qœ

s s s s ���� > > > > or s! s! s! s! mn> suom! � mn> suom! or mnSsuom!

7. s> s> s> s> and @;> @;> @;> @;>

s> and @;> drop their visarga when followed by a consonant in a sentence. When followed by a

vowel, they will follow normal sandhi rules.

s> baex> ���� s baex>

s> Aym! ���� sae=ym!

s> #CDit ���� s #CDit

@;> AaTma ���� @; AaTma

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Visarga Sandhi Exercises

Please do the sandhis in the left column and check your work in the right column. You can also try to recognize the sandhis in the right column, even though you may not know the vocabulary at this point.

Most exercises are taken from siNxciNÔka *

ram> gCDit ramae gCDit

hir> zete hirZzete or hir> zet

bal> clit balílit

izv> vN*> izvae vN*>

iv:[u> Çata iv:[uôata

mn> suom! mnSsuom! or mn> suom!

ved> AxIt> vedae=xIt>

ram> kraeit ram> kraeit

punrœ rmte puna rmte

i]Ý> wuTkar> i]ÝSwuTkar>

k«:[> jyit k«:[ae jyit

trae> Daya traeZDaya

deva> ;qœ deva:;qœ or deva> ;qœ

äü[a> Aagta> äü[a Aagta>

k> pcit k> pcit

xnu> q»ar> xnuò»ar>

mn> Éav> mnae Éav>

s> baex> s baex>

s> #CDit s #CDit

yz> lÉte yzae lÉte

ctur> QŠ…r> cturóŠ…r>

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deva> #h deva #h

bal> #CDit bal #CDit

hir> r]it hrI r]it

Aña> xaviNt Aña xaviNt

nr> %paix> nr %paix>

gué> Éa;te guéÉaR;te

zMÉu> rajte zMÉU rajte

pué;> %pgCDit pué; %pgCDit

hir> #CDit hirirCDit

Visarga sandhis found in the ÉgvÌIta

y> ved yae ved

pué;> Aixk«t> hiNt pué;ae=ixk«tae hiNt

hNte> tu hNteStu

pué;> #it pué; #it

AaTmn> Aivi³yTvm! AaTmnae=ivi³yTvm!

àit;ex> @v àitzex @v

yaeg> %Cyte yaeg %Cyte

k> AsaE kae=saE

tyae> Aip tyaerip

k…vaR[a> k«p[a> dIna> )lhetv> k…vaR[a> k«p[a dIna> )lhetv>

iv:[ae> mae]aOym! iv:[aemaeR]aKym!

ivÊ;> AivÊ;> c ivÊ;ae=ivÊ;í

ivjanIt> #it ivjanIt #it

prmawRt> Aivi³y> @v AaTma prmawRtae=ivi³y @vaTma

ivÊ;> mumu]ae> c ivÊ;ae mumu]aeí

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Common Consonant Sandhis

1. hc + sc or v ���� 3

rd of class

A hard consonant followed by a soft consonant or vowel changes to the third of its class.

st! Évit � sÑvit

m&t! Vyitreke[ � m&™itreke[

àakœ ^Xv¡� àagUXv¡

2. Mutes – nasal + hc ���� 1

st of class

Mutes, except nasals, change to the 1st letter of their class when follwed by a hard consonant.

idg! pal> � idKpal>

sMpdœ kam> � sMpTkam>

ivrafœ pué;> � ivraqœ pué;>

3. Dental + Palatal ���� Palatal

When s! or a dental consonant is combined with z! or a palatal consonant, it changes to z! or

the 1st or 3

rd palatal, depending on whether the palatal is a hard or soft consonant, i.e. s! �z! , t!

� c! , dœ � j!

tt! c � t½ , @tt! Daya @tCDaya

tt! jhait � t¾hait , tt! Hiqit � tJHiqit

tan! jy � taÃy , yj! n> � y}>

rams! zete � ramZzete , rams! icnaeit � ramiínaeit

4. Dental + Lingual ���� Lingual

When s! or a dental consonant is combined with ;! or a lingual consonant, it changes to ;! or

the 1st or 3

rd lingual, depending on whether the lingual is a hard or soft consonant, i.e. s! � ;!,

t! � qœ, dœ � fœ

tt! qIka � t”Ika , tt! Qar> tqœQar>

tt! fynm! � tfœfynm! , tt! Falm! � tfœFalm!

ci³n! FaEkse � ci³{FaEkse , rams! qIkte � ramòIkte

rams! ;ò> � ram:;ò> , pe;! ta � peòa

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5. Dental ( t!t!t!t! or dœ dœ dœ dœ) + l l l l ���� l! l! l! l! and n! n! n! n! ���� ~l! ~l! ~l! ~l!

