Ancient pronunciation of ai (ऐ ) and au (औ ) in Sanskrit
Radhakrishna Warrier
What was the ancient pronunciation of ai (ऐ ) and au (औ ) in Sanskrit?
In modern south Indian languages and modern Indo Aryan languages like Marathi and Gujarati, the pronunciation is a+I and a+u respectively. However, in standard Hindi and Punjabi, it is different. Ai is pronounced somewhat like ae and au is pronounced almost like ‘o’ but with a small variation.
I have a vague memory of my high school Malayalam teacher saying that ai is actually a conjunct of a and e but pronounced like the conjunct of a and i. I believe the standard Hindi and Punjabi pronunciation came from Persian pronunciation through Urdu. I suspect that diphthongs ai and au vanished from Indo Aryan a long time ago as they became e and o in Prakrits and later Apabhramshas. Ai and au re-entered modern Indo Aryan through Sanskrit tatsamas. I have also heard Biharis and people from eastern UP pronouncing the Hindi word कैसे as kaise and not as the standard Hindi kaese.
Regards,
Achyut Karve
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Achyut Karve
विश्वासो वासुकेयः
keyur joshi
Dear Friends
These are my thoughts-
Shiv, the way our collective memory represents him, is a symbol for Homo Erectus (similarities in the meaning of शिव and erect are no co-incidence imho.) Maybe, some other homo species. But not sapience.
Sanskrit evolved form language that was used by Shiv. It was a period of ice age (हिम-आलय) where Shiv lived.
Differences in anatomy and climate affect sounds that can be made.
Sanskrit pronunciation we know is influenced and modified by post-ice-age usage by homo sapience.
It is not possible to know the exact original sound of many वर्ण in the language used by Shiv. Language of Maheshwar Sutra we have inherited.
some examples are - Shiv’s language had distinct ऋ and लृ. They were svara. What we are using in their place is surrogates.
There were two ह in Shiv’s language. We can speak two ह , but can hear only one.
So, who can say how ऐ and औ originally sounded? I don’t think anyone can. It is lost in the flow of time.
Regards
Keyur
BVK Sastry (G-S-Pop)
Namaste Keyur Joshi
You are raising an interesting question and making a tall claim that needs a clear answer.
Responding specifically to you pointed question :
< So, who can say how ऐand औ originally sounded? I don’t think anyone can. It is lost in the flow of time.>
Answer: Any One Trained to use ‘Bhashaa’ as per standards set for application of ‘Vedas’ in Yajna- Yoga
Which needs ‘Shikshaa and Vyakarana’ foundation of ‘Bhashaa’ taught in ‘Vedanga’ framework.
For this, Steps needed are : (a) One needs to learn ‘VEDAS- Recitation’ by Tradition. ( To begin with).
This is first step Training to Produce Intricate Resonating Sound by hearing it.
Which is real technicality of ‘Music’ learning as a skill
Which is real technicality of ‘Language- Usage Learning’
Which is real technicality of ‘ MANTRA- RESONANCE’ learning
For which the technical term is ‘Shabda-Smruti/ Chitta Vrutti’- YOGA is needed.
The teaching pedagogy technical detail is called ‘Vak-Yoga/ Vako Vakyam /Yoga Samskrutham/ Mantra- Akshara – Uccharanam.
Modern Science Research is exploring this area under the tags of - Neurolinguistics, MindBrain Sciences, Science of Consciousness studies and the like, using advanced instrumentation and techniques of fMRI, fNIR (Functional near-infrared spectroscopy - Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Functional_near-infrared_spectroscopy ).
(b) After learning ‘Vedas on the foundation of ‘Vedanga – Shadanga- pedagogy’ ( Shikshaa – Pratishaakhya included), with skills acquired for use of basic unit-phonemes (Varna- Swara / Swara- Akshara) articulation (as seen in Shiva Sutras) for Yajna- (Mantra)-Prayoga / Japa – Parayana Technicality, One understands the clarity of ‘SHIVA SUTRAS’ as ‘BEEJA- AKSHARA MANTRA (AKSHARA BRAHMA / SHABDA BRAHMA-)YOGA- Units (Ref: ‘Akshara Brahma Yoga : Gita: 8-12: - yadaksharam veda-vido vadanti ), the clarity emerges on how to use ‘0905’- अ – scripted symbol for all its 18 varieties (and practical significance of Gita:10-33).
(c) After this, the clarity emerges on ‘why shiva sutra sequence is अ-इ-उ and not other wise as ‘ a- /i/e- u’ phonemics.
This is Human Centricity of ‘Voice Primes and Primaries’ of Samskrutham.
(d) After अ-इ-उ clarity, the technicality of ‘Parah- Sannikarshah- Samhitaa- Sandhi’ as technical combinatorial expansion (=Varna-Yoga) as ‘Guna (ए-ओ) and Vruddhi (ऐ- औ )’ will become clear.
This is NATURE’s STANDARD which goes BY HUMAN –Physiological Structure and Process. Panini recognizes this and acknowledges as ‘मानुषी’ standard of pronunciation to vision ‘Veda ( Daivee/ Chandas).
Anyone who knows this can < say how ऐ and औ originally sounded > and even now,
‘Articulate - Train- Validate’ Right sounding of ‘Shiva sutra- Varna- Akshara – Samaamnaaya’.
When ‘Panini Samskrutham’ base is studied using the lens of (a) IE – Linguistics ( b) Anglo-
Phonetics (c ) Desi Prakruth – simulated ‘Akshara – Maalaa’ as taught in schools,
the Vedanga – Shikshaa technicality of ‘Shiva –sutra –Varna Akshara-Samaamnaaya-
Darshana’ is pushed to back ground/ below carpet (if not let go down the drain!).
Regards
BVK Sastry
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