वर्णमाला

Varnamāla

The Sanskrit alphabet has two kinds of letters — vowels (svaras) that carry sound, and consonants (vyanjanas) that shape it.

Vowels

स्वर— the soul of sound

Gutturals

कण्ठ्य— formed at the throat

Palatals

तालव्य— formed at the palate

Retroflexes

मूर्धन्य— tongue curls back

Dentals

दन्त्य— formed at the teeth

Labials

ओष्ठ्य— formed at the lips

Semi-vowels

अन्तस्थ— between vowels and consonants

Sibilants

ऊष्म— hissing sounds

शśapeace

षṣasix

सsasun

Aspirate

महाप्राण— the breath sound

हhaShiva

Special Conjuncts

संयुक्त— combined letter forms

क्षkṣaforgiveness

त्रtratriangle

ज्ञjñawisdom