A dental final ( t!t!t!t! or dœ dœ dœ dœ) followed by l is changed to l! , the dental nasal n! is changed to l!~

tt! ly> � t‘y>

tdœ lIn> � t‘In>

ivÖan! iloit � ivÖal!~ iloit

6. t! t! t! t! + z! z! z! z! ���� CDœ CDœ CDœ CDœ optionally

A t! followed by z! becomes c! and the following z! becomes Dœ optionally.

tt! ïuTva � tCÀ‚Tva or tCïuTva;

tt! izv> � tiCDv> or tiCzv>

ïImt! z<krÉgvTpad> � iïmCD<krÉgvTpad> or iïmCz<krÉgvTpad>

7. n! ++ n! ++ n! ++ n! ++ + z z z z ���� ÁDœ ÁDœ ÁDœ ÁDœ optionally

A n! ++ followed by z! becomes |! and the following z! becomes Dœ optionally

mxuran! + zBdan! + z&[aeit � mxuraÁDBdaÁD&[aeit or mxuraÁzBdaÁz&[aeit 8. Any mute + nasal ���� appropriate nasal optionally Any word-final mute followed by a word-initial nasal becomes the nasal of mute’s class.

@tt! ma k…é � @tNma k…é or @tÒa k…é

vakœ my> � va'œmy> or vaGmy>

cet! n � ceÚ or cedœ n

9. n! n! n! n! + soft palatal or soft lingual ���� nasal of class

Final n! followed by a soft palatal or lingual changes to the nasal of the class.

danvan! jyit � danvaÃyite

tan! fynm! � ta{fynm!

10. nnnn! ! ! ! + c D q Q t wc D q Q t wc D q Q t wc D q Q t w���� AnuSvar AnuSvar AnuSvar AnuSvar + z! ;! sz! ;! sz! ;! sz! ;! s ! ! ! ! ( <z! <;! <s! <z! <;! <s! <z! <;! <s! <z! <;! <s! )

A final n! followed by a hard palatal, lingual, or dental changes to AnuSvar and the sibilant of the

following letter’s class.

kiSmn! ict! � kiSm<iít!

mhan! qIkakar> � mha<òIkakar>

mUoaRn! Tyjit � mUoa¡STyjit

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11. n! n! n! n! ���� [! [! [! [!

n! following \ rœ ;! changes to [! even if a vowel, semi-vowel except l!, gutteral, labial or the

letter hœ intervenes. This does not apply when n! ends the word.

ram #n rame[ , hir na hir[a

12. Short vowel + 'œ [! 'œ [! 'œ [! 'œ [! or n! n! n! n! + any vowel ���� nasal doubles

Final 'œ [! or n! are doubled when they occur after a short vowel and precede any initial vowel.

Stuvn! AagCDit � StuvÚagCDit , hsn! #v � hsiÚv

13. m! m! m! m! + any consonant ���� AnuSvarAnuSvarAnuSvarAnuSvar

Final m! when followed by a consonant changes to AnuSvar optionally, and necessarily when

followed by z! ;! s! hœ. When it is not changed to AnuSvar, it is changed to the nasal of the class of

the following letter and to a nasal y!~ v!~ l!~ when followed by y! v! l! respectively.

ym! ih � y< ih , pué;m! sme � pué;< sme

sm! gCDit � s<gCDit or s¼CDit , yaEvnm! jra � yaEvn< jra or yaEvnÃra

xn< ddait � xn< ddait or xnNddait , sm! yNta � s<yNta or sy!~yNta

ym! laekm! �y< laekm! or yl!~laekm!!

14. Mute + hœ hœ hœ hœ ���� 3rd and 4

th mute optionally.

Initial hœ after a final mute optionally changes to the soft aspirate of the preceding mute and the

mute will change to the 3rd

of its class optionally.

