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Shiksha |
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Shiksha (IAST śikṣā) is one of the six Vedangas, treating the traditional Hindu science of phonetics and phonology of Sanskrit.
Its aim is the teaching of the correct pronunciation of the Vedic hymns and mantras. The oldest phonetics textbooks are the Pratishakyas (prātiśākhya, a vrddhi abstract from Sanskrit pratiśākhā "side branch", "offshoot"), describing pronunciation, intonation of Sanskrit, as well as the Sanskrit rules of sandhi, specific to individual schools or Shakhas.
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It has been suggested that Pratisakhya be merged into this article or section. (Discuss) |
Five Pratishakhyas are preserved:
In addition, several Shiksha texts exist, most of them in metrical verse form but a few in sutra form. Some of these surviving texts are 1. English translation of Paniniya Siksa.pdf
Although many of these Shiksha texts an attached to specific Vedic schools, others are late texts.
Traditionally syllables (not letters) in Sanskrit are called Aksharam, meaning "imperishable entity", as it were "atoms" of speech. These aksharas are basically classified mainly into two types,[1]
Svara aksharas are also known as Prāna akshara i.e. they are main sounds in speech without which speech is not possible. So, they are considered as life letters. We find same notation used for referring the Tamil vowels calling them as Uyir ezhutthu. Panini referred the svara by Ach Pratyahāra. So aftermath him, they are referred as Ach Aksharam.
Vyanjana means embellishment. i.e., Consonants are treated as embellishment for the vowels to make a language sonorant. They are also known as Prāni akshara i.e., they are like a body in which life (Svara) will be present. We find same notation used for referring the Tamil Consonants calling them as Mey ezhutthu. Panini referred the vyanjana by Hal Pratyahāra. So after him, they are referred as Hal Aksharam.
Again Vyanjana aksharas are divided into three types,
Sparśa aksharas include syllables from Ka to Ma they are 25 in number. Antastha aksharas include syllables ya, ra, la and va. Ūshman aksharas include śa, sha, sa and ha.
It was told that a vowel can be pronounced in 18 ways (3x2x3) in Sanskrit language based on timing, manner, and accent of pronunciation.
Each vowel can be classified into three types based on the time of pronunciation (morae). The unit of time is mātra (approx. 0.4 second). They are,
So each vowel can be pronounced in three ways according to timespan of articulation.
Each vowel can be classified into two types based on the manner of pronunciation. They are
Each vowel can be classified into three types based on accent of articulation. This was lost in Classical Sanskrit, but used in chanting Vedic & Upanishadic hymns and mantras.
so each vowel can be pronounced in three ways according to the accent of pronunciation.
According to the Indian linguistic tradition, articulation is analysed by different parameters and features.[2]
Generally, in articulatory phonetics, the place of articulation (also point of articulation) of a consonant is the point of contact, where an obstruction occurs in the vocal tract between an active (moving) articulator (typically some part of the tongue) and a passive (stationary) articulator (typically some part of the roof of the mouth).
According to Indian linguistic tradition, the places of articulation (passive) are classified as five. They are:-
Apart from that, other places are combinations of the above five places. They are:-
The places of articulation (active) are classified as three, they are
Effort of articulation (Ucchārana Prayatna) is of two types for consonants,
Articulation of consonants will be a logical combination of components in the two prayatnas. The below table gives a view upon articulation of consonants.
| Prayatna Niyamāvalī | Kanthya (jihvā Mūlam) |
Tālavya (jihvā Madhyam) |
Mūrdhanya (jihvāgram) |
Dantya (jihvāgram) |
Dantōshtya | Ōshtya (adhōstam) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sparśam, Śvāsam, Alpaprānam | ka | ca | ṭa | ta | — | pa |
| Sparśam, Śvāsam,Mahāprānam | kha | cha | ṭha | tha | — | pha |
| Sparśam, Nādam, Alpaprānam | ga | ja | ḍa | da | — | ba |
| Sparśam, Nādam, Mahāprānam | gha | jha | ḍha | dha | — | bha |
| Sparśam, Nādam, Alpaprānam, Anunāsikam, Dravam, Avyāhatam |
ṅa | ña | ṇa | na | — | ma |
| Antastham, Nādam, Alpaprānam, Dravam, Avyāhatam |
— | ya | ra (Lunthitam) |
la (Pārśvikam) |
va | — |
| Ūshman, Śvāsam,Mahāprānam, Avyāhatam | Visarga | śa | ṣa | sa | — | — |
| Ūshman, Nādam,Mahāprānam, Avyāhatam | ha | — | — | — | — | — |
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