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Entry Level – Module 1 Sanskrit Alphabet - Lesson 3 - Sanskrit Alphabet -Grouping (Origination)

प्रावेशिकः स्तरः - प्रथम-विभागः – वर्णमाला - तृतीयः पाठः - संस्कृतवर्णानां स्थानीयविभागः

		*We learn about........*
		Gutturals – कण्ठ्य Palatals – तालव्य Cerebrals – मूर्धन्य Dentals – दन्त्य Labials – ओष्ठ्य Vowels - Classification Consonants - Classification Semi Vowels -Sibilants

We have so far learned the general classification of Sanskrit Vowels and Consonants . Another excellent scientific classification is done on Sanskrit alphabet system based on the mouth parts where the sounds originate.

Let us now look at grouping of letters relating to the organ which supports the articulation of the letter. The principal categorization is as follows:

Gutturals कण्ठ्य	Guttural sounds originate at the throat.
Palatals तालव्य	Palatals are pronounced with the help of jaw.
Cerebrals मूर्धन्य	Cerebrals are supported by the roof of the mouth.
Dentals दन्त्य	Dentals are pronounced by the tongue touching the upper front teeth.
Labials ओष्ठ्य	Labials are sounded by the formations of the lips.

While pronouncing the letters the tongue also play a role along with the above stated mouth parts. The following charts shows the different classification of vowels and consonants and also the role played by the tongue in uttering the letters. You may hear the letters pronounced by clicking the letters.

Classification - Vowels
Group	Letters
Gutturals कण्ठ्य The tongue does not play a role in uttering the sound.	अआ
Palatals तालव्य The jaws are spread sidewise a bit.	इई
Labials ओष्ठय The lips are rounded to produce the sound.	उऊ
Cerebrals मूर्धन्य The tongue closes on the roof of the mouth at length allowing air flow.	ऋॠ
Dentals दन्त्य The tongue closes on the upper front teeth allowing air to flow through.	ऌ
The tongue does not come in actual contact with the mouth organ that supports the sound origination while articulating a vowel.
Diphthong vowels are formed when two vowels join. Hence they fall in the class combining two groups.
Gutturals + Palatals कण्ठतालव्य	अ + इ = ए आ + इ = ऐ
Gutturals + Labials कण्ठोष्टय	अ + उ = ओ आ + उ = औ

The classification of the first set of consonants Mutes – स्पर्शव्यञ्जनानि are shown below. Consonants in conjunction with vowel अ are given in the table to enable their utterance.

Classification - Consonants
Gutturals कण्ठ्य	क	ख	ग	घ	ङ
Palatals तालव्य	च	छ	ज	झ	ञ
Cerebrals मूर्धन्य	ट	ठ	ड	ढ	ण
Dentals दन्त्य	त	थ	द	ध	न
Labials ओष्ठ्य	प	फ	ब	भ	म

While sounding the Guttural consonants the throat is closed briefly by the tongue and then the air is let go.
The tongue touches the upper part of the mouth flatly for sounding the Palatal Consonants.
The tip of the tongue touches the upper part of the mouth for uttering Cerebral Consonants.
The Dental consonants ae sounded when the tongue touches the upper teeth in a blunted way.
Sounds of labial consonants are produced by bringing together the lips.
The above set of consonants are also called grouped consonants (वर्गीय व्यञ्जनानि). They are commonly known as Ka varga (क वर्गः), Ca varga (च वर्गः), Ta varga (ट वर्गः), Tha varga (त वर्गः) and Pa varga (प वर्गः). Let us learn more about the other type of classifications not shown in the table.
1. Grouped consonants (वर्गीय व्यञ्जनानि) are also categorised as Hard (कर्कश), Soft (मृदु)and Nasal (अनुनासिक) consonants. Nasal cavity is used along with the oral parts in pronouncing Nasal Consonants. In each group the first two letters fall into hard type, the third and fourth are soft consonants and the last one is a nasal consonant.
2. While the first two letters in each group fall in the category of Surds (अघोष) the third and the fourth letters are classified as Sonants (घोषवत्). Voice resonance can be experienced in the sounds of Sonants.
3. The third type of classification seen in Vargiya Vyanjanas is Aspirates or Alpaprana (अल्पप्राण) and Unaspirates or Mahaprana(महाप्राण). The first and the third letters in each group fall under Alpaprana and the second and the fourth letters come under Mahaprana classification. Alpaprana consonants requires less effort and Aspirates requires more effort in pronouncing.
4. Anunasikas are the consonant equivalents to anusvaram. All the anunasika sounds have originated from न.

We now have a table showing the classification for Semi-Vowels and Sibilants

Group	Semi-Vowels Antastha (अन्तस्थ) Soft (मृदु)	Sibilants uShma (ऊष्म) Hard (कर्कश)
Gutturals कण्ठ्य			ह Soft (मृदु) Aspirate (महाप्राण)
Palatals तालव्य	य	श
Cerebrals मूर्धन्य	रळ	ष
Dentals दन्त्य	ल	स
Labials ओष्ठ्य	व

Sibilant (ऊष्म) consonants produce a hissing sound.

Please do not be taken back by sound formations and types. You understand the classification clearly as we advance in our lessons. In the next two lessons we show a comprehensive classification for Swaras (Vowels) and Vyanjanas(Consonants) separately and then move on to learn how to write them.

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Our next lesson Lesson-4 Sanskrit Vowels स्वराः gives the comprehensive table of classification for all vowels.

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SamskritaVeethy - Easy to Learn Sanskrit Courses! संस्कृतवीथी - सरलं संस्कृतपठनम् !

SamskritaVeethy - Easy to Learn Sanskrit Courses!

संस्कृतवीथी - सरलं संस्कृतपठनम् !