Guest guest Posted March 27, 2004 Report Share Posted March 27, 2004 Sanskrit pronunciation can be a bit intimidating especially when you are not familiar with the language , reading from the transliteration and seeing a long string of letters, in unfamiliar combinations, grouped together. I would be interested to know if people can share any tips and tricks in learning to decipher the code (so to speak) . There are a couple of things that help me greatly 1) Listen to the audiotape of some one chanting -and that registers very easily 2) Break up the verses into small syllables and then put em back together . I notice that Sankskrit is usually very precise in terms of the number of syllables to the verse. The Chandi for example is almost (about 90%) in a meter called "anushtup chandah" which means 32 syllables to the verse. That is 16 syllables for the first half and 16 to the second half. That means I can break up 16 into 8 and 8. Then the eight all the way down to one syllable - more manageable to me. So I have to just focus one syllable at a time and put em together for the whole verse. For example : sarvaabaadhaa prashamanam trailokyasyaakhileshvari evameva tvayaa kaaryamasmadvairivinaashanam So the first and second lines are 16 syllables each. Breaking it down further sar - 1 va -2 baa-3 dhaa-4 pra -5 sha - 6 ma-7 nam -8 thats eight trai - 1 lok- 2 yas-3 yaa-4 khi-5 lesh -6 va -7 ri -8 Down to second line e - 1 va -2 me -3 va -4 tva -5 yaa -6 kaar -7 yam -8 and almost there as -1 mad -2 vai -3 ri -4 vi -5 naa -6 sha -7 nam -8 The verse is not so intimidating anymore and easier to handle . And when I chant , I read the syllables pertaining to each group of 8 and brief pause after the 8th - it seems like a logical break to me. I found this technique very useful and I would be interested in knowing if people can share what they find useful too. JAI MAA Latha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 27, 2004 Report Share Posted March 27, 2004 that looks really good, i am going to study this post in detail asap ... don't forget the guide at the back of the chandi path page 389 ... essential! steve , "Latha Nanda" <lathananda> wrote: > Sanskrit pronunciation can be a bit intimidating especially when you > are not familiar with the language , reading from the transliteration > and seeing a long string of letters, in unfamiliar combinations, > grouped together. > > I would be interested to know if people can share any tips and tricks > in learning to decipher the code (so to speak) . > > There are a couple of things that help me greatly > > 1) Listen to the audiotape of some one chanting -and that registers > very easily > > 2) Break up the verses into small syllables and then put em back > together . > > I notice that Sankskrit is usually very precise in terms of the > number of syllables to the verse. The Chandi for example is almost > (about 90%) in a meter called "anushtup chandah" which means 32 > syllables to the verse. > > > That is 16 syllables for the first half and 16 to the second half. > > That means I can break up 16 into 8 and 8. Then the eight all the way > down to one syllable - more manageable to me. > > So I have to just focus one syllable at a time and put em together > for the whole verse. > > > > For example : > > sarvaabaadhaa prashamanam trailokyasyaakhileshvari > evameva tvayaa kaaryamasmadvairivinaashanam > > > So the first and second lines are 16 syllables each. > > Breaking it down further > > sar - 1 > va -2 > baa-3 > dhaa-4 > pra -5 > sha - 6 > ma-7 > nam -8 > > thats eight > > trai - 1 > lok- 2 > yas-3 > yaa-4 > khi-5 > lesh -6 > va -7 > ri -8 > > Down to second line > > e - 1 > va -2 > me -3 > va -4 > tva -5 > yaa -6 > kaar -7 > yam -8 > > and almost there > > as -1 > mad -2 > vai -3 > ri -4 > vi -5 > naa -6 > sha -7 > nam -8 > > > The verse is not so intimidating anymore and easier to handle . > > And when I chant , I read the syllables pertaining to each group of 8 > and brief pause after the 8th - it seems like a logical break to me. > > I found this technique very useful and I would be interested in > knowing if people can share what they find useful too. > > JAI MAA > Latha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 27, 2004 Report Share Posted March 27, 2004 What I do is go through the text and try to separate the individual words (not recognizing very many, this can be difficult), and where that fails, trying to identify the major syllable(s) (I guess at most), I draw a thin line in pencil through the word. My eyes aren't what they were, so this helps me track through the long compound words, and those that seem especially strange, more quickly. Another thing I've found useful is to highlight those words or phrases in the translation which best represent the tone or meaning of the verse. This helps me get a quick sense of the verse before I chant it. Chris , "Latha Nanda" <lathananda> wrote: > Sanskrit pronunciation can be a bit intimidating especially when you > are not familiar with the language , reading from the transliteration > and seeing a long string of letters, in unfamiliar