Shiksha
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- See Shiksha (NGO) for the Indian NGO.
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 pratiśhākhā "side branch", "offshoot"), describing pronunciation, intonation of Sanskrit, as well as the Sanskrit rules of sandhi, specific to individual schools or Shakhas.
Shikshā in Sanskrit means "lesson" (which is the meaning here), or "punishment".
Four Pratishakhyas are preserved:
- Rigveda-Pratishakya (Shakala shakha), attributed to Shaunaka
- Shukla-Yajurveda-Pratishakhya
- Taittiriya (Black Yajurveda) Pratishakhya, ed. Whitney 1871 [1]
- Atharvaveda-Pratishakhya (Shaunakiya shakha)
Contents |
[edit] Syllabicity
Traditionally syllables (not alphabets) in Sanskrit are called Aksharam, meaning "imperishable entity", as it were "atoms" of speech. These aksharas are basically classified mainly into two types,[1]
- Svaram (pratyahara aC) : Vowel
- Vyanjanam (pratyahara haL) : Consonant
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,
- Vyanjana
- Sparśa : Stop
- Antastha : Approximant
- Ūshman: Sibilant
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 an vowel can be pronunciated in 18 ways (3x2x3) in Sanskrit language based on timing, manner, and accent of pronunciation.
[edit] Morae
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,
- Hrasvam : Short vowel, Eka Mātra
- Dīrgam : Long vowel, Dvi Mātra
- Plutam : Prolonged vowel, Tri Mātra (pluti)
So each vowel can be pronounced in three ways according to timespan of articulation.
[edit] Nasality
Each vowel cane be classifies into two types based on manner of pronunciation. They are,
so each vowel can be pronounced in two ways according to the manner of pronunciation.
[edit] Pitch accent
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.
- Udātta : high pitch
- Anudātta : low pitch
- Svarita : falling pitch
so each vowel can be pronounced in three ways according to the accent of pronunciation.
[edit] Traditional articulatory phonetics
According to the Indian linguistic tradition, articulation is analysed by different parameters and features.[2]
[edit] Places of Articulation
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:-
- Dantōsthyam : Labio-dental (Eg: v)
- Kantatālavyam : Eg: Diphthong e
- Kantōsthyam : labial-velar (Eg: Diphthong o)
The places of articulation (active) are classified as three, they are
- Jihvā Mūlam : tongue root, for velar
- Jihvā Madhyam : tongue body, for palatal
- Jihvāgram : tip of tongue, for cerebral and dental
- Adhōstam : lower lip, for labial
[edit] Efforts of Articulation
Effort of articulation (Ucchārana Prayatna) is of two types for consonants,
- Bāhya Prayatna : External effort
- Spristam : Plosive
- Īshat Spristam : Approximate
- Īshat Samvritam : Fricative
- Abhyantara Prayatna : Internal effort
- Alpaprānam : Unaspirated
- Mahāprānam : Aspirated
- Śvāsam : Unvoiced
- Nādam : Voiced
[edit] Articulation of 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 | Ta | ta | — | pa |
| Sparśam, Śvāsam,Mahāprānam | kha | cha | Tha | tha | — | pha |
| Sparśam, Nādam, Alpaprānam | ga | ja | Da | da | — | ba |
| Sparśam, Nādam, Mahāprānam | gha | jha | Dha | dha | — | bha |
| Sparśam, Nādam, Alpaprānam, Anunāsikam, Dravam, Avyāhatam |
nga | nja | Na | na | — | ma |
| Antastham, Nādam, Alpaprānam, Dravam, Avyāhatam |
— | ya | ra (Lunthitam) |
la (Pārśvikam) |
va | — |
| Ūshman, Śvāsam,Mahāprānam, Avyāhatam | Visarga | śa | sha | sa | — | — |
| Ūshman, Nādam,Mahāprānam, Avyāhatam | ha | — | — | — | — | — |
[edit] See also
| Hinduism |  |
|---|---|
| Śruti | Smriti | Denominations | Hindu deities | Gurus and Saints | Schools of Hinduism | Karma and Dharma | Moksha | Yoga | Mantras | Jyotish and Ayurveda |
|
This Hinduism-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
