A Sanskrit Grammar for Beginners: In Devanagari and Roman Letters Throughout (Classic Reprint)

CHAPTER I. THE ALPHABET. § I. SANSKRIT is properly written with the Devanragari alphabet; but the Bengali, Grantha, Telugu, and other modern Indian alphabets are commonly employed for writing Sanskrit in their respective provinces. Note-Devanagar( means the Nagar( of the gods, or, possibly, of the Br~hmBJl9. A more eurrent style of writing, used by Hindus in 1111 common transaclions where Hindi is the language employed, is called simply Nagart. Why the alphabet should have been called lI'dgart, is unknown. If derived from nagara, eity, it might mean the o.rt of writing as first practised in cities. (PaJ]. IV. 2, 128.) No authority has yet been adduced from any ancient author for the employment of the word Devan/igart. In the Lalita-vis/ora (a life of Buddha, translated from Sanskrit into Chinese 76 A. D.), where a list of alphabets is given, the DevanQgart is not mentioned, unless it be intended by the Deva alphabet. (See History of Ancient Sanskrit Literature, p. 518.) A

Table of Contents

TAB LEO F CON TEN T S; PAGE; CHAPTER I-THE ALPHABET; The DcvlLllagari letters 2; § r The Devanagari alphabet 3; 2 Direction of Sanskrit alphabet 4; 3 How to write the letters 4; 4 Sounds represented by the Devallagari; alphabet 4; 5 Number of letters 5; 6 The letter!i 5; ~ Jihv/lmOHya aud U padhmaniya 5; 8 Signs of nasals and their substitute; 5; 9 The three nasal semivowels 6; 10: Consonants without corresponding; nasals 6; I I Auusvara before $, sit, 8, h 6 * I 2 Names ofletters 7; 13 Vowel signs, initial, medial, aud; final 7; 14 Consonants followed by vowels 7; IS: Virama 7; 16 Combination of consonants 7; 17; The sign fOI' r 8; 18 The Virama used as a stop-gap 8; 19: The signs for a pause 8; 20 The Avagraha List of compound; consonants 8; 2 I Numerical figures 9; 2"' Rules of pronunciation 10; CHAPTER n-RULES OF SA~DHI; § 2 3' Object and use of Sandhi 11; 24 Distinction between External; and Internal Sandhi 11; 25, Cla