Handbook for

The Online Sanskrit Audio Course

Part Two: Sandhi Rules



By

Carol Whitfield, Ph.D
1
Table of Contents



Gua Vddhi Chart 2

Common Vowel Sandhis 3

Vowel Sandhi Exercises 5

Common Visarga Sandhis 8

Visarga Sandhi Exercises 10

Common Consonant Sandhi 12

Consonant Sandhi Exercises 15





2
Gua Vddhi Chart

Simple Vowel Gua (H+) Vddhi (Hl+)
H Hl H Hl
9 (H+) 9 (Hl+)
7 7 Hl (H+7) Hl (Hl+7)
+ + H (H++) Hl (Hl++)
j H (H+) Hl (Hl+)


Gua Vddhi Chart with Semi-Vowel Equivalents

Simple Vowel Gua (H+) Vddhi (Hl+)
H Hl H Hl
(4 ) 9 (H4 ) 9 (Hl4 )
7 7 (4 ) Hl (H4 ) Hl (Hl4 )
+ + ( ) H Hl
j ( ) H Hl

3
Common Vowel Sandhis

1. Two similar simple vowels coming together are replaced by their long form:
H Hl + H Hl Hl Pll H|F6 Pll|F6 94 HltPl 94ltPl
+ 4l |6 |6 4l 6l|6 T|4 H- T4lH-
7 7 + 7 7 7 P 7P P P 4 7tB4- 4 tB4-
+ + + + + + T6 +6P T6 6P (l 6 +Tl- (l 6 Tl-

2a. H H H H Hl Hl Hl Hl followed by a dissimilar simple vowel is replaced by its corresponding gua letter:
H Hl + 9 4 ( |6 4 ( |6 7l 4 7 4
H Hl + 7 7 Hl l+ 7 l+l ql 7(TP ql (TP
H Hl + + + H ( 4 +|9- ( 4|9 - P(l +|9 P(|9
H Hl + j H - 6 Tl- - 6-Tl- Pll Tl- Pl-Tl-

2b. H H H H Hl Hl Hl Hl followed by a gua or vddhi letter is replaced by its corresponding vddhi letter:
H Hl + 9 9 9 B(l 94 B( 4 7 9 H4 P 7 H4 P
H Hl + Hl Hl Hl Bl Hl (+P Bl (+P P(l Hl |t4P P(l |t4P

3. SV - H Hl H Hl H Hl H Hl + DSV SVE
A simple vowel except H or Hl followed by a dissimilar simple vowel changes to its semi-vowel
equivalent. Semi-vowel equivalents: = 4 7 7 = 4 + + = =
E xamples:
+ H 4 |6 H - t4 -
7 7 + H 4 |9 H|9 |!4|9
+ + + H H6 H P H P

Additional Examples:
|( HltPl GltPl 9|6 79Tl- 9t4 9Tl- l l 94P l 4 4P Pl 9 H4 P
4 H4 P P H- P\4lH- Bl 9 14P Bl\4 14P Pl6 7l Pl|7l

4. Diphthong + AV SVE

A diphthong followed by any vowel, including itself, changes to its semi-vowel equivalent. This
rule most often occurs in internal sandhi, that is, in the formation of verbs and nouns. Semi-vowel
equivalents: 9 =H4 9 = Hl4 Hl =H4 Hl =Hl4
+ H+P +4+P + HT- +l4T-
l H+P 4+P +l Hl - +l4l -
4

5a. When a diphthong final is followed by a vowel, the 4 4 4 4 or 4 4 4 4 of the semi-vowel equivalent
is optionally dropped and the two remaining vowels do not coalesce.
( ( ( ( or (|4(
|4!Tl ( |4!T ( or |4!T|4(
( -4 H9 4 ( -4l H9 4 or ( -4l49 4
4l HF6q6 4l HF6q6 or 4l4F6q6

5b. But, 9 9 9 9 or Hl Hl Hl Hl + H H H H 95 95 95 95 or Hl 5 Hl 5 Hl 5 Hl 5
But, when 9 or Hl at the end of the word is followed by H , the H is replaced by 5 (avagraha)
9 H 95 T H|9 T 5|9 P + H P + 5
Hl H Hl 5 9 69l H76 9 69l 576

