Author: Dennis Waite
Publisher: Sundeep Prakashan
Year: 2005
Language: multilingual
Pages: 222
ISBN/UPC (if available): 8189320009
Description
An Essential Guide to Sanskrit provides a two-level introduction to the Sanskrit language. Level one introduces the transliterated (Anglicised) alphabets used by books and the Internet for reproducing Sanskrit. Level two teaches the Devanagari script used for the true language and describes the main rules for combining letters and words. Correct pronunciation and writing are explained. A number of examples from Hindu scriptures are used to illustrate simple translation. There is a comprehensive glossary of commonly encountered spiritual words.
The book will appeal to all serious spiritual seekers interested in Eastern scriptures (Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita, etc). The aim is to teach the reader sufficient to enable them to be able to look up Sanskrit words in a dictionary and to pronounce and write them correctly. In this respect it is analogous to a guide for the traveller in a foreign country wishing to learn sufficient to get by.
Contents
INTRODUCTION
GENERAL INTRODUCTION TO THE LANGUAGE
LEVEL 1 - THE TRANSLITERATED ALPHABET
A. The Five Basic Vowels
B. The Five Main Groups of Consonants
C. The Long Vowels
D. The Complex Vowels and Additional Sounds
E. The Semi-vowels
F. The Sibilants
G. h
H. The Complete Alphabet
LEVEL 2 - THE DEVANAGARI SCRIPT
A. The Five Basic Vowels, Short and Long
B. The Five Main Groups of Consonants
C. The Remaining Vowels
D. Table showing the 16 mAtRRikA
E. The Remaining Letters (semi-vowels, sibilants and h)
F. The Complete Alphabet
G. Conjunct Consonants or Ligatures
H. Some Special Characters
I. The Numerals
LEVEL 3 - SOME PRACTICAL EXAMPLES
A. shivasUtrANi
B. Words and Sandhi
C. The Four MahAvAkya-s
D. Some Vedic Prayers and Quotations
RESOURCES ON THE INTERNET
A. General Resources
B. Learning the Language
C. Dictionaries and Grammar Tools
D. Documents in Sanskrit
GLOSSARY OF SANSKRIT TERMS
DICTIONARY OF COMMON SANSKRIT SPIRITUAL WORDS
APPENDIX 1 - TRANSLITERATION SCHEMES
APPENDIX 2 - ALTERNATE LETTER FORMS
APPENDIX 3 - VOWEL FORMS, WITH AND WITHOUT CONSONANTS
APPENDIX 4 - WRITING THE SCRIPT
APPENDIX 5 - ANSWER TO FINAL EXAMPLE
BIBLIOGRAPHY
INDEX