Sanskrit Tidbits-5: The Importance of Pronounciation in Sanskrit

Pronunciation is extremely important in Sanskrit.  Take the sentences below and you are saying “I am so and so”.  Those are all proper names, Kamini, Charu, Tintin, Tanika and Parimala.  How will you pronounce “aham”?  You will be tempted to say “aham” as in with “m”, but you will be wrong.  Sanskrit flows seamlessly like water and that also explains many of the rules of grammar.

अहम् कामिनी। अहम् चारु। अहम् टिनटिन। अहम् तनिका। अहम् परिमळ।

Letters are grouped into different classes, क वर्ग, च वर्ग, ट वर्ग, त वर्ग, प वर्ग and so on.  क वर्ग letters are pronounced from the throat, च वर्ग letters are pronounced from one part of the palate, ट वर्ग letters are pronounced from another part of the palate, त वर्ग letters are pronounced from the base of the teeth and प वर्ग letters are pronounced from the lips.  That is the tongue occupies different places within the mouth.  If the म in अहम् is pronounced as म, the tongue will have to move to a different position to pronounce कामिनी and there will be a break in speaking.  Therefore, in अहम् कामिनी, the म will be pronounced as ङ.  In अहम् चारु, the म will be pronounced as ञ.  In अहम् टिनटिन, the म will be pronounced as ण. In अहम् तनिका, the म will be pronounced as न.  And of course in अहम् परिमळ, the म will be pronounced as म.  The tongue doesn’t have to move and speech flows easily.  Do you get the idea?