There are a few occassions when two vowels coming together do not coalesce:

6. When the dual ending of a noun or verb ends in , 7 77 7, or 9 9 9 9 , it will not coalesce with a
following vowel.
(l 96l
|4!T 9Pl
q HP
7. If a simple vowel (short or long) at the end of a word is followed by short + ++ + , it is
optionally not combined and the preceding vowel, if long, is made short.
Ol +|9- O|9 - or O +|9-
B8 +9lTlP B89l TlP or B8 +9lTlP

8. When two vowels are brought together by the disappearance of an intervening
consonant or visarga, they do not coalesce.
+- 7|6 + 7|6
=l46 |6 =l464 |6 =l46 |6

5
Vowel Sandhi Exercises

Please do the sandhis in the left column and check your work in the right column.
You can also try to recognize the sandhis in the right column, even though you
may not know the vocabulary at this point.

Exercises from B|-|-Tl *
|9 H|- |9 l|-
P(l Hl4- P(l4-
H| 7P Hl7P
9|6 TP 96lTP
l+ 7(4- + (4-
6+ 7\4 P 6+ \4 P
|96 +TP |96 TP
( 4 -- ( 4 --
T H- T H-
4l |6 4 |6
7l H- 7 H-
|(6 79( H- |(6l 9( H-
9T 7+|4 H|6- 9Tl +|4 H|6-
ql 7P ql P
H H +|9- H H|9 - or H H +|9-
=+ 9T6l =+ T6l
P(l 9 H4 P P( H4 P
= Hl - =l -
B GF4 Hl 9|4TP B GF4l 9|4TP
H4 9|6 H4 |6
9 96 9 6
6
|4H 7(- |4Hl (-
9 +Tl |6 9Tl |6
79 +7+ 797 +
H4 9=6 H4 =6
9 Hl 9|6 9l 9|6
(| H (\4
4F6 (P 4|Ft4(P
4 Hl++P 4\4l++P
B l 7|(6P B \4 |(6P
Pl6 H P Pl P
H+P (Internal sandhi) 4+P
l H+P (Internal sandhi) 4+P
HT- (Internal sandhi) l4T-
F6l HT- (Internal sandhi) F6l4T-
T HlB6 T HlB6 or T4lB6
HFP 7& HFPl 7& or HFPl4&
|~4 7H6- |~4l 7H6- or |~4l4 H6-
l H l H or l4
( ( ( ( or (|4(
|4!Tl ( |4!T ( or |4!T|4(
4l4l H 4l4l 5
T4 H4 T4 54
|4l H4 |4l 54
( H ( 5


7
Vowel sandhis found in the 4Jl6l
4 ( |6 4 ( |6
P T 7 P Tl
++ 7 ++
( 6 H F4 ( t4 F4
9TT H 9TTl
94 HltPl 94ltPl
+ 799H6 +l 99H6
94 4 |6 94 4 |6
7|6 H|F6 7t4|F6
4 |& Hl|( Hl6F4 4&lHl6F4
H-( Hl|( H F4 H|4|44 H-(lH F4l|4|44
l64|6 |6 74 Hl 9 94 H - l646lt4 4l 9 4l -
9Pl 7l 79( H- 9P 7l 9( H-
|6 Hl|( HltPl 9Tt4 HT6 t4 Hl|( t4lHltP Tt4lT6 t4l|(



8
Common Visarga Sandhis


1. H H H H + - - - - + SC or H H H H Hl Hl 5 Hl Hl 5 Hl Hl 5 Hl Hl 5
Visarga preceded by H HH H and followed by a soft consonant or H HH H, visarga changes to Hl Hl Hl Hl and the H H H H
changes to avagraha.
P 7- H|B P 7l 5|B |H4- H4 - |H4l 54 - ( 4- H4P ( 4l 54P
HltP+- 7l HltP+l 7l +- 4l|6 +l 4l|6 lP- 7|6 lPl 7|6

2. H H H H + - - - - + AV - H H H H drops
Visarga preceded by H HH H and followed by any vowel except H HH H, visarga drops.
7-P- 4 7-P 4
OT- Hl6- OT Hl6-
Hll4 - 79( H- Hll4 79( H-
lP- 9|6 lP 9|6