@tt! hrit � @tÏrit or @tdœ hrit

vakœ ih � vaiG" or vag! ih , tt! ih � tiÏ or vag! ih

15. s! s! s! s! ���� ;!;!;!;!

s! changes to ;! when it follows any vowel except A Aa, a gutteral, or rœ

vakœ su � va]u

hir su �hir;u

16. s! s! s! s! and rœ rœ rœ rœ ���� > > > >

At the end of words, s!, whether followed by any letter or not, and rœ , followed by a hard

consonant or by nothing, are changed to visarga.

rams! � ram> , punrœ punrœ � pun> pun>

punrœ AiSt�punriSt , punrœ jIvit � punjIRvit

15

Consonant Sandhi Exercises

Please do the sandhis in the left column and check your work in the right column. You can also try to recognize the sandhis in the right column, even though you may not know the vocabulary at this point.

Most exercises are taken from siNxciNÔka *

st! ict! si½t!

tt! Div> tCDiv>

@tdœ jlm! @t¾lm!

zai¼n! jy zai¼Ãy>

tt! qIka t”Ika

Ai¶ict! Qkar> Ai¶icqœQkar>

saemsut! fIn> saemsufœfIn>

ci³n! FaEkse ci³{FaEkse

vakœ $z> vgIz>

Ac! ANt> AjNt>

;qœ ivÖa<s> ;ifœvÖa<s>

jgt! $z> jgdIz>

tt! xnm! tÏnm!

yux! _yam! yuÑ(am!

Ap! Éa{f> ABÉa{f>

vakœ hir> vGxir> or vag! hir>

tt! ihtm! tiÏtm! or tdœ ihtm!

tt! hnnm! tÏnnm! or tdœ hnnm!

Ac! ÿSv> AJH+Sv> or Aj! ÿSv>

;qœ hlain ;fœFlain or ;fœ hlain

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Ap! hr[m! ABÉr[m! or Ab! hr[m!

%dœ wanm! %Twanm!

%dœ tMÉnm! %ÄMÉnm!

%dœ wapk> %Twapk>

sMpdœ kam> sMpTkam>

ivrafœ pué;> ivraqœpué;>

tt! ly> t‘y>

tdœ lIn> t‘In>

ivÖan! iloit ivÖal!~ iloit

idkœ nag> id'œ nag> or id¶g>

@tt! murair> @tNmurair> or @tÒurair>

Ap! m¶> AMm¶> or ABm¶>

Tv< kraei; Tv»raei; or Tv< kraei;

pu:p< icnaeit pu:piÂnaeit or pu:p< icnaeit

^Xv¡ fIyte ^XvR{fIyte or ^Xv¡ fIyte

xn< ddait xnNddait or xn< ddait

puStk< pQit puStkMpQit or puStk< pQit

gCDn! ckaer> gCD~íkaer> or gCD<íkaer>

mhan! Ded> mha~ZDed> or mha<ZDed>

mhan! qIkakar> mha~òIkakar> or mha<òIkakar>

ci³n! ÇaySv ci³~ôaySv or ci³<ôaySv

àTy'œ AaTma àTy'œ'aTma

sugu[! $z> sug{[Iz>

sn! ACyut> sÚCyut>

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Consonant sandhis found in the ÉgvÌIta

ik<ict! hiNt ik<icdœ hiNt or ik<icÏiNt

ANyt! ivÊ;> ANyiÖÊ;>

Aivi³yat! AaTmn> Aivi³yadaTmn>

cet! n ceÚ or cedœ n

AacayaRn! iz:ya> AacayRiÁD:ya> or AacayRiÁz:ya>

tt! ih tdœ ih or tiÏ

à}avadan! c à}avada<í

st! v&ÄTvat! sÖÄTvat!

mt! inimÄm! miÚimÄm! or miÐihtm!

kdaict! Ahm! kdaicdhm!

Aasn! @v AasÚev

tan! itit]Sv ta<iStit]Sv

tan! zIt %:[ AadIn! taÁDItae:[adIn!

st! Évit sÑvit

tSmat! "qaid tSm˜aqaid

VyiÉcarat! n VyiÉcaraÚ or VyiÉcaradœ n

tt! yt! st! @v t*Tsdev

jgt! ttm! jgÄtm!

inrvyvTvat! dehaidvt! inrvyvTvaÎehaidvt!