Śikṣā: Phonetics of the Gods

शीक्षा 

Śikṣā (Phonetics) is one of the Vedāngas - a discipline that focuses on the correct pronunciation, accentuation, and phonetics of the Vedic texts. It ensures that the hymns and mantras are recited accurately, preserving their intended sound and meaning.

Taittiriya Upanishad states right at the beginning:

ॐ शीक्षां व्याख्यास्यामः ।
वर्णः स्वरः । मात्रा बलम् ।
साम सन्तानः । इत्युक्तः शीक्षाध्यायः ॥

oṃ śīkṣāṃ vyākhyāsyāmaḥ ।
varṇaḥ svaraḥ | mātrā balam । 
sāma santānaḥ | ityuktaḥ śīkṣādhyāyaḥ 
sāma santānaḥ | ityuktaḥ śīkṣādhyāyaḥ ॥

Om! We shall treat of the phonetics: 
sound, rhythm, quantity, strength, modulation, union. 
Thus has been declared the lesson on phonetics
(Translation by A. Mahadev Sastri)

One of the important texts for this vedānga is the Pāṇinīya Śikṣā (पाणिनीयशिक्षा). I have selected shlokas from this text that I use as a basis for honing my own chanting skills. This is a living document and I plan to keeping adding relevant shlokas that help me gain clarity. I am sharing this in the hope it may help others too.

1. WAYS OF CHANTING

a. What are the qualifying qualities of a  chanter? 

माधुर्यमक्षरव्यक्तिः पदच्छेदस्तु सुस्वरः 
धैर्यं लयसमर्थं च षडेते पाठका गुणाः ३३

akṣaravyaktiḥ padacchedas tu susvaraḥ | 
dhairyaṁ layasamarthaṁ ca ṣaḍ ete pāṭhakā guṇāḥ ||33||

माधुर्यम pleasantness in tone 
अक्षर व्यक्तिः clarity of individual syllables
पद छेदस् correct deconstruction of words 
सुस्वरः correct pitch 
धैर्यं composure/ free of hesitation
लय समर्थं continuity of meter 
षड एते पाठका गुणाः six qualifying qualities of a reciter 

b. Which qualities to avoid for a chanter? 

गीती शीघ्री शिरःकम्पी तथा लिखितपाठकः 
अनर्थज्ञोऽल्पकण्ठश्च षडेते पाठकाधमाः ३२

 gītī śīghrī śiraḥkampī tathā likhitapāṭhakaḥ | 
 ‘lpakaṇṭhaś ca ṣaḍ ete pāṭhakādhamāḥ ||32|| 

गीती singing
शीघ्री too fast
शिरःकम्पी head shaking
लिखितपाठकः reading from text
अनर्थज्ञः not understanding (what you recite)
अल्पकण्ठः low voice
षड एते पाठकाः अधमाः these six are bad reciters

Note: In the modern day, most are students at various stages of evolution and should not be discouraged by this shloka but merely use it as an aspirational reference.

2. PRONUNCIATION

a. Hakara (ह) + Panchama Varga (न ण ञ ङ म)

हकारं पञ्चमैर्युक्तमन्तःस्थाभिश्च संयुतम् 
औरस्यं तं विजानीयात्कण्ठ्यमाहुरसंयुतम् १६

hakāraṁ pañcamair yuktam antaḥsthābhiś ca saṁyutam | 
aurasyaṁ taṁ vijānīyāt kaṇṭhyam āhur asaṁyutam ||16||

When hakaara (ह) is joined with panchama vargas (न ण ञ ङ म), then pronunciation becomes urasya and not kanthya. 

In Brahma, if you pronounce ha before ma, you feel it in the kantha. If you pronounce ma and then ha then you feel in the uras (उरस् means chest/breast). 

Same with ब्रह्मन् , ब्राह्मण, जाह्नवि - written as Jah-navi but should be pronounced as Jan-havi.

b. Visarga transformation 8 ways

ओभावश्च विवृत्तिश्च शषसा रेफ एव च 
जिह्वामूलमुपध्मा च गतिरष्टविधोष्मणः १४ 

obhāvaś ca vivṛttiś ca śaṣasā repha eva ca | 

jihvāmūlam upadhmā ca gatir aṣṭavidhoṣmaṇaḥ ||14|| 
 
ऊष्मणः (visarga) is converted in 8 possible ways:

Visarga  Conversion 1 — ओभाव
Visarga becomes an ओ if followed by a svara (vowel)

Example 1: शिवः अहम् —> शिवोऽहम् (the avagraha “ऽ” is added since the second word starts with अ according rule for उत्व् सन्धि)
Example 2: मनः भाव —> मनोभाव
Example 3: पुरः हित —> पुरोहित

Visarga Conversion 2 — विवृत्ति

The visarga disappears after an अ  if followed by any vowel other than अ in the next word (Lola Sandhi)
Example 1: रामः आगच्छति —> राम आगच्छति
राम = र् +अ  म्+अ hence ends अ
Following word starts with आ and not अ
Hence meets the rule
Example 2: 
बालकः उपविष्यति —> बालक उपविष्यति

Visarga Conversion 3 — श
After the visarga, if there is च छ or श
them the visarga is replaced with श्
Example 1: 
निः + चलः —> निश्चलः

Visarga Conversion 4 — ष
After the visarga, if there is क ख ट ठ प or फ, then the visarga is replaced by the letter ष्
Example 1:
निः + फलः —> निष्फलः

Visarga Conversion 5 — स
After the visarga, if there is क or त, then the visarga is replaced by the letter स्
Example 1:
नमः + ते —> नमस्ते

Visarga Conversion 6 — रेफ
Visarga is replaced by र् if:
Before the Visarga: There is any vowel (स्वर) other than अ and आ 
After the Visarga: There is any vyanjana of the 3rd, 4th or 5th varga OR any vowel OR य् र् ल् or व् 
Example 1: निः बलः —> निर्बल

Visarga Conversion 7 - Jivhamooliya
If visarga is follow by क or ख then a kh sound is added from the base of the tongue
Example 1:
रामः करोति —> राम )( करोति
)( denotes the kh sound

Visarga Conversion 8 - Upadmaaniya
If visarga is followed by a प or फ sound then a “fa” sound is added
Example 1:
वृक्ष: फलति —> वृक्ष )( फलति
)( denotes the fa sound

to be continued...