3. Hl Hl Hl Hl + - - - - + SC or V drops
Visarga preceded by Hl Hl Hl Hl and followed by a soft consonant or vowel, visarga drops.
Hl 4l- HHl 4l- Hl 4l HHl 4l-
( 4l- ( ( 4l (

4a. AV - H H H H Hl Hl Hl Hl + - - - - + SC or V
Visarga preceded by any vowel except H H H H or Hl Hl Hl Hl and followed by a soft consonant or vowel,
visarga changes to
4 |&- 4 9lP 4 |&4 9lP
6 - |4+l 6 |4 +l
HlBl- 94 HlBl 4

4b. + drops and the preceding vowel if short is lengthened.
followed by is dropped and the preceding vowel if short is lengthened.

(|- 4- (| 4- (l 4-
H - l=6 H l=6 H l=6
9 + P6 9 +l P6
9

5. AV + - - - - + T G T G T G T G - - - - (ggh) HlBl- |T HlBl- |T
7 77 7 H H H H =l46- =l46
9 9 9 9 |494- lTl |4947lTl
6 6 6 6 B B B B 9Pl 6- 6 9Pl 6F6
9 T 9 T 9 T 9 T - - - - (fff) 9 +- 9 +- 9 +- 9 +-

6. AV + - - - - + H H H H - - - - or H H H H (|- H 6 (|- H 6 or (|7H 6
9 9 9 9 - - - - or 9 9 9 9 ( 4l- 9 ( 4l- 9 or ( 4l!9
B BB B - - - - or B B B B P+- B GP P+- B GP or P+FB GP

7. B- B- B- B- and 99- 99- 99- 99-
B- and 99- drop their visarga when followed by a consonant in a sentence. When followed by a
vowel, they will follow normal sandhi rules.
B- 4l - B 4l -
B- H4P Bl 54P
B- 7|6 B 7|6
99- HltPl 99 HltPl

10
Visarga Sandhi Exercises

Please do the sandhis in the left column and check your work in the right column.
You can also try to recognize the sandhis in the right column, even though you
may not know the vocabulary at this point.

Most exercises are taken from B|-|-Tl *
lP- 7|6 lPl 7|6
(|- H 6 (|7H 6 or (|- H 6
4l- |6 4l|6
|H4- 4-H- |H4l 4-H-
|4!T - l6l |4!TNl6l
P+- B GP P+FB GP or P+- B GP
4 (- Hl6- 4 (l 5l6-
lP- Tl |6 lP- Tl |6
9 + P6 9 +l P6
|8- tTl- |8F tTl-
T !T- =4|6 T !Tl =4|6
6l - 7l4l 6l 77l4l
( 4l- 9 ( 4l!9 or ( 4l- 9
OTl- Hl6l- OTl Hl6l-
T- 9|6 T- 9|6
+ - l- + 7l-
P+- l4- P+l l4-
B- 4l - B 4l -
B- 7|6 B 7|6
4H- 6 4Hl 6
6 - - 6 U -
11
( 4l- ( ( 4l (
4l- 7|6 4l 7|6
(|- |6 (l |6
HHl- l4|-6 HHl l4|-6
+- 79l|- + 79l|-
6- l96 6l 96
H - l=6 H l=6
9 69- 797|6 9 69 797|6
(|- 7|6 (||7|6

Visarga sandhis found in the 4Jl6l
4- 4 ( 4l 4 (
9 69- H|T 6- (|-6 9 69l 5|T 6l (|-6
(-6 - 6 (-6 F6
9 69- |6 9 69 |6
HltP+- H|4|44t4P HltP+l 5|4|44t4P
9|69 - 94 9|6H 94
4l - 746 4l 746
T- HBl Tl 5Bl
64l - H|9 64l |9
T 4l Tl- T 9Tl- (l+l- T( 64- T 4l Tl- T 9Tl (l+l- T( 64-
|4!Tl - Pl l4P |4!Tl Pl l14P
|49- H|49- |49l 5|49
|4=l+l6- |6 |4=l+l6 |6
9Pl 6- H|4|44- 94 HltPl 9Pl 6l 5|4|44 94ltPl
|49- P P l - |49l P P l
12
Common Consonant Sandhis


