The Vowel Sandhis

nPxv&*

+
<
=
@

or
or
or
or

+
<
>
A

+
+
+
+

+
<
=
@

or
or
or
or

+
<
>
A

+
<
>
A

Eg:

t
+v
x
{i

+&
<&
=n&
@h

+
+
+
+

t&
+v&
xn&
{ih

Mhxv&*

+
+
+
+

or
or
or
or

+
+
+
+

+
+
+
+

<
=
@

+
+
+
+

B
+
B
+

or
or
or

<
>
A

B
+
+
+

Eg:

={

O
i

+
+
+
+

<xp&
=n&
@i&
h&

={xp&
n&
Oi&
ih&

rxv&*

+
+
+
+

or
or
or
or

+
+
+
+

B
+
B
+

Eg:

Eh

M
i

+
+
+
+

BEi
+v
B
+zi

EhEi
v
M
izi

h xv&*

<
=
@

or
or
or

<
>
A

+
+
+
+

Please note: Here

any dissimilar
vowel
any dissimilar
vowel
any dissimilar
vowel
any dissimilar
vowel

+ that vowel
+ that vowel
+ that vowel
+ that vowel

Eg:

+i
v
{i

+
+
+
+

=zi
Bii
+Y
+Ei
&

< or < is replaced by and

= or > is replaced by and
@ or A is replaced by and
is replaced by . The vowel that follows remains unchanged.

+izi
vii
{jY
Ei&

The Vowel Sandhis

+xv&*

B
+
B
+

any vowel

any vowel

any vowel

any vowel

+ + that vowel
+ + that vowel
+ + that vowel
+ + that vowel

Eg:

x
{

+
+
+
+

+i
+i
+E&
+E&

xi
i
xE&
{E&

Please note: Here too the vowel that follows remains unchanged.
Exception 1:

B or + that is at the end of a word is followed by short +, the + is dropped and the dropped + is
represented by the following symbol %, called avagraha.

When

Eg:

+
+

+z
+

x%z
%

Exception 2:

B, B, + or + are at the end of a word and are followed by any vowel, this sandhi (+-xv)
occurs as per rule. But there is a further optional modification possible. The or at the end of the word
When

now is optionally dropped.

Eg:

+ < < < or *

h + < h < h < or h*
+ + =r + =r + =r or +r*
+ + +ni& + +ni& + +ni& or +ni&*

Visarga-sandhi

or

at the end of a word becomes a visarga. It is pronounced as an aspirated sound. It is always preceded by a

vowel.
1.

&

+& changes to + and the following + is dropped. (Viz. exception 1 to +xv).

Eg:

& + + + %*
2.

&

Any Vowel (AV) except

the visarga is dropped.

Eg:

&
3.

<SUi <SUi*

&

Soft Consonant (SC)

the visarga changes to

+.

Eg:

x&

4.

xh x xh*
&

AV or SC

the visarga is dropped.

Eg:

x& + +]xi x +]xi*

x& + MSUxi x MSUxi*
5.

AV except

+ or +

&

AV or SC

the visarga is replaced by

Eg:

Mh{i& + +i Mh{ii*
M& + M*
6a.

AV

&

E or J

the visarga is replaced optionally by an ardha-visarga pronounced as kkh

called

V&

Eg:

&
&
6b.

Ei & Ei or Ei*
Jxi & Jxi or Jxi*
AV + & + { or
the visarga is replaced optionally by an ardha-visarga pronounced as ff
called ={vx&

+
+

Eg:

& + {Si & {Si or {Si*

I& + i I& i or I i*
7.

AV

&

+ hard consonants, S,

U, ], `, i, l, , , or
(i.e., any hard consonant other than E, J, {
and )

the visarga is replaced by

that

undergoes further

and

changes as described below.

Visarga-sandhi
7a.

AV

7b.

AV

7c.

AV

&
&
&

7d.

AV

&

7e.

7f.

AV

AV

&

&

S or U
] or `
i or l

+
+
+
+

is replaced by
the is replaced by
the is replaced by

the
is replaced by
or is replaced by visarga

the

is replaced by

or is replaced by visarga

the

is replaced by

or is replaced by visarga

Eg:

&
&
x&

Eg:

the

x&

+
+
+

S
]Ei
i

P
Ei
xi

x
or

x&

hJ

x&
xhJ
or

x&

x& hJ
xn
or

x& n
7g.

8.

AV

The

&

the

is replaced by

visarga only

Eg:

i{&

Ih{{x

that is followed by is dropped and the preceding +, <, or = is lenghthened.

Eg:

& + & & &*

{x + i {x i*

i{&
Ih{{x