combinations, > grouped together. > > I would be interested to know if people can share any tips and tricks > in learning to decipher the code (so to speak) . > > There are a couple of things that help me greatly > > 1) Listen to the audiotape of some one chanting -and that registers > very easily > > 2) Break up the verses into small syllables and then put em back > together . > > I notice that Sankskrit is usually very precise in terms of the > number of syllables to the verse. The Chandi for example is almost > (about 90%) in a meter called "anushtup chandah" which means 32 > syllables to the verse. > > > That is 16 syllables for the first half and 16 to the second half. > > That means I can break up 16 into 8 and 8. Then the eight all the way > down to one syllable - more manageable to me. > > So I have to just focus one syllable at a time and put em together > for the whole verse. > > > > For example : > > sarvaabaadhaa prashamanam trailokyasyaakhileshvari > evameva tvayaa kaaryamasmadvairivinaashanam > > > So the first and second lines are 16 syllables each. > > Breaking it down further > > sar - 1 > va -2 > baa-3 > dhaa-4 > pra -5 > sha - 6 > ma-7 > nam -8 > > thats eight > > trai - 1 > lok- 2 > yas-3 > yaa-4 > khi-5 > lesh -6 > va -7 > ri -8 > > Down to second line > > e - 1 > va -2 > me -3 > va -4 > tva -5 > yaa -6 > kaar -7 > yam -8 > > and almost there > > as -1 > mad -2 > vai -3 > ri -4 > vi -5 > naa -6 > sha -7 > nam -8 > > > The verse is not so intimidating anymore and easier to handle . > > And when I chant , I read the syllables pertaining to each group of 8 > and brief pause after the 8th - it seems like a logical break to me. > > I found this technique very useful and I would be interested in > knowing if people can share what they find useful too. > > JAI MAA > Latha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 27, 2004 Report Share Posted March 27, 2004 Whenever I read and I really want to pronounce the words carefully--like when chanting the Chandi, I train my eye to look at the top half of the letters. It seems my brain registers the letters more easily. Maybe drawing the light line thru with pencil is the same thing? Also, when I first started I just tried to pronounce one syllable at a time and then get through the whole word--some are quite long. Hope that is helpful. Namaste, Lynne - Chris Kirner Saturday, March 27, 2004 3:47 PM Re: Sanskrit Pronunciation What I do is go through the text and try to separate the individual words (not recognizing very many, this can be difficult), and where that fails, trying to identify the major syllable(s) (I guess at most), I draw a thin line in pencil through the word. My eyes aren't what they were, so this helps me track through the long compound words, and those that seem especially strange, more quickly.Another thing I've found useful is to highlight those words or phrases in the translation which best represent the tone or meaning of the verse. This helps me get a quick sense of the verse before I chant it.Chris, "Latha Nanda" <lathananda> wrote:> Sanskrit pronunciation can be a bit intimidating especially when you > are not familiar with the language , reading from the transliteration > and seeing a long string of letters, in unfamiliar combinations, > grouped together.> > I would be interested to know if people can share any tips and tricks > in learning to decipher the code (so to speak) .> > There are a couple of things that help me greatly> > 1) Listen to the audiotape of some one chanting -and that registers > very easily> > 2) Break up the verses into small syllables and then put em back > together .> > I notice that Sankskrit is usually very precise in terms of the > number of syllables to the verse. The Chandi for example is almost > (about 90%) in a meter called "anushtup chandah" which means 32 > syllables to the verse.> > > That is 16 syllables for the first half and 16 to the second half.> > That means I can break up 16 into 8 and 8. Then the eight all the way > down to one syllable - more manageable to me. > > So I have to just focus one syllable at a time and put em together > for the whole verse.> > > > For example :> > sarvaabaadhaa prashamanam trailokyasyaakhileshvari> evameva tvayaa kaaryamasmadvairivinaashanam> > > So the first and second lines are 16 syllables each.> > Breaking it down further> > sar - 1> va -2> baa-3> dhaa-4> pra -5> sha - 6> ma-7> nam -8 > > thats eight> > trai - 1> lok- 2> yas-3> yaa-4> khi-5> lesh -6> va -7> ri -8> > Down to second line> > e - 1> va -2> me -3> va -4> tva -5> yaa -6> kaar -7> yam -8> > and almost there> > as -1> mad -2> vai -3> ri -4> vi -5> naa -6> sha -7> nam -8> > > The verse is not so intimidating anymore and easier to handle . > > And when I chant , I read the syllables pertaining to each group of 8 > and brief pause after the 8th - it seems like a logical break to me. > > I found this technique very useful and I would be interested in > knowing if people can share what they find useful too.> > JAI MAA> Latha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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