1. hc + sc or v 3
rd
of class
A hard consonant followed by a soft consonant or vowel changes to the third of its class.
B6 4|6 B4|6
P 6 -4|6 T T P |6 T T
9lT 7\4 9l \4

2. Mutes nasal + hc 1
st
of class
Mutes, except nasals, change to the 1
st
letter of their class when follwed by a hard consonant.
|( 9l- |(19l-
B9( TlP- B9tTlP-
|4l7 9 69- |4l 9 69-


3. Dental + Palatal Palatal
When B or a dental consonant is combined with H or a palatal consonant, it changes to H or
the 1
st
or 3
rd
palatal, depending on whether the palatal is a hard or soft consonant, i.e. B H , 6
, ( =
66 6 966 7l4l 967l4l
66 =(l|6 6=(l|6 66 H||6 67H||6
6l+ =4 6lV4 4= +- 4-
lPB H 6 lP7H 6 lPB |+l |6 lP|+l |6

4. Dental + Lingual Lingual
When B or a dental consonant is combined with 9 or a lingual consonant, it changes to 9 or
the 1
st
or 3
rd
lingual, depending on whether the lingual is a hard or soft consonant, i.e. B 9 ,
6 , ( 7
66 lTl 6lTl 66 l- 6 l-
66 74+P 67 74+P 66 7lP 67 7lP
|4+ 7l TB |4'7l TB lPB lT6 lP7lT6
lPB 97- lP!97- 9 9 6l 9 7l

13
5. Dental ( 6 6 6 6 or ( ( ( ( ) + and + + + +
A dental final ( 6 6 6 6 or ( ( ( ( ) followed by is changed to , the dental nasal + is changed to
66 4- 64-
6( l+- 6l+-
|4l+ |G|6 |4l |G|6

6. 6 6 6 6 + H H H H 7 7 7 7 optionally
A 6 followed by H becomes and the following H becomes 7 optionally.
66 ~ t4l 6 t4l or 6~ t4l;
66 |H4- 6|74- or 6|H4-
~lP6 H T4t9l(- |~P7 T4t9l(- or |~PH T4t9l(-

7. + + + + + H H H H -7 -7 -7 -7 optionally
A + followed by H becomes and the following H becomes 7 optionally
P l+ + H-(l+ + H Tl |6 P l-7-(l-7 Tl |6 or P l-H-(l-H Tl |6

8. Any mute + nasal appropriate nasal optionally
Any word-final mute followed by a word-initial nasal becomes the nasal of mutes class.
966 Pl T 6 96-Pl T 6 or 96Tl T 6
4lT P4- 4l= P4- or 4lP4-
6 + or ( +

9. + + + + + soft palatal or soft lingual nasal of class
Final + followed by a soft palatal or lingual changes to the nasal of the class.
(l+4l+ =4|6 (l+4lV4|6
6l+ 74+P 6l'74+P
10. + ++ + + 7 6 7 6 7 6 7 6 H+ F4l H+ F4l H+ F4l H+ F4l + H 9 B H 9 B H 9 B H 9 B ( H 9 B H 9 B H 9 B H 9 B )
A final + followed by a hard palatal, lingual, or dental changes to H+ F4l and the sibilant of the
following letters class.
T|FP+ |6 T|FP |6
P(l+ lTlTl- P(l 7lTlTl-
P Gl + t4=|6 P Gl Ft4=|6

14
11. + + + + T T T T
+ following + 9 changes to T even if a vowel, semi-vowel except , gutteral, labial or the
letter ( intervenes. This does not apply when + ends the word.
lP + lP T (| +l (|Tl

12. Short vowel + = T = T = T = T or + + + + + any vowel nasal doubles
Final = T or + are doubled when they occur after a short vowel and precede any initial vowel.
F6 4+ Hl7|6 F6 4l7|6 (B+ 4 (B|4

13. P P P P + any consonant H+ F4l H+ F4l H+ F4l H+ F4l
Final P when followed by a consonant changes to H+ F4l optionally, and necessarily when
followed by H 9 B ( . When it is not changed to H+ F4l, it is changed to the nasal of the class of
the following letter and to a nasal 4 4 when followed by 4 4 respectively.
4P |( 4 |( 9 69P BP 9 69 BP
BP 7|6 B 7|6 or Bq7|6 4l 4+P =l 4l 4+ =l or 4l 4+Vl
+ ((l|6 + ((l|6 or +-((l|6 BP 4-6l B 4-6l or B4 4-6l
4P l TP 4 l TP or 4 l TP

