Sanskrit Sandhi Handbook

Book excerpt: The Sanskrit Alphabet consists of Vowels, Semivowels, Nasals, Row class Consonants, Sibilants, Aspirate, and the Ayogavahas, new unseen sounds that result only during Talking and Chanting. In Speech what comes naturally is called Sandhi. As one speaks fluently, there is a merging of sounds of some of the Adjacent Words. A slight change in spelling is noticed accordingly while Speaking, the same when Written down is called Sandhi. Reading aloud an Avagraha and Visarga properly is what makes the language beautiful and lends power and grace to both the Speaker and the Listener. This book covers all major Sandhis, namely Svarana Dirgha, Guna, Vriddhi, Yan, Ayav, Jashtvam, Chartvam, Visarga, Anusvara, and many specific Sandhis used only during word-formation from the Roots. It explicitly mentions the correct Ashtadhyayi Sutra of Panini and lucidly explains the background process. A chapter on Vedic Sandhis covers the sounds known as Ayogavahas in some detail. A useful and complete book for the novice, the amateur or the Scholar.