From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

See Shiksha (NGO) for the Indian non-governmental organization.

See Shiksa for the Yiddish slang word.

Part of a series on Hindu scriptures

Vedas Rigveda · Yajurveda Samaveda · Atharvaveda Divisions Samhita · Brahmana Aranyaka · Upanishad

Upanishad Aitareya · Brihadaranyaka Isha · Taittiriya · Chandogya Kena · Mundaka · Mandukya Katha · Prashna · Shvetashvatara

Vedanga Shiksha · Chandas · Vyakarana Nirukta · Jyotisha · Kalpa

Mahakavya (epics) Mahabharata · Ramayana

Other scriptures Smriti · Śruti Bhagavad Gita · Purana Agama · Darshana Pancharatra · Tantra · Sutra Stotra · Dharmashastra Divya Prabandha Tevaram · Akhilathirattu Ramacharitamanas Shikshapatri · Vachanamrut

This box: view • talk • edit

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 pratiśākhā "side branch", "offshoot"), describing pronunciation, intonation of Sanskrit, as well as the Sanskrit rules of sandhi, specific to individual schools or Shakhas.

Contents 1 Pratishakhyas 2 Syllabicity 3 Morae 4 Nasality 5 Pitch accent 6 Traditional articulatory phonetics 6.1 Places of Articulation 6.2 Efforts of Articulation 6.3 Articulation of Consonants 7 See also 8 References

It has been suggested that Pratisakhya be merged into this article or section. (Discuss)

Five 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)
• Shaunakiya Chaturaadhyaayika (Shaunakiya shakha)

In addition, several Shiksha texts exist, most of them in metrical verse form but a few in sutra form. Some of these surviving texts are 1. English translation of Paniniya Siksa.pdf

• Amoghanandini Shiksha
• Apisali Shiksha (pre-Paninean, in sutra form)
• Aranya Shiksha
• Atreya Shiksha
• Avasananirnyaya Shiksha
• Bharadvaja Shiksha
• Chandra Shiksha of Chandragomin (sutra form)
• Charayaniya Shiksha
• Galadrka Shiksha
• Kalanirnya Shiksha
• Katyayani Shiksha
• Kauhaliya Shiksha
• Kaundinya Shiksha
• Keshavi Shiksha
• Kramakarika Shiksha
• Kramasandhaana Shiksha
• Laghumoghanandini Shiksha
• Lakshmikanta Shiksha
• Lomashi Shiksha
• Madhyandina Shiksha
• Mandavya Shiksha
• Mallasharmakrta Shiksha
• Manasvaara Shiksha
• Manduki Shiksha
• Naradiya Shiksha
• Paniniya Shiksha (versified)
• Paniniya Shiksha (in sutra form)
• Paniniya Shiksha (with accents)
• Parashari Shiksha
• Padyaatmika Keshavi Shiksha
• Pari Shiksha
• Pratishakhyapradipa Shiksha
• Sarvasammata Shiksha
• Shaishiriya Shiksha
• Shamaana Shiksha
• Shambhu Shiksha
• Shodashashloki Shiksha
• Shikshasamgraha
• Siddhanta Shiksha
• Svaraankusha Shiksha
• Svarashtaka Shiksha
• Svaravyanjana Shiksha
• Vasishtha Shiksha
• Varnaratnapradipa Shiksha
• Vyaali Shiksha
• Vyasa Shiksha
• Yajnavalkya Shiksha

Although many of these Shiksha texts an attached to specific Vedic schools, others are late texts.

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 a vowel can be pronounced in 18 ways (3x2x3) in Sanskrit language based on timing, manner, and accent of pronunciation.

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.

Each vowel can be classified into two types based on the manner of pronunciation. They are

Mukha : Oral

Nāsika : Nasal (all vowels are considered phonemically oral)

Main article: Vedic 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.

According to the Indian linguistic tradition, articulation is analysed by different parameters and features.^[2]

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:-

Kanthyam : Velar

Tālavyam : Palatal

Mūrdhanyam : Retroflex

Dantyam : Dental

Ōshtyam : Labial

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

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

Articulation of consonants will be a logical combination of components in the two prayatnas. The below table gives a view upon articulation of consonants.

Samskrita Vyanjana Ucchārana Pattika^[3]

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	—	—	—	—	—

• Shiva Sutra

v • d • e Hinduism
Sruti · Smriti · Denominations · Deities · Gurus and saints · Schools · Karma / Dharma · Moksha · Yoga · Mantras · Jyotish / Ayurveda · Portal