14. Mute + ( ( ( ( 3
rd
and 4
th
mute optionally.

Initial ( after a final mute optionally changes to the soft aspirate of the preceding mute and the
mute will change to the 3
rd
of its class optionally.
966 (|6 96&|6 or 96( (|6
4lT |( 4l| or 4l |( 66 |( 6|& or 4l |(

15. B B B B 9 9 9 9
B changes to 9 when it follows any vowel except H Hl, a gutteral, or
4lT B 4l
(| B (|9

16. B B B B and - - - -
At the end of words, B , whether followed by any letter or not, and , followed by a hard
consonant or by nothing, are changed to visarga.
lPB lP- 9 + 9 + 9 +- 9 +-
9 + H|F69 +|F6 9 + =l4|6 9 +=l 4|6
15
Consonant Sandhi Exercises

Please do the sandhis in the left column and check your work in the right column.
You can also try to recognize the sandhis in the right column, even though you
may not know the vocabulary at this point.

Most exercises are taken from B|-|-Tl *
B6 |6 B|6
66 7|4- 67|4-
96( =P 96=P
Hl|q+ =4 Hl|qV4-
66 lTl 6lTl
H|P|6 Tl- H|P| Tl-
Bl PB 6 7l+- Bl PB 7 7l+-
|4+ 7l TB |4'7l TB
4lT H- 4lH-
H H-6- H=-6-
9 |4l B- 9|7 4l B-
=6 H- =(lH-
66 +P 6&+P
4 -4lP 4 lP
H9 l'7- H-l'7-
4lT (|- 4|- or 4l (|-
66 |(6P 6|&6P or 6( |(6P
66 (++P 6&++P or 6( (++P
H F4- H7H F4- or H= F4-
9 (l|+ 97 7l|+ or 97 (l|+


16
H9 (TP H-TP or H4 (TP
7( l+P 7tl+P
7( 6+P 7+P
7( l9T- 7tl9T-
B9( TlP- B9tTlP-
|4l7 9 69- |4l 9 69-
66 4- 64-
6( l+- 6l+-
|4l+ |G|6 |4l |G|6
|(T +l- |(= +l- or |(P-
966 P l|- 96-P l|- or 96T l|-
H9 PP- HPP- or H-PP-
t4 Tl |9 t4l |9 or t4 Tl |9
9 !9 |+l |6 9 !9|+l |6 or 9 !9 |+l |6
7\4 7l46 7\4 '7l46 or 7\4 7l46
+ ((l|6 +-((l|6 or + ((l|6
9 F6T 9|6 9 F6T9|6 or 9 F6T 9|6
7+ Tl - 7 Tl - or 7 Tl -
P(l+ 7 (- P(l 77 (- or P(l 77 (-
P(l+ lTlTl- P(l 7lTlTl- or P(l 7lTlTl-
|4+ l4F4 |4Nl4F4 or |4Nl4F4
9t4= HltPl 9t4= =ltPl
B T H- B 'TlH-
B+ H4 6- B4 6-

17

Consonant sandhis found in the 4Jl6l
|T |6 (|-6 |T |( (|-6 or |T |&|-6
H-46 |49- H-4|9-
H|4|44l6 HltP+- H|4|44l(ltP+-
6 + or ( +
Hll4l + |H!4l- Hll4 |-7!4l- or Hll4 |-H!4l-
66 |( 6( |( or 6|&
9l4l(l+ 9l4l(l
B6 4 t4l6 B t4l6
P6 |+|PP P||PP or P|,|(6P
T(l|6 H(P T(l|((P
HlB+ 94 HlB 4
6l+ |6|6F4 6l |F6|6F4
6l+ Hl6 7!T Hl(l+ 6l-7l6l !Tl(l+
B6 4|6 B4|6
6FPl6 l|( 6FPll|(
-4|ll6 + -4|ll or -4|ll( +
66 46 B6 94 6HtB( 4
=6 66P =6P
|+444t4l6 ( (l|(46 |+444t4l (l|(46